Shower plumbing and rough-ins
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in Plumbers and Plumbing 10 years and 10 months ago
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6 replies
brooklyntoqueens | 10 years and 11 months ago
Our architect designed the showers to be placed inside the brick wall. The GC is saying that this is not ideal because in case something needs to be repaired in the future I will need to break the tiles+sheetrock+brick Who is right, the architect saying that these things never break and that it’s cheaper for the GC to do everything on another internal wall, or the GC?
dorkofwindsor | 10 years and 11 months ago
There is a plausible argument for both, and that means your GC has good arguments for reducing his cost. Not sure i understand the situation totally, but usually it is the valves / stems etc that need replacing (20 years?). So hopefully those are not buried in the brick wall. Successful GC’s have an efficient workflow and time is literally money. They like to use certain equipment or do things a certain way because their team can efficiently knock them out in their sleep. If your GC is experienced he knows that complicated one-offs can suck time, as well as completely mess his/her life up should there be a callback. You hope the plumbing does not spring a leak, you hope the valves or stems were not “lemons” but i can see his argument completely. Also, if it is a 100 year old brick wall messing with old things can bring big big problems. I would say it is unusual to have a shower inside a brick wall, but if changing it requires a different flow / layout then maybe it is time to push back. I certainly would not be channeling a load bearing wall for the aesthetics of such an arrangement, so i’d put it back on your designer. But again, your description is general and not specific so its hard to say.
Rick | 10 years and 11 months ago
So I gather the rough out in brick is to save some space. I can see that. You will save a few inches. Should be little different as far as repairs if you leave plenty of space around the valve and pipes when you channel out the brick wall.
cate | 10 years and 11 months ago
They break all the time. Friend of mine has repaired the shower in his Harlem brownstone two or three times now, each time going in through the plaster in a closet to do it. He owns the brownstone and oversaw the complete (and very high end) renovation of the bathroom himself. . I don’t understand what you mean by the architect has placed the plumbing INSIDE the shared brick party wall. This isn’t really possible. They’re tunneling out some of the brick, then covering with sheetrock and tile? Or you mean it’s more or less ON that wall, so there’s no way to access from behind, so you will have to break the tile for repairs? . If you have an extra box of tile on hand, it’s not the worst thing in the world. OTOH if there is another wall that would be just as convenient, it would be better to do it in a place with access through the plaster. . You can also create access by using a claw foot tub with exposed plumbing, etc., or it may also be possible to create some access by exposing some of the piping on the wall your architect has specified.
Green Mountain | 10 years and 11 months ago
On the issue of a pipe or valve, I agree more with the GC. But, the least reliable parts have more to do with tile and waterproofing of tile, not so much pipes and valves. I don’t agree with the widely accepted idea of substrate which is intended to get wet, or substrate which will survive “if” it gets wet. It won’t get wet and it should never get wet, if you use a waterproof membrane between the tile and substrate on all the walls and floor (I prefer a fabric membrane), unless you cut through the membrane to fix a pipe or valve. If that is what the GC is telling you, he is correct.
daveinbedstuy | 10 years and 11 months ago
In 30 years of owning homes, I have replaced ONE. they don’t break all the time. that said, what is the most standard practice, and makes the most common sense, to gain access to that plumbing is to fit it out on a wall where there is access from behind, otherwises, yes, you will have to rip out a lot of the tile. Not an insurmountable issie bit certainly a PITA.