My contractor just installed my upstairs 1 piece shower stall & made 2 huge errors.

1) no ptrap - I have to inspect this, but is a strong suspicion, as the drain gurgles when running washer on 1st floor, sink adjacent to the shower. I already poured about 2 gallons of water into new drain (which should fill the ptrap, if there was one).
No sewer gas as yet.

2) drain (Sioux Chief brand) threaded flange is pvc and is cemented :(

The plumbing was roughed-in when the house was constructed (5 yrs ago), so it has a 2" pvc vent stack.

First - How can I remove the drain without damaging the new shower enclosure?
Next - any graceful way to remove the shower stall? I'm assuming reverse the install process? He raised the floor with a 2x4 (he said to install the ptrap), so access from garage below would mean cutting through the 2nd floor decking sheets.
help for this newbie is greatly appreciated, we're handy diy homeowners.

Hi Classic

You said, "but is a strong suspicion, as the drain gurgles when running washer on 1st floor, sink adjacent to the shower". What are you saying here.. please clarify.

Now, If you look into the shower drain do you see standing waterin the drain? If you see standing water in the pipe then there is a PTRAP present. If you do not see standing water in the drain then there could still be a PTRAP installed under there, but it would now be an illegal STRAP and that is not good.

Also, how was this shower vented? If you hear gurgling when the downstairs washer is on it may suggests that the contractor tied into the washer vent stack... maybe? Need you to clarify that first sentence though to make more sense of this.

Finally, why not have the contractor sort this out?

Back to you...

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi Classic

You said, "but is a strong suspicion, as the drain gurgles when running washer on 1st floor, sink adjacent to the shower". What are you saying here..please clarify.

Now, If you look into the shower drain do you see standing waterin the drain? If you see standing water in the pipe then there is a PTRAP present. If you do not see standing water in the drain then there could still be a PTRAP installed under there, but it would now be an illegal STRAP and that is not good.

Also, how was this shower vented? If you hear gurgling when the downstairs washer is on it may suggests that the contractor tied into the washer vent stack...maybe?? Need you to clarify that first sentence though to make more sense of this.

Finally, why not have the contractor sort this out?

Back to you...

Mark

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1)The vent has the bathroom sink and shower stall connected to it, then through the roof.
The distance from the shower drain to the vent is from the center of the 36" shower stall to wall (approx 36/2 = 18"), i.e.. ) the wall separates the sink and shower stall. (not sure about the wash machine.) I'm on a septic system, if that matters.

2)The shower drain has no standing water in the drain.

3) I want to get an understanding of what (& how) will need to be done, so that he can't take any short cuts & be prepared with at least part of the answer. I'm quickly losing confidence in this guy.

The Ptrap to the shower must be directly under the shower strainer so as you thought, it is not a good thing that the trap is not properly placed (or even present?).

If this was me I would probably try to fix things from undeneath as it sounds less destructive to the home/bathroom in the scheme of things.

Otherwise, the entire shower needs to come out, a new PTRAP installed and everything put back in.

For best results, I'd check with the manufacturer's installation instructions and see if they require the shower to be bedded in a bedding substrate such as plaster or structolite. If the contractor missed the trap, he probably missed the bedding requirement as well.

Mark

Thanks !
Any thoughts on how to remove the drain that is treaded, but he put the pvc cement on the treads?
I'm guessing a hack saw.. but where to start?

How could you have a gurgling sound is there is no trap. The water sitting in the trap is what makes the sound if pushed through it.

My guess is that there is a PTRAP under the shower, but it is offset and is now an illegal STRAP... maybe, Harold?

Hi guys, that would be my guess also. The trap is where the "gurgling" is coming from. Sure sounds like the trap is installed incorrectly as well as vented incorrectly.

Classic, is your contractor a licensed plumber? If not, they have no right doing anything related to plumbing in your home. Actually breaking the law by doing it. Just because they have a contractors license does not give them permission to do plumbing. Trust me, there is a completely different set of rules and licenses required to be allowed to do the plumbing portion of the job legally, and most importantly, correctly.
Lee.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mygirlsdad77

Hi guys, that would be my guess also. The trap is where the "gurgling" is coming from. Sure sounds like the trap is installed incorrectly as well as vented incorrectly.

classic, is your contractor a licensed plumber? If not, they have no right doing anything related to plumbing in your home. Actually breaking the law by doing it. Just because they have a contractors license does not give them permission to do plumbing. Trust me, there is a completely different set of rules and licenses required to be allowed to do the plumbing portion of the job legally, and most importantly, correctly.
Lee.

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Thanks for your advice! The gurgling I describe is heard when I run water down the sink drain on the adjacent wall. He has provided receipts for all materials, but I only see a 90 street elbow 2" and sanitary tee 2". He already had a section of 2" pvc, about 14" long.

Because of the sound I hear coming from the shower drain, no water is visible directly under the drain opening and I don't see any receipts for a 2" ptrap, I don't think he put one in.

Any ideas on how to remove the drain threaded type that he used the pvc cement on?

Have you taken 2 screwdrivers, inserted them in the holes of the strainer, crossed the screwdrivers and tried to loosen the strainer? If not, try that and see if it will loosen the top from the bottom. I can't believe someone would cement the threads of the strainer.

If you find that the strainer is cemented then the only way to remove it will be to cut it out VERY CAREFULLY... piece by piece!

Mark