If you’re planning a plumbing project for a basement bathroom, you’ll face some unique challenges. Basements are typically below grade, which means you’ll have to use pumps to drain the fixtures since gravity won’t help.
By planning ahead and making strategic decisions, you can successfully install basement bathroom plumbing without too much trouble. Some plumbing solutions can even help you avoid digging through the concrete floor.
Keep reading for eight things to consider before starting a basement bathroom project.
1. Local Building Codes
Before you plan the layout and subsequent plumbing for a basement bathroom, ensure you understand all the building codes and legal requirements in your area. These may include:
- The distance between fixtures.
- The distance between walls and fixtures.
- The size of plumbing pipes.
- The number of turns per pipe.
- The number of fixtures per vent.
Always review plumbing code requirements before planning the layout of the space. By following these codes from the beginning, your work will easily pass inspection and you won’t have to redo anything. This helps keep a bathroom remodel on schedule, something your clients will appreciate and remember when leaving you a review.
2. Fixture Footprints
When you’re planning the plumbing for a bathroom addition, measure everything multiple times. You need an accurate vision of where everything is going before you start making changes. Do a dry fitting of the shower floor and measure other fixtures so you have accurate sizing.
Measuring the distance between fixtures, the sizes of fixtures, and the locations of pipes — and marking these dimensions on the floor — will help you create a working plumbing plan. If you’re tearing into the floor to rearrange pipes, do your measuring first to get a sense of the floor’s space.
3. Gravity and Drainage
The biggest problem you’ll face with building a basement bathroom is that it’s below grade. To fight gravity and get waste and water up and out of the space, you’ll need to install pump systems. Unfortunately, that often means cutting into the concrete floor for installation.
However, there are products and systems to help you avoid that route. For example, upflush systems install a pump above the floor, often behind the toilet. These fixtures blend into the background and effectively remove waste from the bathroom so you don’t have to break into the floor.
4. Venting the Fixtures
Draining only covers half of the plumbing you’ll need to install. To keep the water and waste moving, carefully plan vent piping that brings airflow into the plumbing. There are two main types of vents — wet and dry venting — and each has its own set of regulations for pipe length, turns, and size.
Wet vents allow water, air, and waste to flow through the same pipes together. They take up less room and connect to a single pipe, often behind the washbasin, that runs up and connects with venting on the first floor. Dry venting is the part of the pipe above the water and waste level. Although you can install a dry vent for each fixture, you usually don’t need to.
5. Pipe Sizing
The size of your pipes impacts the flow of waste, water, and air moving through them. Each fixture has specific requirements for the minimum pipe size you can hook up to it. However, many plumbers suggest sizing up slightly so there’s additional room and less likelihood of a clogged pipe.
Pipe sizing can also help determine how many pipes you can fit into a small space. Using a wet vent instead of a dry vent can reduce the number of pipes and vents you have to run up and out of the room. You’ll need to know what fixtures are going into the space for proper pipe sizing.
6. Pipe Materials
What kind of temperatures will the pipes in this basement experience? Not everyone has a heating and cooling system in their basement, so it’s important to ensure the pipe material you choose is resilient to a range of temperatures.
Although PVC pipe is common in the upper portions of a building, PEX piping is often a better fit for the basement. It resists freezing and corrosion. If joined and sealed properly, it should function well for years without any need to open and repair the wall.
7. Cost Estimates
Cost estimates can help your clients plan and even decide which fixtures they want to invest in for their basement bathroom. However, giving an accurate estimate for this kind of project can be tricky. Consider these factors when estimating cost:
- Whether you’re ripping up the floor
- How much time the project should take
- Contingencies for problems you may encounter
If you have suggestions that could save your clients money, let them know. However, it’s always best to pursue quality and your client’s best interests over the easy fix. By being honest with clients about their options, you’ll build your reputation and establish yourself as a trustworthy contractor.
8. Time Investment
Several factors can influence how long the plumbing for a basement bathroom project might take. However, one factor you can control is thinking ahead. For each plumbing decision you make, follow it to the next step to ensure everything works smoothly.
Carefully thinking ahead will prevent you from having to change your plan, remove plumbing, and reconfigure it. You’ll save time, and chances are, the next contractor to work on the bathroom will only have good things to say about you. If you’ve been hired to complete the full basement bathroom, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.
Choose Qwik Jon® Upflush Systems From Zoeller Pump Company
For over 85 years, Zoeller Pump Company has supported water industry professionals with reliable, factory-tested products. Our rigorous, comprehensive factory testing is a testament to our unparalleled commitment to reliability. Our Qwik Jon® Upflush Systems allow you to add a full or half basement bathroom without having to dig through concrete.
Our upflush pump choices can be purchased separately or as part of a full, ready-to-install toilet system. The Qwik Jon® Choice macerator system supports one fixture, while the Qwik Jon® Premier system can support multiple fixtures for a full bath installation.
Qwik Jon® Upflush Systems make it more realistic and affordable to install or renovate a basement bathroom. They are quiet and take up minimal space. They are also designed to withstand the high moisture levels commonly found in basements.
You can connect the Qwik Jon® system to sinks, showers, bathtubs, or toilets to ensure drainage for below-grade bathrooms without any reliance on gravity. Order one of our upflush systems today!
