OVERVIEW

Basement bathrooms are popular in many areas, and there are a number of contractors who rely on the installation of basement bathrooms for much of their annual income. Some basements are roughed-in for the future installation of bathroom fixtures. Other basements have no preplanned provisions for plumbing at the floor level.

A basement that has not been roughed-in can present numerous challenges for the remodeling contractor who is asked to install a bathroom.

Each job comes with its own set of circumstances. Some jobs are fast and easy. Others are complex and can present unusual problems. My crew once broke up a basement floor to install drainage piping for a basement bathroom. What they found was a shock to all of us. There was an active, running stream under the floor of the home. There was so much water, moving so quickly, that the use of plastic pipe was out of the question. We had to install cast-iron drains to combat the water. I've installed a lot of basement baths and this is the only time I have ever encountered so much water. But water isn't the only potential obstacle.

It is common to find basements that do not have a building drain installed below the floor level. Building drains often leave homes through the wall of a basement. When this is the case, a sump and sewage ejector pump is needed. This adds considerably to the cost of a job, so the need for a pump must not...