Changing locations of toilet, sink, bath

[drpepe]

Hi

We're in the process of doing up the bathroom which is located on the 1st floor at the rear of our Victorian/Edwardian stone-built terraced house. I would be grateful of any contributions of common sense and/or experience with this...

This is the existing bathroom:
View media item 95984And this is proposed:
View media item 95985
The boiler is the rectangle at top left fitted against the rear exterior wall (will be replaced same time as bathroom work), and the soil pipe is boxed in at the bottom left (goes up to loft conversion en-suite, and down through kitchen, under the floorboards and out the front of the house). Joists run front to back.

Can you see any major issues with moving toilet, sink & bath to the new locations? Presumably there will be cuts to joists ?

Our casual enquiries to our plumber have been met with 'anything is possible', which is true but then he's not paying!

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Moving the WC looks a total non starter to me. You wont be able to run a 110mm pipe that distance under the floor, and achieve a suitable fall, apart from the fact you cannot cut the joists, they hold the floor up! What is the need to move the WC?

 

[drpepe]

Thanks - that is exactly the kind of practical response I was after.

The other alternative i could see is to leave toilet and sink in the same place and move bath 90degrees onto the back wall (under the window). However, my wife doesn't want to shower directly in front of the window (which is a fair point), therefore the left hand side wall is the only place the bath can go.

I don't think a boiler, bath (even a small one) and toilet can fit onto that wall (~2.3m), but I'm all ears if you have any alternatives layout suggestions!

 

[drpepe]

another suggestion was to put the toilet next to the bath on the stud wall (radiator there in the design above). That would be near the soil pipe, but is it weird to have the toilet so close to the bath?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Not weird, simply (hopefully!), more practical. Whatever you plan, bear in mind a toilet needs a 110mm (4") soil pipe that must also have a suitable fall, (gradient), along any horizontal runs. Notching joists even for a 40mm waste pipe isn't allowing without additional strengthening being applied where any notches are made, hence the reasons bathrooms are often laid out as they are!

It is much easier to move a radiator than any appliance requiring a concealed waste or soil pipe run.

 

[drpepe]

Not weird, simply (hopefully!), more practical. Whatever you plan, bear in mind a toilet needs a 110mm (4") soil pipe that must also have a suitable fall, (gradient), along any horizontal runs. Notching joists even for a 40mm waste pipe isn't allowing without additional strengthening being applied where any notches are made, hence the reasons bathrooms are often laid out as they are!

It is much easier to move a radiator than any appliance requiring a concealed waste or soil pipe run.

Thanks - very useful comments!

The current connection to soil pipe is 1m long and boxed in above floor level between the toilet and stack in the corner.

Presumably if i moved the toilet next to the bath (see below), the horizontal run of the soil pipe could go behind/under the bath - but above floor level for that short length (<1m), then 90 degree turn into the stack ?

Will I have similar joist issues for the sink? (it is on the opposite wall, but presumably less notching for a smaller waste pipe?)

View media item 95986

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Toilet will be fine on that short run, assuming you can get the pipe behind the bath. If you move the basin, (sinks are found in kitchens! ), as indicated in 3rd drawing, you could/should be able to utilise the existing bath waste. Fit an antivac trap on the basin, and the waste should upsize to 40mm from current bath position anyway.