 |
|
Triple master contractor Ed Del Grande
|
By Ed Del Grande
Q: Hey, Ed, you are my go-to contractor when things get tough, and right now things are very tough! I recently gutted my upstairs master bath and ran into a road block. The main reason I wanted to remodel it was because the floor was elevated about eight inches higher than the rest of the second floor level. I always thought that was a stupid thing to do, and I wanted to lower the bathroom floor. But then I ripped everything apart and found that all the plumbing (water and large drains) ran under that elevated floor! Since I'm stuck on a budget, what are my options? Alan (Chicago)
A: Oh, boy, Alan. If you use the existing plumbing, you'll spend all your budget money and still end up with a higher floor. If you decide to alter the plumbing, you'll definitely go out of budget and may not have the money to get your bathroom back to working order anytime soon. I feel very sorry when I see a homeowner get into this position.
Over the years I have been called to several jobs where the homeowner has completely gutted the bathroom without knowing what they were getting into. There is an old saying that a lawyer "won't ask a question of a witness unless the lawyer already knows what the answer will be." This is the same attitude a homeowner needs to have before they do any major demolition work to their home. Take your time, consult experts, check with previous owners and do whatever it takes so you will have an idea of what can go wrong with your job and how you will be able to pay for any cost overruns. This is a lesson we all can learn from, and unfortunately, Alan, you're learning this lesson first hand!
At this point I would consult a licensed contractor before you call in a plumber. For a reasonable consulting fee, a qualified contractor can check out the structure of the bathroom and the second floor supports to see if it's even possible to remove the elevated floor and alter the plumbing. There may be a chance that the elevated floor was installed because at that time there were no other options to get the plumbing lines up there. I have a feeling this was an "add-on bathroom" after the house was already built. If this is the case and you're stuck with the elevated floor, you will need to accept that fact and move on.
However, if the contractor feels that with today's new remodeling technique, the floor and plumbing can be altered, get a price for installing just the "rough" carpentry and plumbing. If all the rough work is within your budget, I would have the contractor rough it in for you. Then step by step (as you can put more money into the job.) you can do the finish work yourself and eventually end up with a nice bathroom that's "on the level."
Ed Del Grande was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.
| 
)
