Basement Bathroom Plumbing in Toronto

Signs you need basement bathroom plumbing

• You are finishing a basement or creating a secondary suite
• An old basement toilet or shower sits on a broken or improvised drain
• A previous owner’s bathroom was never permitted and needs to be brought up to code

What causes problems in older Toronto homes

In many older houses the main drain leaves the basement only a little below the floor, which makes slope for new fixtures tight. Some laterals are shallow and run through a front wall at near floor level. Floors are often thin concrete over clay or sand. Venting may have to be run up through finished floors. And because many neighbourhoods are on older combined sewers, basements are exposed to sewer backup in big storms.

What we do on site, in order

1. We locate the main drain, check its depth and decide whether the new fixtures can drain by gravity or need an ejector pump.
2. We saw-cut and break out the concrete along the drain routes and dig to proper depth.
3. We install new drains, a backwater valve where none exists yet, and vents tied into the existing system.
4. The underground work is inspected before we backfill and pour new concrete.
5. Supply lines are run, and fixtures are set once the room is finished.

What affects the price

The distance to the main drain, the depth available, whether an ejector is needed, the amount of concrete to break, and whether a backwater valve is part of the job decide the price. We quote after seeing the basement.

When to call right away

If an existing basement shower or toilet backs up, stop using water and call. It often means the main line, not the fixture.

The job, in four moves

1. 1
   Empty the cabinet

   Shut-off stops tested first; seized ones noted for replacement.

2. 2
   Strip the old parts

   Supply lines, trap and tailpiece off; cartridge or stem pulled.

3. 3
   Fit new hardware

   New cartridge, stops or tap set, slip-joint washers renewed.

4. 4
   Run it hard

   Both temperatures at full flow, every joint wiped and checked dry.

Common questions