Hi, we are wanting to remove a 1 piece shower stall, and wanting to install a toilet instead. We are also wanting to remove a bath tub, and build a larger walk-in shower in it place with sliding doors. We are thinking about tiling the walls, either slate or tile.

Questions:
1-Can the existing shower drain be used for the toilet?
2-Will we likely find drywall or 2x4's behind the shower and tub?(the house is new construction 2004)
3-To build a walk in shower where the tub is now, do we need to pour concrete to angle the floor slightly towards the drain?
4-To tile the new shower and bathroom walls, can this be done over the painted walls as they are now, or should we take all the sheetrock down and put up hardibacker?

Thank you in advance

 

1. NO!!! the existing pipes are, more than likely 2". You will need a minimum of a 3" drain pipe for a toilet.

2. More than likely, you will find drywall behind the shower/tub enclosure - regardless, if you want to tile the walls, you will need to go down to the studs and install CBU prior to tile work.

3. Yes.

4. You need CBU (durock or equivilant) behind your new tile in the shower and/or tub enclosure... painted drywall will end up getting wet and crumbling.

 

Thanks,
The drain can be changed correct? If so, this I would leave to a plumber.

 

It will have to be at least 3" back to the point where it meets a 3" or larger line. The vent stack may have to be changed as well. How hard/expensive it will be to do this depends on the route and the available access - for example if over a crawl space with a correct sized vent within code distance this would not be a big job, on a second floor with finished rooms below and an undersized vent it could be a major project.

Also keep in mind that the AHJ may make you upgrade other aspects of your plumbing and.or electrical as part of a tear-out bath remodel.

 

Your existing shower probably (probably) runs into the existing toilet drain somewhere in the flooring - which means you should (might?) be able to tie into it with the proper size.

 

This is a 1-story home, and presently the shower is about 5-6 feet away from the toilet. Don't know if this helps, but the link below is a quick layout showing the bathtub, shower and toilet right now.

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...2646957&size=o

 

slab or crawlspace?? Huge difference in cost to renovate per your desires..

 

slab foundation

 

Ouch.. Fraid of that... You're going to have to have the floor cut out from the old shower to the old toilet area to have upsized piping installed... Means cutting out old concrete... not cheap unless you can DIY - and not easy if you can...

 

Thanks for all input....will look at other options....was just wanting to move the toilet to make more space. Right now we use the shower, but it's too small, and we don't use the tub, so we came up with this idea to move the toilet, maybe just turning the shower space to shelving space....

Thanks again!

 

I think my husband mentioned that digging up the cement thing once. This may just be a project for a PRO! thanks for all the thoughts on all that needs to be done. We aren't into the plumbing and cement busting business!
mek

 

when building a shower on a cement slab floor is it good to use a vinyl shower pan and if so , after i slope the grade with cement do i use the vinyl nest or backerboard or do i use vinyl before i slope the shower floor. CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME ADVICE ON THIS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Do a Google for shower pans - and you should be able to find detailed instructions on how they're made. You can also buy relatively simple plumbing made simple type books at your local big box store that details the process....