I have a basement where I am planning to install a bathroom. It looks as if my concrete in the basement has been poured for the bathroom with a drain pipe for the vanity, a drain for the toilet coming directly out of the floor, and two drain pipes coming out of the floor for the shower. One of the drains for the shower appears to be a vent pipe as it is in a framed wall directly behind where the shower will be located. The size of the area for the shower indicates an expectation of mounting a pre-fab shower/tub unit. It has the room to place a standard five foot unit right hand drain. My question comes in where the other drain for the shower will actually receive the water from the shower when functioning. This drain pipe is surrounded by a black plastic pan that creates an indention in the concrete of approximately 3 inches. Can I assume there is a trap below the black plastic pan? Does the pan need to stay in place or be removed. If it needs to stay in place the concrete that unintentionally ended up in the pan causes a lack of height to place plumbing. Do I need to chip out the concrete to get more room? I think you get the idea of what I am asking hopefully.

Quote:

---

I have a basement where I am planning to install a bathroom. It looks as if my concrete in the basement has been poured for the bathroom with a drain pipe for the vanity, a drain for the toilet coming directly out of the floor, and two drain pipes coming out of the floor for the shower. One of the drains for the shower appears to be a vent pipe as it is in a framed wall directly behind where the shower will be located. The size of the area for the shower indicates an expectation of mounting a pre-fab shower/tub unit. It has the room to place a standard five foot unit right hand drain. My question comes in where the other drain for the shower will actually receive the water from the shower when functioning. This drain pipe is surrounded by a black plastic pan that creates an indention in the concrete of approximately 3 inches. Can I assume there is a trap below the black plastic pan? Does the pan need to stay in place or be removed. If it needs to stay in place the concrete that unintentionally ended up in the pan causes a lack of height to place plumbing. Do I need to chip out the concrete to get more room? I think you get the idea of what I am asking hopefully.

---

You keep talking about a shower rough in but describe a tub dapout that has cement over pour in it. Since the tub's vented I assume that wet vents aren't allowed in your area.
If I understand you correctly you wish to add a shower enclosure to the bathroom. Is that correct? Why not simply use the tub/ shower and save yourself the hassle of tearing up the slab and running a new vent? Chip the cement out of the dapout. The box doesn't have to stay, just the hole. In my area we wet vent our bathrooms (see image) Good luck, Tom

It seems like you basically have it. Sorry for my description as a novice. I have done a good bit of plumbing but never with a basement slab involved. What I am most concerned about is there is no trap visible. I am planning on putting the basic pvc type of drain(1.5 inch pvc slip fittings that go into a T) for a shower/tub enclosure. This pvc type of drain is coming directly from the shower/tub enclosure and there is no trap associated with it. It will fit directly to the pipe (2 inch pvc) that is coming out of the dapout. If there is a trap there it would have to be below the dapout which would make it invisible to me without tearing into the dapout. Can I connect the pvc drain from the shower/tub enclosure directly to the pipe coming out of the dapout and assume there will be no problems of sewer gas coming out into the bathroom? I ask because if this is not the correct way to do it I will have the bathroom completed and shower/tub enclosure framed and plumbed before I find out I have done it incorrectly.

By the way, I appreciate your time in answering my question.

Let's check and see. Hammer and chip the cement out of the box and dig it out. I'll bet you find a trap down there with a raiser coming out of it, Let me know what you find, Good luck, Tom

If the pipe is sticking up out of the dapout simply cut the cap off the pipe, pour some water into the pipe and then shine a flashlight into the pipe. If you see standing water then the pipe has a trap attached... ;)

Mark

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

If the pipe is sticking up out of the dapout simply cut the cap off the pipe, pour some water into the pipe and then shine a flashlight into the pipe. If you see standing water then the pipe has a trap attached...;)

Mark

---

I did part of both suggestions. Chipping out the concrete gave me more working room. I poured water in the pipe after cutting the cap off. I measured the distance down to the standing water. I still had sixteen inches of digging to get down to where the water is standing in the pipe. The water is standing in the pipe and I cannot smell any sewer gases coming from the pipe. The pipe is also located perfectly to tie straight into for the shower/tub unit to be located optimally. Thanks for the responses. I think I am good until my next bump in the road.

Now that you know you have a trap setting the tub should be a easy job. Click back if you need more help. Good luck, Tom