DIY Network

Combo Bath Project ... Repairing Water Damage

Ed Del Grande, host of Ed the Plumber, points out the pros and cons of a combo bath job, and tells how to deal with water damage.

advertisement

When it comes to remodeling a bathroom anything is possible as long as you have the money to spend.

Q: Hello, Ed. I live in a small flat in San Francisco, and the bathroom is actually broken up into two sections. One small room has a toilet only, while the other larger room has a sink and tub. A wall separates the two areas with all the plumbing lines routed within that wall. My question is, can I install a sink in the toilet room and a toilet in the sink and tub room to create one-and-a-half bathrooms? I have the room to install the fixtures, but I'm unsure how big a plumbing job this would be. Any help in the right direction will be appreciated. -- John, California

A: When it comes to remodeling a bathroom, John, I'll tell you what I have told my costumers for years whenever they ask whether something is possible: "Anything is possible as long as you have the money to spend!" Unfortunately, myself included, it always seems that there is never enough money to do what you want to do. Whenever you have to open up walls and or floors to access water and drains, you never know what you'll find. And, in most cases, especially with older homes, you end up with doing a total remodeling job.

What you want to do is no small job. You are actually going to have to look at this project as two bathroom remodeling jobs and that they will come with a heavy-duty price tag! Installing a new sink from scratch is usually something that can be done without breaking the budget because you're dealing with a small fixture with an inch-and-a-quarter to an inch-and-a-half drain line. The new toilet, however, will take up a lot more room and uses a three- to four-inch drain line. That makes it difficult to tap into existing drains and rough plumb into place. But if you choose to just install the sink and not the toilet, you will not end up with your one-and-a-half bathrooms. So why even do the sink?

In your case I would recommend all or nothing. If you choose to continue, it would be a smart move to contact a contractor to come and give you and estimate. Make sure the estimate includes all the demo work needed, rough and finish plumbing work, electrical work, venting, finish carpentry, materials and building permits. You may also need to include costs for spending a few nights away from home, since your only bathroom may be down for a while. Once you budget everything, and if you can afford it, then go for it: Investing in two new bathrooms will increase the value of you home, especially in your area.

Q: Help, Ed! Our young daughter thought that she would play "Ed The Plumber" in our new home's bathroom, and she ended up flooding the sink. The water leaked into our family room through the ceiling! What should we be concerned about, and what damage could have been done inside the walls and ceiling? -- Sandy, Pennsylvania

A: First of all, Sandy, this is not an uncommon problem. A good portion of my plumbing calls result from a young child leaving a faucet on or from plugging up a toilet and then keeping flushing!

But, while small bathroom floods are stressful, if caught in time the affected parts of the house will usually dry out in a few days. I would call a contractor, however, if you have any concerns such as water in an electrical light or a fixture or if you're afraid that wires or other potential hazards may have been affected by the water.

Having said that, since it was the sink that flooded, you're in much better shape than if it had been the toilet. Toilet flooding may contain some wastewater, and any surface where the water was mopped up should be washed as well with the proper cleaning products.

The biggest problem with water coming through a ceiling may just end up being a stain. There are a few products you can buy at your home center that are made for removing ceiling stains, and they work very well. As a last resort, you may need to repaint the entire ceiling. That would get rid of any evidence that your child's first plumbing job did not go according to plan. But don't discourage her--it happens to the best of us!

(Ed Del Grande is a certified master plumber and hosts DIY's Ed the Plumber. Send plumbing questions to him at edtheplumber@diynetwork.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. For building-code concerns, always contact your local government office or a local licensed plumber.)

Get DIY On Your TV. Just follow the instructions to see if DIY Network is available through your cable or satellite provider.