Installing standard bathtub in mobile home

[FakeGamerGirl]

Hello! We bought a flipped house as our first home (yeah we're geniuses) and the tub started peeling pretty quick. We bought a replacement tub that would fit in the space but didn't account for this new tub having an overflow opening when the old one didn't.
We also didn't anticipate the trap being situated how it is.
We also didn't anticipate that pretty much nobody will do work on mobile homes, plumbing, electrical, or otherwise..

So here I am, a very frustrated, desperate mother on a very tight budget, trying to DIY something it seems most experienced plumbers don't even want to touch.

(You wouldn't believe the problems I've had to get past just to reach *this* problem, we thought about starting a YouTube channel just for people to witness this struggle..)

1. The tub clearly needs to be raised, but we aren't sure how high
2. This p trap is located above the floor, so companies aren't willing to help us unless we pay an obscene amount for them to move the entire thing down a few inches
3. The tub has an opening cut for an overflow drain, but we aren't even sure if a drain *of any kind* is currently possible

So here's the question:

How can we get this tub installed and functional without going over a budget of $600?

We paid $75 just for Rotorooter to quote us $4500. We can't pay more people to come out just to give us more unrealistic quotes. We also paid several companies that arrived just to tell us they don't install already purchased bathtubs or they don't work on mobile homes. We would like to DIY but we are really stuck on the how. I have put so much into just getting the old tub and surround out.

Any advice, shared knowledge, suggestions, etc. on how we can do this will be welcomed/celebrated beyond belief.

Think of me as a very clumsy Matt Damon stranded on Mars and you're my NASA. Please, please help me!

 

[James Henry]

you need to supply a lot more pictures of your tub situation. my first guess is to build a base the height you need to raise the tub enough to make the p-trap work.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

Sorry that you're having so much trouble with this. In my early 20's I lived for a short while in a mobile home park in Redmond. There is a rental shop there now where my home was, and the rest of the park is now gone and highrise apartments instead.

You will need the p-trap in that location. There are several drain styles that will work there, and maybe this one by Watco would be the easiest.

It would connect the overflow and let you use the current p-trap location, or at least very close. I would count on picking up a new p-trap, coupling and some 1-1/2" pipe with some glue at the hardware store. I often wind up cutting out the old and putting the new p-trap right where I want it.

A few different styles here to look at.
Right now you have the black ABS pipe. If the drain you pick up is the white PVC, you will need a shielded coupling to convert over to PVC.
If the drain is PVC, I would use that for the p-trap and the drain.

https://www.watcomfg.com/watco/Instructions/WatcoFlex_Bath_Waste_Instructions.html

You can build up a deck and raise the tub. I would install the drain onto the tub first, and then take your measurements to see how high the deck will need to be. My sister has a tub in her cabin that has a raised tub like yours will be. It's a bit high stepping out and I have to remind myself of that when I visit, but it's doable.

 

[Terry]

Any pictures of what the mobile home looks like underneath, and is there good access?
Just in case I wanna make the trip there and see if the tub can be installed on the floor instead of a platform?

 

[FakeGamerGirl]

Any pictures of what the mobile home looks like underneath, and is there good access?
Just in case I wanna make the trip there and see if the tub can be installed on the floor instead of a platform?

Thank you so much for your replies! My mood is brightened significantly just by knowing somebody cares enough to try and help, so thank you very much for that.

The bottom of the house is enclosed by insulation and tarp, but we can cut a square out to get a good picture if it will help.

We have a bunch of random components, including a new p trap, a random waste/overflow kit that seemed to have the right size components we might have needed, a mobile home drain kit, and a standard drain/overflow kit.. We really haven't got a clue which parts we needed and they're all pretty inexpensive so we figured it wouldn't hurt to have extra stuff on hand.

I will upload more pictures I already have and take some more. If there's anything specific you'd like to see please just let me know!

 

[Terry]

I would pick up a new pressure balanced single handle tub faucet while you are at it.
They also have a polybutelene x PEX Sharkbite at the hardware stores to go from gray to PEX.

 

[FakeGamerGirl]

I would pick up a new pressure balanced single handle tub faucet while you are at it.
They also have a polybutelene x PEX Sharkbite at the hardware stores to go from gray to PEX.

We had bought the almost identical faucet as the one currently in the wall. Is this a bad idea? We also worry the poly pipes will get in the way of the overflow drain kit. Also some concerns about the electrical cord that runs directly under the prone-to-leak piping.

We are looking for methods to raise the tub up safely and securely with limited construction knowledge, if that's our best option. I see styrofoam and some tubs have tub legs, but unsure if there's some sort of DIY kit to build a platform around the floor hole.

I just ordered 2 of those conversion fittings so we have them on hand. I also ordered the flex overflow/waste you advised. I'm at your disposal, NASA. I'm so very, very thankful to you.

 

[FakeGamerGirl]

Here's more pictures. Im going to try and lift it out now for more pictures.

 

[FakeGamerGirl]

I cant safely get it out until my significant other gets home to help this evening, due to the tight space we had to pivot it in to. But I did prop it up on a board for now at least.

Also just witnessed a couple drips from faucet connection.