Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 8 - Plumb Crazy

I just finished getting the laundry plumbed in courtesy of my plumber of choice and Brampton historian Mike Billings. I had Mike over initially and detailed to him exactly what I wanted. To which he replied - there's an easy way and there's a difficult way, and what you want does not fall into either of those categories. But I got what I wanted anyways. Since I was closing off access to the main shut off valve in the house, I decided to relocate the valve to somewhere more accessible, and since the laundry pair would be in an alcove, I wanted the shutoff valves to the hot and cold to be just as easily accessible. I installed full bore valves so as to not compromise flow. So here's where I am with my laundry installation.

Mike wanted a picture as he's never done something like this in his entire career.

The laundry outlets. I chose screw on nipples as they provide me with options. Plus IMO it's the better way to go.

The alcove framed. Now that the plumbing is done, I will do some cross bracing and the electrical work before drywalling and painting.

So. There's a reason why I referred to Mike as Brampton's historian. He always regales me with tales of work that he's done in both old and new Brampton. But this one was probably the best I've heard. While driving him after work, I noticed that T&A's on Queen street was closed and the premises up for sale. Mike informed me that the owner had passed away last summer and a takeover plan had fallen through. Then he asked me what T&A's stood for. The obvious - I replied. But according to Mike that's not what's registered at the Brampton Board of Trade. So here's the logo. You tell me what you think it stands for and then scroll below for the official registered name.....

T&A's Logo

T&A stands for Teamwork and Attitude!!!! But you guessed that already didn't you ?????

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 7 - Tin Knockers

11 months ago I did my last post on the build diary for the washroom and took a hiatus while I worked on outdoor projects in the summer. During that time I looked around for a Sheet Metal Worker (AKA Tin Knockers) to modify the HVAC ducting under the stairs to allow for more headroom. Most of the companies that I found in the yellow pages only worked on new projects and most did not want to go next to a retrofit. I had decided that I would undertake the job by myself even if it meant buying a few sheet metal tools. All I needed to get were the 90 degree elbows for the supply and return sections.

I located the supplier in Alberta and saw that Lowe's were their local distributor. A trip to Lowe's however confirmed the worst. Those pieces were only sold to the trade.... Then Andrew (from the plumbing department at Lowe's) put me in touch with Chris who was apprenticing as a Tin Knocker with a local builder and I finally got the work done...

Chris spent close to 3 hours yesterday and gave me exactly what I wanted.

Next step will be to frame in the alcove for the washer and dryer, complete the plumbing and finish the electrics.

Before: The ducts were almost 8 inches away from the bottom of the stairs 

After: A new 90 degree elbow and the existing 45's take the ducting close to the stairs.

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 6

As of this afternoon, I've completed 90% of the framing.

I have to yet frame the one washroom wall, but decided to do all the framing of the outside walls and get the place in some sort of order prior to Layla's First Holy Communion.

I spent a whole lot of time deliberating what sort of door I should have, to lead to the Laundry Room and finally decided that I would go with a Bi-Fold closet door. This enabled me to avoid a lot of problems that I would have encountered with a conventional door.

I re framed the wall that will finally hold the LCD TV and also extended it to the HVAC bulkhead in Lynda's studio area. The old bulkhead just twisted off in my hands without the need. The new bulkhead (like the rest of my framing) well..... you'll see in the pictures that follow.

Looking in from the TV area - The Washer & Dryer will be replaced by the Hot Water Tank and the Laundry Sink

From the outside looking at the alcove for the TV and Media Components

In Lynda's Studio. Eventually the entire wall will be replaced by bookcases

The chase that I made for the Structured Wiring components.

Later on I will have Audio, Video, Data & Telecom

Just to prove a point that I can indeed do Pull Ups.

Also that my Framing is Frikkin Bulletproof!!!!!!!

On Getting a Great Deal

I constantly scour Craigslist, especially for tools - and I've scored some amazing deals in the past year. Recently, I've got good deals on books for both myself and the girls as well. However, this weekend I scored the most amazing faucet for the main washroom - It's for future use, but I could not resist snapping it up for the price of CAD 339.00. What makes the deal sweeter?? Home Depot's Spring Dreambook (in the mail this morning) lists the very same faucet at CAD 558.00 (excluding tax)

The faucet came BNIB (brand new in the box) and was heavy. Real jewellery for the Chedworth Claw foot Tub that it plans to adorn.

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 5

Here are pictures with the concrete poured and done 

The clean outs and drain came level with the floor after all

Water drains into the drain when poured anywhere on the floor

The pipe for the Toilet Flange. The collar around the pipe is 

merely a spacer (my very own conceptualisation) that Mike 

said that I needed in order for the Toilet Flange to be glued 

flush with the floor.

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 4

Last week Mike came over and completed the balance of the rough-in plumbing. We managed to get everything according to plan and I now have the task of filling in and cementing the entire thing over. I also put in the clean outs and the drain and tried to get them level with the floor. That was an absolute pain, but it turned out OK.

The typo 'colset' is unfortunate and difficult to correct!! 

This is the end for the Shower Pan

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 3

I seem to have slacked on getting the framing done in time. Anyways - I've completed framing the walls against which the shower cubicle, WC and Sink will go. Horizontal bracing still has to be done, but I will do that tomorrow. The framing was an absolute bitch on account of the sloping basement floor as well as the concrete wall which was quite out of plumb.

I got everything plumb on all axes, and finally used 'Tapcon' concrete screws to affix the base plate to the concrete floor. I was tempted (for all the wrong reasons) to use the 'Ramset' Trigger Operated Powder Actuated Tool. It uses a low velocity cartridge, .22 caliber, to fire the nail through the wood into the concrete floor. Oh Joy!! But I would have to rent the tool, buy the cartridges, buy the nails... The Tapcon's were a better bet.

I've only done the two walls as they will be used as reference for the placement of the toilet flange and shower pan drain.

Now we wait for Mike to come complete the balance of the rough in plumbing.

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 2

Yesterday, we completed all the piping. It was more complicated that previously envisioned. The system had a silt trap that led off from the Weeping Tile from the perimeter of the house which led into another trap that led up to the floor drain. This trap was then connected to the sanitary side of the drain. The system was not done so well in the first place, but I was convinced by Mike that the Weeping Tile side needed to be loosely fit in order for the water table to seep into the system and eventually drain, thereby eliminating the possibility of a flood.

This morning I had to get a Fernco coupling from Home Depot to connect the 4" Clay Tile to the 4" ABS pipe that will come up to floor level. Having installed the ABS pipe, I then proceeded to fill in the hole and tamp it down. I will give it a couple of days to settle down, adding more sand as necessary.

The warren of pipes

Another angle

Filled in

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 1

On the 13th I finally started work on the Washroom. Mike from Cardinal plumbing came over and we reviewed the plans. 

First we removed the Concrete sink that weighed over 300 pounds and installed a standpipe directly into the watertrap of the old sink. We then moved the faucets of the washer beyond the proposed wall line of the new washroom. 

Mike had kindly donated his sledehammer and pickaxe to do the breaking of the concrete and the digging.

On the 17th, I broke the sink apart and moved it outside for future disposal at the Brampton Civic Dump. I then broke the floor with the sledgehammer to get the trench started. We have a cleanout close to the basement drain into which we plan to run the drains from the toilet as well as the shower.

This morning while digging, I hit water. This was not suposed to happen as the cleanout should lead directly into the main drain and out to the street. Anyways, Mike will be here tomorrow to have a look and advise what is to be done next.

More to follow.

300 lb sink proved no match for 50 lb Hammer

Looking into where the washroom will be. The shower tray is standing in the corner. 

Same corner - different view

The entranceway will be replaced by a 32" door. The Laundry pair will fit under the ducts. 

Digging in the dirt!!!