Ask Me Help Desk - Moving a toilet in the Basement

I want to move my basement toilet to another location as part of a bathroom remodeling project. I have a cement floor.

The toilet sits on top of a 2.5 inch build up of cement... kind of like a platform of some sort. The vent pipe appears to go into the cement and I assume connects to the toilet under this platform.

I have two questions.
First, can I move the toilet and re-vent it through the basement wall to the outside with PVC or do I need to use the same pipe it is vented to now?

If not, is it easy to dig a trench in concrete to the toilet's new location and put PVC piping to connect to the other type of pipe that I have?

I have pictures if you care to see them.
Thanks,
Firsttimer

Quote:

Originally Posted by firsttimer

I want to move my basement toilet to another location as part of a bathroom remodeling project. I have a cement floor.

The toilet sits on top of a 2.5 inch build up of cement...kind of like a platform of some sort. The vent pipe appears to go into the cement and I assume connects to the toilet under this platform.

I have two questions.
First, can I move the toilet and re-vent it through the basement wall to the outside with PVC or do I need to use the same pipe it is vented to now?

If not, is it easy to dig a trench in concrete to the toilet's new location and put PVC piping to connect to the other type of pipe that I have?

I have pictures if you care to see them.
Thanks,
Firsttimer

I need a little more information. How far do you wish to move the toilet? Will it be within 5' of the old location? Is it part of a group of fixtures or is it all by itself? What material, (pipe) will you be connecting the PVC to? Send you pictures to : [email protected] and head it up "PLUMBING" so it doesn't get in the wrong folder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

I need a little more information. How far do you wish to move the toilet? Will it be within 5' of the old location? Is it part of a group of fixtures or is it all by itself? What material, (pipe) will you be connecting the PVC to? Send you pictures to : [email protected] and head it up "PLUMBING" so it doesn't get in the wrong folder.

Yes the toilet will be moved about 3 or 4 feet from where it is now. The toilet has one water line that it shares with the sink. I believe the vent pipe is only connected to the toilet. It runs up from the floor and connects to a bigger 3" pipe (someone told me was a wet stacK?) The pipe is iron I think. I don't know how to work with iron so that's why I was thinking about using PVC. The pictures are on the way and thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by firsttimer

Yes the toilet will be moved about 3 or 4 feet from where it is now. The toilet has one water line that it shares with the sink. I believe the vent pipe is only connected to the toilet. It runs up from the floor and connects to a bigger 3" pipe (someone told me was a wet stacK?) The pipe is iron I think. I don't know how to work with iron so that's why I was thinking about using PVC. The pictures are on the way and thanks.

The vent has to be connected to the sink and the toilet should be wet vented by the sink. If you can tie the new toilet into the old drain you should be vented and within code. I'll wait on the pictures. Cheers, Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by firsttimer

Yes the toilet will be moved about 3 or 4 feet from where it is now. The toilet has one water line that it shares with the sink. I believe the vent pipe is only connected to the toilet. It runs up from the floor and connects to a bigger 3" pipe (someone told me was a wet stacK?) The pipe is iron I think. I don't know how to work with iron so that's why I was thinking about using PVC. The pictures are on the way and thanks.

Hi George,

Don't ever invite the plumbing inspector over to check out the plumbing in your basement. The way I read your pictures the lavatory has a "S" trap that's out of code and you're discharging a major fixture, (toilet) past a unvented minor one, (shower) which is a no-no. In addition you're telling me that the 2" vent for the toilet ties into a "wet stack" (stack vent) that has fixtures, (a bathroom group?) discharging into it. Another no-no.
Man!! That inspector ain't gotta nough red tags in his office to hang on your job!!

But that's not what you asked. If it's working, then, what da hell!! Leave it alone.
You asked, (1) First, can I move the toilet and re-vent it through the basement wall to the outside with PVC or do I need to use the same pipe it is vented to now?
Yes you may vent through the basement wall if you follow Section 1404.5 of the Standard Plumbing Code, ( lets try to keep something in code here), which states; vent terminals extending through a wall shall be located at least 10 feet horizontally from any lot line. They shall be turned screened and the opening turned up ward. In addition, section 1404.4 states that no vent terminal shall be located directly beneath any, door, window, or any other ventilating opening, nor shall any vent terminal be within 10 feet horizontally of such a opening unless it's at least 2 feet above the top of such opening.

(2) If not, is it easy to dig a trench in concrete to the toilet's new location and put PVC piping to connect to the other type of pipe that I have?

You don't "dig a trench" through concrete. You break up cement with a sledge or a jackhammer and it's never "easy" to cut a fitting into a existing drain line. Good luck Tom