Bathroom Fitting

How to connect 2 wall hung WC's in adjacent rooms to a single Soil pipe without over deep boxing

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.27 PM

We're in a 3rd floor flat built early 1900. We have 2 small adjacent bathrooms we wish to refurbish (one is a bathroom and the other a shower room). The rooms share an internal Lath and Plaster Wall and the external wall runs across both rooms. Each room has its own wall hung WC supported by a floor standing frame boxed in. We want to maintain the same set up but we want to reduce the depth of the boxing if possible as both rooms are small. The depth of the WC boxing in the Shower Room is 300MM (includes 20MM MDF) and the depth of the WC boxing in the shower room is 180MM (includes 20MM MDF). The question is it possible to reduce the depth of the boxing in each room whilst accommodating the soil pipe and the soil pipe branch to split the soil pipe into 2 for use for both WCs. First considering the shower room WC's 300MM boxing. We can see it looks like this depth was required because a 4 way branch has been connected to the soil pipe which enters from the external wall directly behind the location of the WC. Imagine it like a "Cross" North exits the building, South connects into the shower room WC, West connects to a soil waste pipe which goes through the adjoining wall and then bends left and runs c. 400MM before a right bend flexible joiner connects it to the bathroom WC. East the 4th branch is not used and is presumably capped off. So i guess we only need a 3 way branch (not 4) and the question is, what is the minimum length available as that presumably determines the distance of the WC from the wall. In the bathroom the WC box is 160MM plus 20MM MDF. This width is constrained by the Soil pipe (presumably 110MM plus the supporting Frame). The Soil pipe is pushed up against the exposed wall stud which probably shares off 10MM but can not go further back into the wall. The wall is lath and plaster (flat built 1900). Is there anyway of embedding the soil pipe in the wall? Is it worth rebuilding the wall or would the wall stud always be an issue. Thank you for your help

Able Home Improvements

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Oswestry

Hi, This is a difficult question to answer without inspection. I would imagine the plumber that installed the pipes and fittings etc before did his best to keep the boxing-in to a minimum. That being said 3-way t's are available and may save room. I would definitely not recommend hanging a WC from the lath and plaster wall. It may be able to be strengthened or replaced but you would need a good tradesman to advise you here. There are undoubtedly many more fittings on the market than when the bathroom / en-suite were installed and a good tradesman will be able to advise you and make suggestions to help you maximise space. Hope this helps a little. Kind Regards Paul

Answered31 January 2022

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Saladan Solutions

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Poole

If, as you say, the hung toilets are on a frame, then this is what the boxing is covering. That and the internal cistern. Without a site visit, it is impossible to tell but due to the nature of these things, it is unlikely that there can be much reducing. However, the very fact that MDF is present screams diy bodger to me and it is wholly feasible that anything could have happened. My advice is to either a) leave well alone or b) be prepared to spend the money to have it done professionally and properly. The mere presence of MDF in a situation like this will also concern tradespeople as to what kind of can of worms is there. It is very likely that the plumbing is also suspect, a plethora of push fittings etc...

Answered9 February 2022

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