# Temporary Toilet Setup During Bath Remodel



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Go buy a Porta potty.
http://www.coleman.com/product/portable-flush-toilet/2000003271?contextCategory=6100#.UmQicRPD_IU


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

tev9999 said:


> I am begging to plan a total remodel of my bathroom.
> This would be pretty much a full gutting.
> ...and a couple weeks off work at Christmas, so that should be enough time.


And if that isn't enough time to get done?



> My biggest issue is the lack of a bathroom during the remodel.


I've found that an RV (with toilet and shower) is real helpful.nHaving a place to sleep and cook without any dust or dirt to wade through is gravey


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Another vote for renting a RV, or finding a friend that has a camper, that you can use. You would have to have the waste tank pumped out, or plumb it into soil waste, but that is the best way.

A lot of Porta-Pottie rental companies, also have units with a Shower, toilet & sink in them. They come by once a week and pump the waste tank out. Otherwise you get to know your neighbors real quick, and make arrangements with them, to use their facilities.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Post a picture of the basement plumbing----if you are within 5 feet or so of the main stack,you may be able to do this----

Your location is not known,but an out house in December or a toilet on a box in the basement? I like the basement.:laughing:

By the way---2 weeks is not enough time,without extra help.--Mike---


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## tev9999 (Jan 30, 2012)

Renting an RV or outhouse seem to be an incredible hassle and cost - plus I am in Michigan so I expect it to be rather cold outside. Getting a gym membership was another idea, but still a hassle to run a couple miles to the closest one. 

Don't have a picture handy, but the clean-outs (4" cast iron) I am considering are 20+ feet from either stack in the house. They are at the point where the toilet/shower line meets the kitchen/laundry line and exit the house. There is also a cleanout in the front lawn about 8-10' down stream - not sure if cracking that open would help with venting or not. 

If it takes more than two weeks it is no big deal. Being able to focus on it full time I really don't see a problem getting it back at least to the point where I can set a toilet in two weeks. I can also start some of the demo (wall tile outside the shower, etc.) early. I upgraded the electrical a few years ago along with replacing the remaining galvanized pipe, so there should be no issues there. Basically a new floor (9x5), standard 5' tub, wall tile 4' up all around, shower walls, vanity and toilet.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

My wife and I once did what you're planning - gutted and redid the only bathroom in the house. Like yours, wiring and plumbing had been previously done so were not an issue. We simply left the toilet for last and demoed everything else. That, including busting up and removing the pink cast iron tub, took only a day (albeit a _full _day). Setting and hooking up the new tub was next so the wife could at least take a bath (real men don't need one every day). 

We were without a toilet for just one day. We simply stayed in a local motel. Some things were done in a less-than-optimal order, _i.e._, installing flooring and vanity before drywall mudding and tiling were done, but all in all the reno went pretty smoothly.


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## broox (Nov 30, 2010)

tev9999, I see no problem with what you are suggesting. As long as it is temporary. Good luck


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

All I can say is--Try it.---


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i say do it. just keep water handy to put in the bowl after a flush. if needed.


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## tev9999 (Jan 30, 2012)

Back to update for anyone in the same situation in the future.

First I decided to install the new toilet instead of moving the existing one to the basement, just in case I ran into headaches - which I did. New one is an American Standard Champion 4 1.28 gallon. 

For the supply, the easiest thing I found was a dishwasher connector that adapts from a hose thread to a 3/8 compression, which then can directly connect to a toilet flex line. I put a hose Y adapter on the cold supply line for the washing machine and ran a 50' garden hose. 

Once I looked at it in more detail, I realized 3/4 plywood was thick enough to clear the bell of the cleanout. The cleanouts are cast iron, and for some reason were never sealed in place with lead and oakum. I've been meaning to fix that for 20 years but never got around to it. 

That left me with a bell of about 5" ID exiting the floor at a 10 degree angle. I cut a piece of 4" PVC on the same angle slightly higher than the top of the bell to make it horizontal. I filled the gap with caulk, set the plywood over the pipe, cemented in a closet flange and set the toilet with a wax ring. 

The caulk was a mistake and leaked after a few flushes. I pulled the toilet, flange, pvc, plywood and all up. 

For try two, I figured if a wax seal is good enough for the toilet to flange connection, it should work for the PVC to iron connection. I picked up two of the basic wax rings. The first one I broke apart and rolled up like plumbers putty (disposable gloves highly recommended). I packed that around the bottom of the bell, making sure the 4" pvc would sit on it but not push too much into the drain. I wrapped the second one around the 4" PVC to seal higher up on the bell. 

So far so good. No leaks and the bowl fills fine with no gurgling. I will probably have a waxy mess to clean up once it is time to move the toilet, but beats an outhouse during an ice storm.


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