I hope this isn't all too much for you to address, but thanks in advance!

I am in a dispute with my builder regarding my toilet installation and would like your 'professional' advise, if you agree with my position or the builder as a 3rd party observer.

Issue: My home was build new approx 9 years ago and we have maintianed it well. I perform most maintenace and repairs.

Our Mst/Bath toilet is in a separate enclosure in the bathroom. The entire bathroom floor is tiled including the camode room. I started noticing discoloration of the grout and believed I had a leak. This past weekend I removed the toilet. The first thing I noticed was there were two (2) wax rings used to install the toilet. I'm not a plumber, but I have installed a few toilets and have always been told never to use two wax rings!

So I continue with removal. Many of the tiles were not adhered to the floor and quickly cam up so a leak was an obvious problem. After all the tile was up I could see several things:
1) the underlayment was rotted all around that stack.
2) the stack was approx. 1" below the underlayment. The flange was flush with the OSB, but there is underlayment and then ceramic floor tile plus adhesive.
3) the wetness had spread out about 1' in all directions

I continued to pull up the underlayment and found that the OSM flooring was also rotted. My 'wonder bar' I used went all the way through the floor!

So I have a mess! The OSB will need to be replaced and I'm probably guessing I will need to cut off and redo the stack w/flange.

My position with the builder is that the toilet was improperly installed (primarily based on the double wax ring) at construction and they should make repairs. Their letter to me stated just the opposite and that the leak was my responsbility.

Can you share your thoughts?

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However, if I loose the agrument with the builder I need to start repairs. Can you provide some guidance on tackling this repair?

I know the OSB must be replaced, or rather patched in replaced. I have a crawl space underneath with I beam floor truss. As well as new underlayment, and new tile.

My questions are:

* Do I need to cut the stack off first?
* Is this a simple matter of cutting and then using a female/female connector for new PVC?
* How do I address the toung & grooving of the OSB?
* Is the OSM flooring nailed to the I beams?
* I'm also thinking of some sort of bottom support for the 'patch'... do you agree?
* Should the toilet mounting flange be flush with the tile level or underlayment?

Well, I know this is a lot. Thanks

Bob

Bob.. here is what I know.

The toilet flange always sits on top of the tile floor... period. Not flush, not under, not anything except on top of the tile (so tile slides under the flange). So you are correct... if was an all new installation and plumber needed two wax gaskets... then he did the job wrong.

Next... to repair pipe, just cut pipe underneath and prime/cement a coupling to connect new pipe to a new flange (that sets on top of the tile... ;) ).

The OSM floor may be nailed to joists... you will find out soon enough ;)
The OSM floor tongue and groove floor... hopefully you are not replacing enough of the floor to worry about the T&G of the board... just cut out wood to closest joists near where rot ends... then replace with plywood, joist to joist (use adhesive caulking over joists before installing the new flooring) and screw off patch and old floor where new meets old. That all make sense?

Anyway, that should do it... The rest is between you and the contractor and the building/plumbing inspector in your area... ;) Let me know how it goes.. ok

If this helped, please RATE THIS ANSWER... thank you.