Help moving bathroom fixtures

[GatorKenD]

Hey guys... I'm like a bad rash... you can't get rid of me! This is my third time through looking for help on this bathroom remodel! I'd appreciate if the moderators would not merge this with my old posts as I had so much conjecture that turned out to be wrong (here https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/relocating-toilet-shower-on-concrete-slab.51279/ and here https://terrylove.com/forums/index....oilet-and-shower-tub-drain.58805/#post-435080) that I need a fresh start!

The attached photo of my demo'd bathroom provides more information than I've given you before. Obviously I'm committed at this point to a bathroom remodel!

The original bathroom floor plan looked like this (hall bath is the one being remodeled. the master toilet and tub use the same main drain as the hall bath):

My first choice on this project was to put the toilet where the shower is and a bathtub where the toilet is:

I don't want to cut into the main drain because of its location under the back wall of the bathroom. The toilet drain runs at about a 45-degree angle "up" and "right" (relative to the drawing) so moving it further to the right (where the shower was) would put ~ a 135-degree turn in that drain. From previous posts, I'm guessing that's a bad idea, but I'd appreciate your weighing in on that.

Assuming that is a bad idea, a more modest "plan B" is to leave the toilet where it is and install a tub in the location indicated below. What I'd like to do is cut hole in the concrete slab along the red line (marked 54") in the first photo. My question is can I put the bath drain that distance from its vent (54", 90-degree turn, then 22")?

Thanks in advance for you patience with multiple runs at this!

Ken

 

[GatorKenD]

Update: I concluded that, relative to the overall cost of the project and given that I'll likely stay in this house a long time, getting my "first choice" layout (above, w/ tub to the left) was worth spending a few bucks with a pro to tackle the part of this job that seemed particularly difficult to me. Had a great experience with a plumber who busted up the slab, tied a tub drain into the old toilet drain and cut a new toilet drain into the main drain. I told him to leave it for me to finish the concrete work. Here's where I am.

Now looking for a few tips:

Closet flange: I assume given that I can use any closet flange I want, I'm better off with one that fits outside of my 3" pipe rather than inside so I can retain the largest possible opening, right? Is there a closet flange you like best? I hoping I'll never have to replace it again.

Tub drain: the tub drain/overflow assembly looks pretty straightforward. Having said that, I've never put a tub in before. My tub is a Kohler Villager. At 316#, I don't want to have to move it too many times, so if you've got any tips for having everything line up on the first try, I'm all ears.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Get a closet flange with a stainless steel ring rather than all plastic.

 

[GatorKenD]

Also, in addition to tips on a favorite heavy-duty closet flange... what do you typically wrap around the toilet drain when you're pouring your concrete that can be removed later and leave adequate room for the flange to seat outside the drain pipe?

 

[hj]

With the tub, you measure, measure, measure, then install the tub drain on the piping and set the tub on to it. If you measured correctly it will be in the right place to fasten it to the tub.

 

[Reach4]

I have never done it.

If I were to do the mortar mix thing, I would check big straight-side bottles that I had available. I measured a 2-liter soda pop bottle at about 3.5 inches. A 64 ounce bleach bottle was a little under 4 inches. Both to small. But if I found such a bottle 4.25 or 4.5 inch diameter, I think I would fill it with water totally, and put the cap on. The water would make the bottle not so compressible. I am thinking I would set it in place cap-down. The nice thing about a bottle is that if it does not just lift out the next day, you could always pierce the bottle to let the water out, and then bend the plastic away from the concrete.

I would avoid glass myself, because if I had to break it, pieces might fall into the soil pipe.

If I could not find such a bottle, I would think of a 16 inch or more piece of light sheet metal. I would wind that into a cylinder that just fit over the pipe outside, and apply sticky tape to the seam on both sides to hold its shape and to exclude concrete. I like Gorilla tape as my sticky tape.

If I were worried that what I used would adhere to the concrete, I would wrap it in Saran Wrap. Probably unneeded, but don't mind taking precautions that are overkill. For some things, if they stayed in place forever, if they were open-bottomed and I could cut the thing flush.

If I were more skilled, perhaps I would make a stiff mix, and be able to get by without a form. But I am not.

 

[hj]

I have no idea how a bottle with water in it would fit OVER the pipe to make an annular ring for the flange to fit into. You either BUY a round "closet bend wrap" to sit OVER the pipe, or you wrap it with corrugated cardboard and TAPE it together., (wire or string will imbed into the concrete and make it harder to remove afterwards).

 

[Reach4]

I have no idea how a bottle with water in it would fit OVER the pipe to make an annular ring for the flange to fit into.

This is what I was picturing -- not that a closet bend wrap wouldn't be better.

 

[Reach4]

Cool. 4" Styrofoam Closet Flange Spacer, eliminates needless chipping of concrete, styrofoam breaks away or melts with flame

 

[hj]

I would NEVER use a flange that fits inside the pipe for the ORIGINAL flange. That would be a fallback for when the original all plastic one breaks, in order to NOT have to remove it first. BUT, only if the closet bend riser is 4".

 

[Reach4]

I mistakenly confused this thread with a different one that was for very old work. Sorry.