Rotating toilet 90 degrees

[Shaun Monaghan]

Hey all!

So I’m trying to remodel a downstairs bathroom in a recently purchase house. The way they had the old toilet oriented there was basically no room to actually sit on the toilet. So I’m trying to rotate the toilet 90 degrees to the back wall.

I’ve broken out the concrete to get access to the pipe and it looks like it’s cast iron as it’s a 1955 Home. I think if I frame up the back wall to run the water through I will need to move the pipe about 3 inches over to make the 12 inch run in from the new framing. (Or 2.5 inches if it’s from the dry wall.)

Hope that makes sense. This is my first attempt at a project like this and would love some extra brain power on how to achieve this. Do I have to cut the pipe down to add elbows so i can move it over? Or is there another option.

 

[Jadnashua]

It's not clear to me how the drain pipe actually runs underneath the slab. It does look like it is deep enough so you could move it and still maintain the needed pitch/slope, but it's not absolute without having more of the pipe exposed to see the current path. You want the drain centered 12" from the finished wall, and there needs to be at least 15" either side of centerline to an obstruction to meet code (and comfort). You don't need to retain the cast iron unless your area requires it, so you can cut off the existing cast iron and convert to PVC or ABS (whichever is more common where you live), which, for most people, is easier to install. Actually cutting or snapping CI can be a pain, and can be problematic if it is compromised, but attaching the plastic drain can be done with a sleeve and clamps. Note, when finished, the new toilet flange is designed to sit on top of the finished floor, and be anchored through any covering into the slab. Don't use an all-plastic flange...you want one with a stainless steel (not painted plain steel) ring so it won't disintegrate into rust eventually. Three ways to cut the CI...a snap cutter, an abrasive cutoff wheel, or a reciprocating saw with an appropriate blade. Snapping can be an issue IF the stuff has started to deteriorate...the process of snapping it can crush the pipe whereas, cutting it would not. If it's too degraded to snap, it might be wise to replace it, but that's a hard, and sometimes costly decision...depends on how bad it is.

 

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[Shaun Monaghan]

It's not clear to me how the drain pipe actually runs underneath the slab. It does look like it is deep enough so you could move it and still maintain the needed pitch/slope, but it's not absolute without having more of the pipe exposed to see the current path. You want the drain centered 12" from the finished wall, and there needs to be at least 15" either side of centerline to an obstruction to meet code (and comfort). You don't need to retain the cast iron unless your area requires it, so you can cut off the existing cast iron and convert to PVC or ABS (whichever is more common where you live), which, for most people, is easier to install. Actually cutting or snapping CI can be a pain, and can be problematic if it is compromised, but attaching the plastic drain can be done with a sleeve and clamps. Note, when finished, the new toilet flange is designed to sit on top of the finished floor, and be anchored through any covering into the slab. Don't use an all-plastic flange...you want one with a stainless steel (not painted plain steel) ring so it won't disintegrate into rust eventually. Three ways to cut the CI...a snap cutter, an abrasive cutoff wheel, or a reciprocating saw with an appropriate blade. Snapping can be an issue IF the stuff has started to deteriorate...the process of snapping it can crush the pipe whereas, cutting it would not. If it's too degraded to snap, it might be wise to replace it, but that's a hard, and sometimes costly decision...depends on how bad it is.

Thanks for the quick response! I stopped digging down tonight because of time but here is a picture with where the pipe is coming from and where I think it needs to go. I do believe there will be about 19 inches on either side of center hole.

But it sounds like you’re saying I should cut the pipe down and re route it over and then back up to floor level?

 

[hj]

Your first problem is that you have bell and spigot cast iron, and the second one is that there is probably NOT a straight section of pipe you can "cut into". A third problem could be if that small drain line is in the way of where the new toilet opening has to be.