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armaraas · Dec 30, 2005, 10:27 PM

Hello, I've spent the last 3 hours trying to figure out if my roughed in bath is missing something or not and wondering if I am going to have to redo any of my framing. I have the 4" and 2" drains in the toilet area and a 12"x12" dap out for the tub. Well I took the cover off the dap out to take look in there, and about 6" down is just dirt and gravel. I dug around a few inches into the dirt and could not find any pipes at all. My assumption was that there should be a pipe in there connecting to the main drain? Am I wrong, or is there another way to use the dap out that doesn't require a pre-existing pipe? Or might I need to break out a shovel and dig deeper? They did the other drains and a place to vent even, so I would hope they didn't forget something there.
Let me know if my explanation isn't clear enough and pictures are needed.
Thanks for any help.

speedball1 · Dec 31, 2005, 08:47 AM

"Let me know if my explanation isn't clear enough and pictures are needed."

Your explanation's just fine and I don't need a picture to tell me that you, indeed, have a problem with the tub dap out.
We leave the tub dap out in one of two ways. As a rule we terminate with a trap and raiser that's 15 1/2" off the back wall and 1 1/2" off the front plate.
Some plumbers do not install a trap and raiser in case you are installing a tub that has different rough in dimensions. (My company always installs the traps and raisers.) Even if the trap's not installed there should still be a drain pipe capped off under the soil down there. Dig down and locate it, if not, then the plumber missed the boat and your problem just got quite a bit bigger. Let me know what you find. Tom

armaraas · Dec 31, 2005, 12:03 PM

Hello, thanks for the reply. All right, I got an ice cream pail and a small shovel and did find the drain capped down in the dirt. I just managed to uncover the top of it with one bucket of dirt so far. It looks like it might be a 3” or 4”. I guess my next question- I see the proper installation for a tub is to do it before doing the sheetrock. I however did the sheetrock on the 2 sides that are not on the wet wall. Will this be OK, or should I take down the sheetrock? My initial plan was not to finish the bathroom/tub for a while yet, but now I am thinking if it will be easier to do the tub now then maybe I should just put one in. The width of the room for the tub is about 68” right now, if that matters. I checked it earlier to make sure it wasn’t too narrow (our upstairs has a tub that is about 58-60”.

Also, is there a minimum size requirement for an access panel? Or a recommended size to make it easier? I did sheetrock in the room next to the bathroom and cut a 10”x10” hole to start with. Thanks again for the help.

speedball1 · Dec 31, 2005, 03:52 PM

'. I guess my next question- I see the proper installation for a tub is to do it before doing the sheetrock. I however did the sheetrock on the 2 sides that are not on the wet wall. Will this be OK, or should I take down the sheetrock?"

We have the tub set and in place and we're gone before the drywall men come in so I can't tell you much about that. But since the drywall will cover the lip of the tub for tile I guess you had better remove the drywall.

Access panels can be any size, Just an long as you can get in there to work.
12 to 14 inches square is the average.
Happy new year! Tom

bflinn · Jan 5, 2006, 10:31 AM

I have 10 year old house with a basement bathroom roughed in. I see the 4" stub for the toilet and the plastic box houseing the drain for the tub but I see nothing for a lav hook up. There is 2" drain pipe in the framed wall directly behind the toilet stub in the floor. My question: Is that 2" line behind the toilet stub the vent for the tiolet or am I supposed to run the drain for the sink through the wall to hook up to that line?

Thanks.

speedball1 · Jan 5, 2006, 11:05 AM

". My question: Is that 2" line behind the toilet stub the vent for the tiolet or am I supposed to run the drain for the sink through the wall to hook up to that line?"

Both, Come 18" off the floor to the center of a 2X2X1 1/2" drainage tee and arm off the 1 1/2" to pick up the lavatory. The vent will take off from the top of the tee and vent out the roof. Good luck, Tom

bflinn · Jan 5, 2006, 11:56 AM

Great. Thanks for the info (and the quick response).

armaraas · Jan 5, 2006, 11:56 AM

That is exactly how ours was roughed in too. We did what Tom suggested for the lavatory and it ended up being a lot easier than I expected. Hopefully they have a vent stack in the ceiling easily accessible for you to connect to.

bflinn · Jan 5, 2006, 12:44 PM

Yes, I have found the vent hook up and it will be pretty easy to tie into.

Anybody use CPVC for water supply in lieu of copper?

speedball1 · Jan 5, 2006, 02:00 PM

"Anybody use CPVC for water supply in lieu of copper?"
More and more we're using plastic, PVC & CPVC for internal water piping in out new construction. Regards, tom

Bapple · Jan 5, 2006, 04:43 PM

Hi All, I'm new and I want to put a bathroom in my basement. Looks like I have drainpipes stubbed out in a corner of the basement. This is a townhouse built about a year and a half ago. Is it common prcatice to build a p-trap under the slab, or do I need to add them? I'm most concerned about the shower... if I put a p-trap under it, it seems like I will either need to put the shower on a pedestal or cut into the slab (ugh!).

Thanks,

Bill

speedball1 · Jan 5, 2006, 04:48 PM

Hi Bill,
" Is it common prcatice to build a p-trap under the slab, or do I need to add them? I'm most concerned about the shower."

If there's a stub up for the shower then vyou have a "P" trap installed under the cement. Good luck, Tom

Bapple · Jan 5, 2006, 04:51 PM

Awesome! Thanks Tom. :)