Loft W/C Soil Pipe options

[doracake]

Hi,

I'll be getting a plumber round to do this work when we get to it. I'd just like a bit of advanced warning of what I'm in store for.....

I've recently bought an old semi detached house that I plan on doing a loft conversion on at some point. I thought I'd put a new upstairs WC (and bathroom) above the existing bathroom to make the pipework as straightforward as possible.

I'm about to gut the existing bathroom and was surprised to find the WC soil pipe going into the floor rather than out the back wall. I then noticed there's no soil stack outside.

When I get to putting a WC upstairs what's my option for the soil pipe? Is there a way to of getting it joined in? Can it be tee'ed somehow and ran inside the wall? There is a gap between the toilet and the bath where I could get a pipe boxed in if it's possible?

Is a mascerator the only option?

cheers.

 

[mountainman]

I would only use a macerator as the last option.

It might be an idea once you've taken the WC out to trace the path of the soil pipe.
Chances are you have a vent going through the roof, if so then your plumber could cut a branch onto this for your new WC etc. in the loft.

 

[doracake]

Cheers.

I hadn't even heard of a macerator until I started researching this. I don't like the sound of them one bit, so would like to avoid them.

I don't move in until next week. I was in the other day to measure up for the bathroom when I noticed the soil connection.

A guy I work with mentioned looking for the vent pipe. On google maps we could see the vent pipe for every other house in the area but this one 🙁

Could it be vented into a redundant chimney?

The window on the gable wall is where the existing toilet sits against. Most houses seem to have the soil pipe going outside there. I guess mines is different as It's backing onto a public path

 

[Quidam]

Has the stack maybe been cut off somewhere in the loft? I know of a few that have been, and an air admittance valve fitted in its place (lets air in without gases escaping). Maybe you've got one buried in a wall somewhere? Ours is a durgo valve Durgo - Luftningsventiler, Säkerhetsventiler, Vakuumventiler, Spolventiler

 

[Bernie2]

Err!

Can't be sure but if it is a the ground floor toilet and bathroom you may not have a soil stack. Look in Document H guidance on Building Regs to get some idea. You can download them for free from the governments planning portal.

 

[AWheating]

it may be possible that other propertys have been upgraded over the years hence the difference in vents. Its only needed to vent one in 4 houses and at the start and end of the run so not all houses will have a vent stack.

get an experienced plumber round to take a look, maybe a member of the forum lives close and can get it sorted for you.

 

[doracake]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've had a right good look today and will be phoning a couple of plumbers tomorrow.

The soil pipe disappears straight into the ground and there is no venting anywhere.

I'm also concerned that there's a pool of water where the soil pipe disappears 🙁

The 2 things I'm after is to have the soil pipe moved back around a foot (an adaptor with a joggle maybe if there is such a thing?) and get a bit of advice regarding getting a second connection in to the soil pipe.

The bathroom is getting blitzed so I could lift the floor to get a connection fitted under there if it's an option.

I've also had a look at the water main point & the drain in the street just on the other side of the gable wall. Both are flooded (I think). I phoned the water board to come out so I can get access to the stopcock point. (There's no valve on the incoming main 🙁 )

 

[AWheating]

if your drains are damaged causing leaks get them sorted as it can cause structual damage to your property if near walls.

 

[thefish]

Is the toilet sitting on a wooden floor or concrete? if its wooden there may be a big enough void under the floor boards to allow the soil pipe to be modified. The soil pipe probably has a shared vent, common on older properties.

 

[doracake]

if your drains are damaged causing leaks get them sorted as it can cause structual damage to your property if near walls.

Yeah, I have the waterboard coming out today for a look. The drain in the street must be leaking.

Is the toilet sitting on a wooden floor or concrete? if its wooden there may be a big enough void under the floor boards to allow the soil pipe to be modified. The soil pipe probably has a shared vent, common on older properties.

The toilet is sat on floorboards. In my second photo you can see the bottom of the floor joist which is 6"

There is about a foot of a void. Maybe more when the water is gone!

I want that moving back a bit so I can fit a standard toilet and I still need to know my options for adding a second toilet at some point.

I'm off to post in the need a plumber section....

cheers for replies Gents

 

[doracake]

Had a guy round today. He reckons there is a small crack in the clay at the bottom of the soil pipe.

He's gave me the number of the local drain doctor guy who they use for these types of repairs. He also said moving the connection back wouldn't be a problem.

I'm still no further forward on adding a second connection though. Assuming it's a shared vent and this pipe goes straight down into the stack does anybody have an idea of my options?

cheers