Convert bedroom into a bathroom?

ChrisDIY · 04-16-2010, 12:53 AM

Hello!

Started brainstorming on trying to convert a bedroom into a bathroom. The existing bathroom is on the other side of bedroom at bottom of sketch and it's size is better suited for a closet.

The house has a unique design in that all the bedrooms are on the first floor. Above the bedroom to be converted is a loft. Because of this there are no walls above the room on two sides. The third wall is an exterior wall. In my design the shower utilizes the existing closet just deepened. The space for the toilet is the current entry to bedroom. The entire space below is a conditioned basement. The closest I can put a vent would be in the area marked. Can you put a toilet this far away from a vent provided the flow of waste is going to go directly to the septic line outside the opposite direction of the vent? All drains will most likely tee into this line as it runs to exterior wall. Tub will have to have a vent of its own, in the exterior wall.

This is an existing home so the bigger question is this going to require too much demolition? Not sure if code will allow AAV? See attached scale sketch.

Alan · 04-16-2010, 10:01 AM

AAV's are hit and miss. My interpretation of the code is that they are not equivalent to an actual VTR, but some inspectors do allow them. Ours does not. There is ALWAYS a way to get a vent out.

You have a loft above? Which way then, are the ceiling joists running in reference to the diagram you posted?

As per the toilet vent for a 3" trap arm, the maximum distance is 6 feet, measured from the inside of the fitting where the vent tees in, to the top surface of the closet flange.

ChrisDIY · 04-16-2010, 10:43 AM

This may help here is an early photo with drawing update to orient based on beam location in photo. I have already removed the door immediately beneath and to the right of the beam location. Original plan was to make this a large walk-in closet.

Ceiling and floor joist run left-right in drawing and end of joist is red box in photo. In my limited experience the vent is always been run straight above toilet. So any variation is new territory.

The house has IP joists, can you run the vent underneath along the subfloor to the wall and run the drain below the joists, or does vent have to tie in above the closet flange?

Alan · 04-16-2010, 10:39 PM

the vent has to go minimum of 6" above flood level rim before offsetting horizontally. I'm confused on why you can't run it up into the floor system above and then go horizontal with it to hit a wall.

ChrisDIY · 04-18-2010, 08:50 PM

This house was stick built by the owner who appears to have not used an architect or plans of any type. There is no guarantee this space even exists. Currently there is a return vent that utilizes the spaces in-between the studs without metal vents in the wall that you are referring to. This may keep it from being "in wall." The ceiling joists run so I would need to cut a hole in each one to run in the "potential" space. Basement has IP joists.

Alan · 04-18-2010, 10:49 PM

So what i'm saying is vent in the wall behind the toilet, then run it horizontally in the ceiling joists to the exterior wall, and then up through roof.

ChrisDIY · 04-27-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan

So what i'm saying is vent in the wall behind the toilet, then run it horizontally in the ceiling joists to the exterior wall, and then up through roof.

OK, That's easy, will need to remove wall in the loft, so just have to decide to cross this point of no return. Will need to verify direction of joists. IP joist in basement run that direction but I cannot guarantee the joists in the ceiling run the same direction, when they should. This house is a trip!

Alan · 04-27-2010, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawktah

OK, That's easy, will need to remove wall in the loft, so just have to decide to cross this point of no return. Will need to verify direction of joists. IP joist in basement run that direction but I cannot guarantee the joists in the ceiling run the same direction, when they should. This house is a trip!

The ceiling joists SHOULD run whichever direction is the shortest. It makes for a sturdier floor system.

ChrisDIY · 04-28-2010, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan

The ceiling joists SHOULD run whichever direction is the shortest. It makes for a sturdier floor system.

Normally that would be true.

This house was stick built without plans and by someone who was not a carpenter, from what I understand. Look what I found in the wall that is at the bottom of my drawing. That what the red square in post #3 points to!

Alan · 04-28-2010, 10:05 PM

How about the other wall? Beam on top of that one too? You can get a vent around a corner... kinda tricky... but you might have to... either that or build another 2x4 wall in front of that one, or build a soffit somewhere in order to get that vent into the ceiling.

Scuba_Dave · 04-28-2010, 11:04 PM

Yeah with that span I kinda figured that wall could be supporting the floor above
The wall with the doors might have made more sense, but not with all those vents

04-16-2010, 10:01 AM	#2
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Convert bedroom into a bathroom? AAV's are hit and miss. My interpretation of the code is that they are not equivalent to an actual VTR, but some inspectors do allow them. Ours does not. There is ALWAYS a way to get a vent out. You have a loft above? Which way then, are the ceiling joists running in reference to the diagram you posted? As per the toilet vent for a 3" trap arm, the maximum distance is 6 feet, measured from the inside of the fitting where the vent tees in, to the top surface of the closet flange. __________________ Journeyman Plumber

04-16-2010, 10:39 PM	#4
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Convert bedroom into a bathroom? the vent has to go minimum of 6" above flood level rim before offsetting horizontally. I'm confused on why you can't run it up into the floor system above and then go horizontal with it to hit a wall. __________________ Journeyman Plumber

04-18-2010, 08:50 PM	#5
ChrisDIY Still going... Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indianapolis Area Posts: 888 Blog Entries: 19	Convert bedroom into a bathroom? This house was stick built by the owner who appears to have not used an architect or plans of any type. There is no guarantee this space even exists. Currently there is a return vent that utilizes the spaces in-between the studs without metal vents in the wall that you are referring to. This may keep it from being "in wall." The ceiling joists run so I would need to cut a hole in each one to run in the "potential" space. Basement has IP joists. __________________ --Chris the DIY Guy Still going, on Ibuprofen...

04-18-2010, 10:49 PM	#6
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Convert bedroom into a bathroom? So what i'm saying is vent in the wall behind the toilet, then run it horizontally in the ceiling joists to the exterior wall, and then up through roof. __________________ Journeyman Plumber

04-28-2010, 10:05 PM	#10
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Convert bedroom into a bathroom? How about the other wall? Beam on top of that one too? You can get a vent around a corner... kinda tricky... but you might have to... either that or build another 2x4 wall in front of that one, or build a soffit somewhere in order to get that vent into the ceiling. __________________ Journeyman Plumber

Convert bedroom into a bathroom?