I had a full bath roughed-in in my new house basement. The shower drain location was covered with styrofoam. I assumed that the drain pipe was below it and I proceeded to removed the styrofoam however, there was only the inner drain tile pipe. Am I missing something (i.e. drain pipe)?

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Originally Posted by tlazio

I had a full bath roughed-in in my new house basement. The shower drain location was covered with styrofoam. I assumed that the drain pipe was below it and I proceeded to removed the styrofoam however, there was only the inner drain tile pipe. Am I missing something (i.e. drain pipe)?

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I'm having a problem understanding your problem. Are you saying that there was a shower dap out,(recessed square hole in the cement) that was covered with styrofoam? If so how big is the hole? How deep?
" there was only the inner drain tile pipe."
Now that sentence needs a explanation. Are you saying the pipe was made of terra-cotta,(tile)? Inner drain? As oposed to what? A outer drain?
"Am I missing something?" I don't know about you but I sure am. Please rephase the question and give me details, i.e: What material is the pipe? Is it horizontal or vertical? Below the cement or sticking up out of it? What type of shower was it roughed in for? Custom tile? Manufactured shower base and enclosure? Before I can answer a question I have to be able to visualize it. If I can't do that I'm flying blind. So click on back with more details and I'll answer ASAP. Tom

The styrofoam covered a 16" x 12" hole next to the basement wall. The foam was about 8" thick. Beneath the foam was a few inches of gravel and a horizontal drain tile pipe parallel to the wall (holes in the bottom). Can I tie into the drain tile pipe? I don't see any other pipes.

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Originally Posted by tlazio

The styrofoam covered a 16" x 12" hole next to the basement wall. The foam was about 8" thick. Beneath the foam was a few inches of gravel and a horizontal drain tile pipe parallel to the wall (holes in the bottom). Can I tie into the drain tile pipe? I don't see any other pipes.

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What the plumber left you wasn't a shower rough in. He left you with a tub dap-out less the trap and raiser. What type of shower do you have planned? Custom tile? Manufactured shower base and enclosure? You can still convert over to a shower but first I have to know what type shower you have planned.
You may install a custom tile shower without breaking up cement and moving the trap but if you wish to install a manufactured one you will have to move the trap and raiser to match up with the shower bases drain. So let me know what you have planned. Regards, tom

I guess that explains why the hole is next to the wall. My main concern is that I don't see a pipe in the hole except for the drain tile. I have dug down about a foot. Where do I tie into?

I would like to install a custom tile shower. My main concern is the tile pan. I don't know if I will make the pan or purchase one. Do you know of any good manufactured tile pans? It sounds like a custom tile pan can eliminate the need to break up the concrete, correct?

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Originally Posted by tlazio

I guess that explains why the hole is next to the wall. My main concern is that I don't see a pipe in the hole except for the drain tile. I have dug down about a foot. Where do I tie into?

I would like to install a custom tile shower. My main concern is the tile pan. I don't know if I will make the pan or purchase one. Do you know of any good manufactured tile pans? It sounds like a custom tile pan can eliminate the need to break up the concrete, correct?

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" It sounds like a custom tile pan can eliminate the need to break up the concrete, correct?" That's right! You may install a custom tile shower drain anywhere, and yes you build your own shower pan out of Blue Compaseal Plastic. That's why they call it a "custom shower".
I don'tknow what you mean when you say, "My main concern is that I don't see a pipe in the hole except for the drain tile"
Please explain what a "drain tile" consists of. Is it a piece of Terra-Cotta Tile Pipe? How big is it? How deep is it? Is it really tile or is it plastic? I realize that you have something down in that hole I just haven't a description that can use. Please describe it in detail. Thanks, tom

The drain tile is a 4" white PVC pipe with holes in the bottom. It runs parallel to the interior basement walls and it is about one foot under the concrete.

I don't see a drain pipe to tie the shower drain into. The only pipe in the hole is the drain tile.

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Originally Posted by tlazio

The drain tile is a 4" white PVC pipe with holes in the bottom. It runs parallel to the interior basement walls and it is about one foot under the concrete.

I don't see a drain pipe to tie the shower drain into. The only pipe in the hole is the drain tile.

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Thank you. It would appear from your description that you have neither a tub OR a shower rough in. This could be a sump to drain away the water if the basement floods. Since this is a new home it should still be under a New Home One Year Warranty. Call the builder or contractor and have this straightened out. If you have the house plans, what does this dap out call for? I'm going to be real intrested in reading your next post. Good luck, Tom

I found the drain pipe. After digging more gravel out, I found a 2" horizontal, capped pipe under the front lip of the concrete floor. I assume that I will still have to break away some of the concrete, depending on where the shower drain will sit.

I would like to construct a custom tile shower, however I would like to use a manufactured pan. Do you know of any good sources for shower pans? Also, does the trap need to sit directly underneath the shower drain? If so, I assume the concrete would need to be broken out to that point.

The trap and raiser should set directly under the shower drain, but before you install the trap you will have to lay the shower pan down to see exactly
Where the trap raiser will have to come up. Also the shower drain for a custom tile shower will be a flange type shower drain, (es image)
Click on this link to check out shower pans.
Tile Redi Waterproof Shower Module Coral Springs, Florida 954.323.0125

Good luck, Tom

Thanks for your advice and the information on shower pans. How would you recommend cutting out the concrete to extend under the drain?

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Originally Posted by tlazio

Thanks for your advice and the information on shower pans. How would you recommend cutting out the concrete to extend under the drain?

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Since you won't need to remove a lot of cement I would use a Skill Saw with a masonry blade. After you get the trap and raiser positioned and the trap raiser extended a few inches above the floor line, (don't forget to prime all PVC joints before gluing). You must also patch the opening left in the cement. When all's said and done you will be left with a cement floor with a 2" PVC raiser sticking up out of it ready for you to set the pan and shower flange type drain. Good luck, Tom