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skeetie219_gw

Does moving the toilet location involve a major work

skeetie219
13 years ago

Just starting to formulate our master bath remodel on the 2nd flr. I would like to relocate the existing toilet(water closet) but only if it does not involve a tremendous amount of work.

It currently sits along the exterior wall . Any insight would be helpful.

Comments (6)

  • chrisk327
    13 years ago

    yes and no.... is it doable? yes. does it take work, yes, is it major, it really depends.

    Probably the biggest factor in it is where is the current waste line run in your bathroom compared to where you want to move it. they'll have to cut up the floor, remove the toilet flange, put in a straight piece. then have to run the waste pipe over to where you want the toilet. Dependingg on where you want it, and where it is, the waste line may need to run through beams, which makes the job harder.

    its not a super easy quick thing to do, it probably is the hardest of the things to move in the bathroom, mainly due to the size of the pipe that needs to be accomodated, but it is doable.

  • pricklypearcactus
    13 years ago

    Also, it is critical that the slope of the waste pipe is appropriate and that the waste pipe is vented properly. Exactly as chrisk327 said, it really depends on the location of the current waste line and how that relates to the location where you want to move the toilet.

  • Stacey Collins
    13 years ago

    I've done it (DIY) in two houses. The most recent one was on the first floor, so that was super easy to do from the basement.
    The previous one was on the second floor, so we had to take the flooring up.
    As the two previous posters said, the location of the waste stack in relation to where you want the new toilet to be is the main issue. If it's further away than it was before, it may need a new vent. And if the new drain pipe can't run between floor joists, but must go through them, it'll be a lot more difficult... you'll need to put the hole in the correct to-code location in the joist while keeping the correct to-code pitch in the pipe: tricky! If you're running in the same joist bay it'll be a lot easier! You should be able to tell which way your joists go from the basement.

  • davidro1
    13 years ago

    skeetie219
    "Any insight would be helpful" : if it's a hassle to move the drain, it might make it economical to buy a wall-mount toilet (and " wall-mount carrier"). Search using these terms. Some brands are Grohe, Geberit, Toto, Caroma.

    I got a wall hung toilet and it allowed me to relocate the toilet (water closet) without "a tremendous amount of work".

  • skeetie219
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone.... its a 2nd flr bath and i think we were planning to rip up the flr because every flr and wall in our house is uneven. The waste line runs along the back part of the house since we just renovated the kitchen and opened up the soffits.
    I was open to where I might be able to move it either along the same wall about 4 or 5 feet to the right or I could move direct across from where it is now.

  • kudzu9
    13 years ago

    Others have mentioned the issue of which way the floor joists run. If they run the "wrong" way and you have to drill holes through them to run the waste line, it could be a major problem. The plumbing code specifies what minimum diameter your waste line can be, and the building code specifies how big a hole can be placed in a structural member and where it can be located. Depending on the size of the joists and the slope you have to achieve with the waste line, this sometimes presents a challenge. Check with your local code authorities before just cutting in to your joists.