Lost in the drain. Who much do you pay?

Question

Hey Fellow Investors!

I have to create a new bathroom from scratch. Actually not so much from scratch as it is a former laundry. There are all drains and water supply there already. I would need to dig 3-6 feet to make a p trap for shower and for the toilet. I wonder how much do you pay for rough in plumbing. I don't want to be super cheap and neither do I want to break the bank. By rough in plumbing I mean drains and water supplies, not the installation of fixtures. I will be providing materials. In your response please let me know if you paid for materials separately. Any opinion is appreciated.

Hope your project rocks!

George W. · Answer

First off you need a plumber because this would be a job that needs a permit because your adding something completely new. Im in NJ so the codes might be a lot different but most states I've worked in are fundamentally similar.

You said there's an existing laundry room in the immediate area, most laundry standpipes/waste pipes are 2". Toilets are 3" pipe. So I wouldnt count on using existing drain lines.

If you're not close to a 3" stack or building drain, there will be either a ton of concrete to open or you will need a sewer ejector pump. Sewer ejector pumps need a vent through roof, no air adimtance valves.

you need to vent all of your fixtures. So you either need to find a vent stack or run common vent up through roof. Air adimtance valves might work for your fixtures depending on local code.

just because there's water lines there already doesn't mean they're the right size to handle another bathroom group. A lot of older houses only have 1/2" in the whole house on a 3/4" water main. There's not enough volume at 8 feet per minute to serve 2x bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry, 2x outside hose valves on a 1/2" line and acutally it's even tight fixture unit wise on a 3/4" K water main.

Recently had a similar job, the township made us change water main to 1", had to install 1" to the kitchen group (first fixtures). Then had to cut out all the 1/2 trunk lines and install 3/4" to the water heater and to the last bathroom group.

They had a illegal bathroom installed a few years ago and the township caught them. They made them rip the whole thing out and we had to come in and start fresh. Unfortunately for the consumer it costed them more than they wanted to pay but it was totally code compliant and has zero issues now by the time we were done

Preston Quinn · Answer

@Sophie Maisel

I’ve done this several times. I usually pay about $1500 and that’s with the ejector pump. That includes material, labor and pouring concrete. All roughed in. Nothing finished. I haven’t had to add a bathroom over concrete in about a year. So I’d assume the price will be higher next time I need it done.

With that being said, I have guys that I have used for quite some time and have built a solid relationship with them. They have told me they’re doing it for cost for me. With that said I would expect to pay $3000 or more. This is a nasty dirty filthy job to do. Makes a huge mess and honestly I hate doing it.

Anthony Wick · Answer

@Sophie Maisel

Had this done in a basement last year. No rough in to start. All concrete had to be dig up. About $3,000 for rough in, toilet, shower, vanity. Start to finish.

Be wary of anybody bidding too cheap. I had a couple guys that were definitely going to be taking shortcuts and not following proper city code.

George W. · Answer

What you're doing is not new construction you're gonna have a hard time finding a plumber to quote you per fixture for a job like you're describing. There's too many variables.

Just opening the slab and removing the old cement can easily take 2 workers a half a day easy it's not like new construction where everything is open and exposed.

Anthony Wick · Answer

Account Closed . I don't recall them going too deep, but it was definitely at least a couple feet below basement concrete foundation. They did tie it into the current plumbing, but it was a complicated and messy job, in the middle of winter. It's absolutely a job that I didn't just go with the lowest bidder. I went with a referral from a friend. It's been about 20 months since the work was done, and there has been zero problems with any sort of blockages or sewage back-ups, for a basement bathroom.

Account Closed · Answer

@Anthony Wick how many feet did they dig?

Yeah, I know good labor does not come cheap. I have a city permit and will pay half upon completion and another half after the inspection is passed. I don't want to mess with city and more importantly jeopardize the structure.

Account Closed · Answer

@George W. Yes, everything is open except the slab. The fact that it would take 2 workers one day should be transferred into payment estimate. Also I think it is more like 2-3 hours job to dig it. As it is not more than 5 feet in length. I would say it is about what you pay for the new construction plus 300 for the slab trouble.

Account Closed · Answer

@George W. I have plumbing permit and there is 3 inches drain in the room. I am not sure what exactly you are replying to. My question was how MUCH do you pay per fixture.

Account Closed · Answer

I am getting all sorts of quotes here. Technically I can hire a journey man to do the job. I have a knowledge in this kind of stuff, so I can control the guy.

Account Closed · Answer

incl slab breaking?

Lost in the drain. Who much do you pay?

Most Popular Reply