# moving shower drain - concrete basement



## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

well, this is my first bathroom. Did a total gut of the basement and saved the bathroom for last.
I was so gung ho about it that I rushed the framing and now have a non standard drain placement which is something I did not plan on...

I've attached a pic of the shower area and am looking for advice on moving the drain to where the black circle is.

I am prepping for a kerdi base and will have cement board on the walls with kerdi membrane etc over it.
Would also like to use the Kerdi drain which joins the drainpipe below floor level. (Interesting challenge here).

So my question is, what do I cut the floor with?
I was planning on using an angle grinder and some Dewalt concrete wheels.
Cutting about 8 inches out around where the drain will be, and about 6 inches around the existing area.

Open to all advice, preferably the good advice..

Thanks,
will


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

if you're using an angle grinder, get ready for a battle. thats probably a 4" slab, so you'll only get about 1.5" deep cut with it. Get a diamond blade for a circular saw, rent a gas powered cutoff saw, or just get a roto hammer and break it out then patch.


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## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

is it worth it to just having a cutting company come in and do it for me?

I'd guess around $200 for someone to do it, and by the time I rent a saw with a diamond blade, buy sheeting to tent the room and put 2 hours of working time and 3 hours of cleaning time am I really better off doing it myself?

There is a patch around the drain, perhaps if I bang some of that out I can tell how thick the floor is a determine best plan from there...bad idea?


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

or just spend 50 bucks or so, rent a rotohammer, and bust out a section. there is a lot less dust that way, and since you're putting a shower in it doesn't really matter what the patch looks like. it'll work just fine, just be a little ragged on the edges


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## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

I wondered how important a nice edge was since it was going to be hidden anyway..

I think I'll go with a rental.

how much working room do you think...12 inch square? and 8 inches on each side of the existing?
Something like this..


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

williamwiens said:


> I wondered how important a nice edge was since it was going to be hidden anyway..
> 
> I think I'll go with a rental.
> 
> ...


Just start chasing the pipe back with the roto hammer.


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## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

I shouldn't have to go too far back though past the original pipe right?
is the trap normally right there?


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

yea there should be a trap under it (if it was meant to be a shower drain). expose a little of the existing pipe then make a small trench to where you want it to be. give yourself enough room to get 2 hands in to work, and wrap the pipe where it pokes thru the concrete.


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## michaelcherr (Nov 10, 2010)

williamwiens said:


> well, this is my first bathroom. Did a I was so gung ho about it that I rushed the framing and now have a non standard drain placement which is something I did not plan on...
> will


Have you thought about just re-doing the framing?


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## plumberinlaw (Feb 22, 2010)

You could bust up the floor with a 12# sledge, move the drain , patch floor. 60# of redi-mix is usually around $3.00


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