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  #1  
Old 07-10-2010, 11:03 AM
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Bathroom renovation on a slab

The wife and I are looking at buying a older house. It was built in 1972 on a slab. The house has great bones (so far as we can tell pre-inspection) but the bathroom will need a overhaul (so does the rest of the house but the bathroom need a complete remodel). ANy way, the tub and the shower (separate units) are sunk into the floor. I cannot see how as they have carpet in the bath(who in the hell thought of that idea?) but I am assuming they are sunk in concrete. The bathroom is a galley design and is way too narrow. If I take a leak and back up a foot, I'll fall in the tub and break my ass. So it all needs to be moved around. I assume I can route water up and over but the drain lines I assume will have to be cut out of the concrete and moved around. Never worked on something like this before. Is the slab in the bathroom thicker than the rest to accommodate the deeper tub? Has anyone had an experience with something like this.







Pics are not that great but you can get a general idea.

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  #2  
Old 07-10-2010, 12:20 PM
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I would imagine you will find a cast box that the tub sits in. That is an unusual arrangement. I have never seen anything recessed into a slab like that. you might be able to pull the tub, fill the box and install a new tub in the same place at a normal level.

Or you could install a guard rail at the tub to prevent accidental entry!
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Old 07-10-2010, 01:10 PM
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First, spend some time with it and develop a "prefered" layout.
At the same time generate a realistic layout.

Moving the drains etc in the slab may not be as bad as you think.
An electric jack hammer to open it up, then mix up some concrete and put it back.
A big job yes, but not as bad as you think and doable for a serious weekend warrior.

I had to move the drains in my basement bathroom, other than lugging the busted out concrete up, and the bags of cement down it wasn't that difficult.

I did get somewhat lucky in that part of what I needed to knock out had been done once before, and some of the concrete was so thin just dropping the jackhammer (it weighed 80lbs ??) broke right through. But I still had a fair amount that was 3" + thick.

As I recall I used about 10 bags of concrete to closed it up.
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Old 07-10-2010, 01:19 PM
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Moving drains isn't the end of the world, figure out what you can do with it and hammer away.

Slab should be 3in thick, whether it is or not is anyones guess. I have seen them from 1in to 10in.
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Old 07-10-2010, 10:55 PM
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Well, here is hoping that it's 5 inches or so. Already have a tentative plan now we just need to get the house.

It's a short sale so who knows how long it will take.
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Old 07-11-2010, 06:37 PM
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If that's only bathroom with a tub, I doubt the PO who installed it has any small kids, because that would be a pain to be washing your toddler in.

Anyways, you wouldn't know what your up against until you decide to go for it and open it up. The slab in and around the tube could be 10 inches thick! Let's hope for 3.

Shorts sales are 50/50 percent crap shoot and the time frame could take months without getting an answer. So I would suggest keep on looking!
And keep this property tied up just in case it comes through.




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  #7  
Old 07-11-2010, 08:26 PM
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Set the new tub on top of the old tub. Connect the new drain to the drain already in the tub and you're good to go.
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Old 07-11-2010, 08:53 PM
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I sleeved a 1940s shower slab/drain with a new flooring/drain assy.

That thing looks like a disaster to live with, if left that way - especially with small kids and potential drowning. Definitely redneck engineering at work there. Looks like something the redneck across the street from me would have done. Don't you just love these Texas full bathrooms with NO windows!? At least one of the bathrooms has one. That place was built in the late '60s to '70s. The tile in the shower looks to have been update 20-25+ years later, however.

Last edited by Skid Row Joe; 07-11-2010 at 09:06 PM.
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  #9  
Old 07-11-2010, 11:16 PM
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Built in 1972. No kids so nothing to worry about with that.

The bathroom will work for a little time till we save up enough to fix it. There is no way the bathroom will stay the way it is. One dark night my ass will be in the tub after I take a wiz and back up forgetting it's there. There is literally only 2 feet max between the two. I have a plan in my head so one we get the house (positive thinking) I will run it buy the OD for final approval

I figure I'll take a concrete drill before I get out the C4 to see how deep I have to dig.

There is a second bathroom with a regular bath so when we do the renovations we will not have to use a tree in the yard.
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Old 07-12-2010, 03:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Set the new tub on top of the old tub. Connect the new drain to the drain already in the tub and you're good to go.
That was a thought I had. If the tub was a normal height, the proximity of the toilet wouldn't be such an issue. Would probably have to fill the cavity with something though, after having extended the drain upward.

But that green sink has got to go.
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Old 07-12-2010, 08:38 AM
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That house was built prior to 1978, so might want to look for lead based paint.
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  #12  
Old 07-12-2010, 11:45 AM
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If you decide to start moving drain lines under that slab, keep in mind that the septic line from the house is going to be pretty deep. Probably at least a foot below the bottom of the tub. (tub has to drain above the toilet, otherwise it would be a cesspool) Could turn into huge amount of digging, if you make any radical changes. Of course, it's just dirt and pipe and concrete, so it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to do it, but a strong back and stronger sense of purpose would be helpful. Raising the tub to a normal height would be pretty straightforward, as pointed out, just by extending the drain.
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  #13  
Old 07-12-2010, 01:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Clk Man View Post
That house was built prior to 1978, so might want to look for lead based paint.
A new law just came into effect in April(?). Any work on a pre-1978 building which involves disturbing more than x square feet of surface (x is very low) requires an EPA lead abatement certification for the person doing the work.
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  #14  
Old 07-12-2010, 02:07 PM
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Screw'em. If they don't know about, it won't hurt them.. I'll have to look into that.

The bathroom will change at some point. Raising the tub is a good idea if there was more room. As it is (see new pics)





There is very limited space between the tub and toilet as it is. Raising the tub would make it seem even less.

There is a closet to the right of the bathroom and I am thinking that is where we would bust out the bathroom to. There is a second closet on the out side wall that we could keep. Using the closet to add on to the bathroom would triple the size so that is the plan.
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- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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  #15  
Old 07-12-2010, 02:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
A new law just came into effect in April(?). Any work on a pre-1978 building which involves disturbing more than x square feet of surface (x is very low) requires an EPA lead abatement certification for the person doing the work.
Is this a Fed law or state law? Do you have any extra info on it?

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- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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