I have a 1951 home that has a 1/2 bath in the basement. For resell value we would like to install a shower or a tub. There is ample room and a floor drain right where a tub drain would be located. When we first moved into the house, the drain was covered in carpet. I am not sure who thought up putting green shag in a basement bathroom but when the sewer backed up from tree roots in the lines, the carpet was gone and the drain discovered. We have dealt with the back up ordeal or shall I say that we annually prevent dealing with future ordeals but now we are moving on with what we could do with that extra drain in just the right spot.
It is identical to the bathroom right upstairs from it in the way of layout but I am unsure what steps I need to take to make this conversion. I am not worried about the water supply portion of the job as I have found that I enjoy soldering and there are copper pipes close by. My question is should I be thinking of just a shower base or a tub base and how hard is it to convert the existing floor drain into the shower or tub drain? Can I do this relatively easily?? What is the easiest option other than leaving the drain alone?

Shelene
914934

Before you try the conversion you need to find out if the floor drain is trapped. It should be trapped but don't assume it.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Before you try the conversion you need to find out if the floor drain is trapped. It should be trapped but don't assume it.

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Okay, I uncovered the drain, which really isn't much of a floor drain since it has a cover and doesn't let water in rather only out. I can see water a little ways down the hole along with a lovely spider web above it. The hole size is approximately 2 inches across. Do I have any hope?

Get rid of the spider before trying the next step. Cup your hands around the drain and stick your nose over it. Do you get a good whif of sewer gas? If no the it is likely trapped. It might even be an old rough in for a tub since most floor drains are 4" and most floor drains do not connect to t your sewer line. Now get about 5-6 buckets of water or a garden hose and start flushing the drain to make sure it is connected to the sewer. Do you have a sump pit, check to be sure the water isn't going to your sump pump.