Basement Plumbing

When you and your wife first bought your house, you thought you had everything you wanted.  Then you had kids and had to remodel the rooms to accommodate them.  Then they became teens and spent so much time in the bathroom that you wish you could build a new bathroom but there aren’t any rooms to remodel or space to add.  But then, you think, there’s the basement and an idea started to settle in your mind.

First, remodeling the basement to turn it into a bathroom is quite a feat.  It’s not the same as moving a few furniture around and you’re done.  You’ll be dealing with pipes, fittings, waterproofing and even the disposal of sewage so it would be a good idea to call in the professionals.  Hiring an expert in basement finishing need not be so expensive provided you have simple tastes and there’s not much to repair or rework with your basement area.  What you’ll get when hiring professional basement remodelers is their experience and efficiency in remodeling.  What this means is that they’ll probably be able to finish the job in half the time than if you were to do it yourself.  Also, their knowledge in building code requirements will come in handy when working by the book.  

The first thing you have to do is plan what you want for the basement.  Yes, you want a bathroom but just how much space do you want it to occupy (granted you have a big basement).  Are you thinking about creating a full bathroom (this is usually composed of the bath tub, the shower, the toilet and the sink)?  Would you rather have a simple shower room?  Would you rather go all-out and build your own sauna room?  These considerations are very important to your contractor because it would determine the cost of your project and how long the project is going to take.  

Another factor that can impact your costs and timetable is the actual laying out of the water and sewer lines.  In some cases, the plumbing lines have been buried under cement put in place while laying the foundation of the house.  If this is the case with your house, then the contractor may need to employ a jackhammer through the cement to be able to reach the actual plumbing lines.  

Another consideration is getting the waste water up the sewer and into the existing septic line.  Your number one enemy here is gravity.  Since the basement is lower than your sewer lines, you have to figure out a way to push all the waste and sewage up and into the septic line.  This is a common enough problem with basement bathroom remodeling which is a big enough reason to hire an expert for this task.  

In the end, remodeling your basement into a bathroom is a worthwhile endeavor especially when you’re finally able to enjoy it.  All the hard work, the time spent and the money saved gearing up for that day will prove to be hard-earned.