Hello - Finishing a basement in my 8 year old house. Builder roughed in plumbing for basement - however I recently realized that where the plumbing was roughed in is directly under the main air duct from the furnace (see pics)... meaning the bathroom ceiling would be 80" max, which I think is too short to be code? Wondering what my options are - is it difficult to move the plumbing that has already being roughed in? Can I just move the pipe for the toilet to relocate it out from under the duct? Move the air duct? Any advice greatly appreciated!

Hi AMation

I would think you could just box out around the duct work and then put the rest of the finish ceiling up as high as you want after that... should work OK according to the layout you show above. I don't think code enforcement will have an issue, either!

Otherwise, you'll need to break up the floor, dig down to the pipes and chip and dig more to relocate the pipes as you expected! Is it a lot of work.. Well, yes, it is, but not so much work if you end up with a bathroom that makes you happy, right?

Don't forget to install a bathroom exhaust fan!

You decide!

Mark

I would like to see some measures, If you removed the section od air duct and replaced it with a flat duct with the same volume would that give you the height you desire? I'm a great believer in doing things the easiest cheapest way and breaking up the slab and moving the drainage isn't one of them. There's just got to be a better way. Regards, Tom

Tom - thanks for the response. Not sure the height of flat duct, but from the slab to the floor joists is 91.5". What is not shown in the picture is there are several duct runs originating from the topside of the main duct right where the bathroom would be located, so any modification to that air duct would require some work there too. I've had some people say it is not a big deal to break up the slab and move the plumbing. Sounds like you are advising otherwise. My revised plan would keep the vent line where it is (i think that is what it is called - the two smaller pipes extending from floor...), move the toilet drain to the opposite side of the vent pipes (out from under the duct, approx. 36" in the direction away from the duct), and move the tub box about six feet in the direction away from the duct. Do you think it is still a better option to explore modifying the duct?

One other quick question (might be a dumb one... ). The vent lines are to be located in the wall - so how do I frame a wall where the pipes are already existing? Do the pipes get cut out for the wall to go in place and then replaced?

Thanks again for the guidance and advice!

Can't you fur out the wall for the vent? Tom