basement rough in question

[xbrian98]

I'm no plumber so I have no idea what I have to work with here. I'm beginning design on finishing my basement and the plumbing is already roughed in. My wife would like a whirlpool tub down there but the spacing of the drains in the floor just doesn't seem right. It almost seems like it is roughed for a half bath only. There is the larger diameter pipe in the middle which I imagine is for the toilet and two smaller pipes off to each side. Center to center the left one is about 2 feet from the middle one and the right one is about 1 foot 10 inches. I'll attach a picture. If anybody has any idea of what I have to work with here, any info would be greatly appreciated. House was built in 2004. Thanks

 

[Gary Swart]

I think you are correct to assume the larger pipe is for the toilet, but after that it's not so obvious. It always seems to me that a basement rough in like this is done without plans so it becomes a guessing game what the builder had in mind or if he even had a thought at all about what he was doing. In can tell you that the toilet flange should be centered 12" from the finished wall which I know you don't have yet. A shower would require a 2" drain and others drains should be 1-1/2". You might want to consider drawing up your concept and then consulting with a plumber. We can not tell where the pipes are under the concrete, it will take someone on site to examine what you have and determine what has to be done. It might very well mean the floor will have to be opened and the plumbing redone. While that does amount to a fair amount of work, at least you would not be dealing with established walls, finished floors, or other restricting factors. There are companies that cut concrete and, for a price, can cut the amount of work and mess down considerably. In other words, you have a pretty large project for DIY and professional, on-site help would be a wise move.

 

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[hj]

pipes

Normally, the pipe against the wall would be the toilet vent and sink drain, and the one on the right the tub or shower drain. In that case, unfortunately, it is too close to the toilet to actually be used for either one without being moved. Discovering the actual purpose for the pipes would require removing the caps and looking into them to see what fittings are buried under the concrete and which way the pipes go.

 

[TedL]

Don't know how far it is over to the wall on the right, but a left hand drain tub could work if you have the standard 5 ft. to a wall between the large and far rt. drains. You could be left a little below code on the open width for the toilet. I'm guessing the rt. drain is about 20" out from the wall.

 

[SRdenny]

I guess there's no way to ask the installer how it was installed.

 

[Gary Swart]

The real problem is not so much figuring out what each of the pipes are for, but if you use them as is, you will be committed to finding fixtures that will fit to them. You will have little if any choice on their location or size. That is why I suggest you determine what you would like to have, what arrangement you would like to have, and then consult your plumber. You may not end up with exactly what you have in mind, but it will be a lot closer than what you have now. Redoing the concrete will not be a major expense.