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groundjordan · May 8, 2004, 08:16 PM

I'm updating a 50 year old bathroom. I intend to put in a 36x36 Florestone shower pan, with the walls done in Corian. A shower was formerly in place built from scratch by a tilesetter on a slab foundation. I've removed all tile, vertical mortar, and the mortar bed, leaving a drain connection sticking up out of the slab an inch or so, an its also not in the center of my finished framing.
I believe that I can demo hammer a circular area of the foundation to remove the former drain and trap, then install a new trap in the new location and a bit lower into the ground with the proper flush drain connection. And then just slop some concrete in to fill up the excavation. Is it really this simple?

speedball1 · May 9, 2004, 06:19 AM

Good morning Jordan, If your house is 50 years old then the drainage is cast iron. If the present raiser from the trap is in the wrong place you are correct that it will have to be removed and replaced . Cut the drainage line back far enough to give yourself room to install fittings to bring the new raiser to the center of the pan drain. Convert to PVC from cast iron at the cut with a PVC to cast iron No-Hub band the same size as the drain. Once you get the raiser positioned you may then recement the slab. Yeah! It's just that simple. Good luck and kudos for taking on a tough job. Regards, Tom

labman · May 9, 2004, 08:33 PM

I completely agree with Tom's answer. I like working with PVC, it is almost fool proof. The only way you can get in trouble is to put something together wrong, because once it is together, it is together. But even then, a hacksaw and another coupling may get you out of that mistake. Couplings, like the rest of it, are cheap too.

Tom sometimes forgets how resourceful those of us with less experience are at creating problems. I would study the drain carefully before starting hammering. If it is cast iron like Tom suggests, you could crack it beyond where you can tear up. Can you tell how far down the elbow is and which way it goes? If it isn't well below the concrete, you may want to saw or drill the concrete near the pipe to make it crack easily where you need it to.

speedball1 · May 10, 2004, 05:52 AM

I like working with Labman because he will remind me to be more "user friendly" and specific in my answers. Having taught young plumbers the trade I tend to forget that my askers aren't plumbers. There are two ways to make a cut in cast iron when it is in a tight spot. One is with a set of chain ratchet cutters and the other is to take a Saws-All, (reciprocating saw) with a metal cuting blade on it and saw through the pipe. Go back far enough to leave yourself plenty of room for fittings to position the new trap and raiser to the drain in the shower floor. Once again, thanks Lab. Tom

groundjordan · May 10, 2004, 07:35 PM

Thanks to both of you... the kudos for taking on a tough job must be why I've been staring at this framed opening in my dau's bathroom for about six months. I know in my mind what to do, it's the first plunge that's scary. Thanks again for the replies and advice.
Mike Jordan