Couple argues over Basement Renovation

doubtingmom

My husband and I have just begun to plan the finishing of our large walk-out basement. The first of many arguments is bathroom placement. The basement does have roughed-in plumbing but hubby is unhappy with its location and wants to move it. I feel like it is an unnecessary expense and given the current housing market we should just make do with the location as is. Hubby says "It's no big deal." Help us out. What do you think? I'd love to get lots of viewpoints. If you've done a relocation of plumbing in your basement, how difficult or expensive was it? I am assuming that since the house is only 5 years old the roughed-in plumbing meets code and will ease the permit concerns with the renovation. Is that a correct assumption? Thanks for any advice.

moneymgmt

If you have a concrete basement floor then moving it will be no treat. However, in my own house we finished the upstairs into a master bedroom and bathroom from bare studs. The easier (and probably cheaper) place to put the bathroom would have taken away from the optimal layout of the bedroom so we chose to put it in a different place. It was a pain, but the layout is a thousand times more appealing.

Marlin

It could be almost nothing to move it or it could be a huge project costing thousands upon thousands. What kind of material is it? How far do you want to move it? From where to where are you moving it? Where do the waste lines run? etc. It's impossible to give an idea on the price or amount of work involved without seeing it first hand. One thing for sure though, you will be chopping up the slab which isn't always as big a deal as it sounds but many are intimidated by it.

Leah Frances

Husbands!

I am renovating our new-old-house and every day my husband comes home with another project he thinks will be a piece of cake (his latest is lining our 9 chimneys myself). I've found the easiest way to dissuade or even embrace one of his hair-brained ideas is to write out a project schedule and budget.

How quickly "an easy job" becomes concrete (pardon the pun) than when you sit down with a calender and a checkbook and start blocking out time and money. Don't forget to budget 200% more time and 100% more money than you hope it will be.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

jpplumber

It's a big deal.

dyier

If hubby has tons of money to burn go for it, other wise work with what you have. You will never get your money back when you sell by jacking up a slab and moving the plumbing because hubby thinks the crapper would be better over there instead of over here.

majakdragon

I am betting that the roughed-in plumbing is close to the main drainlines. By moving it too much, you are going to need to check your Plumbing Code for what the new location will entail. There are limitations on the length of drainlines/vents. Cutting up the concrete is not my idea of fun either.

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KUIPORNG

I know people don't have any rough in can can still make a bathroom in the basement... so you can consider yours instead of moving: covering up existing (which is easy), then open up a new one (like those without rough in)...

so when you open up a new one, you cannot open up anywhere you want... it should be convenient for the contractor/yourself to dig and connect to existing drain pipes.... with careful studing... it may not be as difficult/scare as you think... although I didn't do mine... but I saw contractor creating new plumbing out of concrete and they don't think it is a big deal....

if you are going to hiring out.... why not ask the contractor the question and keep an open mind...

if the new location is much much much... better than the original location... your husband may be right... but if it is only a little bit... then you may be right....

redline

How long do you plan on living in this home?

doubtingmom

When hope to be in this house at least 7 years to get kids through high school but hubby's job moves us often.

Double A

Its a big deal. Unless it just totally screws up the layout down there, then try to work with them where they are, especially since you may not see a good payback from the added expense of moving the lines if your family has to move soon.

Remind your husband, women don't want men's opinions, they just want to hear their own opinion repeated in a deeper voice (Jeff Foxworthy said that and I'm still laughing over it).