Bathroom Exposed Waste Pipe

8 years ago

Hi Houzz community,
Long story short is I'm remodeling my master bathroom with a general contractor. Recently we had cabinets delivered and told put in. The problem I am facing is underneath the new bathroom vanity (see photo). In short, it looks like the waste pipe and one of the cold/water pipes are exposed underneath the new makeup vanity area (previously a sink).
Is this normal and/or up to code for California?
Is this something I should be concerned with?
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you in advance :).

Featured Answer

chispa

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I'm in CA and 2 of my bathrooms had the pipes set up just like that. They are usually hidden behind the cabinet, so you don't know they are sticking out until you gut the bathroom.

I went from standard vanities to floating vanities so they needed to be covered up. In the master bath the GC just built out a baseboard around it to disguise it. In another bathroom with less room to work with, the GC was able to notch the wood and recess the pipe.

Nothing to worry about. Just put a fake panel in front of it.

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Comments (10)

Casey Wilson
Original Author
8 years ago
Casey Wilson
Original Author
8 years ago
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Flo Mangan
8 years ago
I am not familiar with CA code but it appears it was more costly to reroute these than cut around them. I would get your contractor to make a fake back wall that could be removed to hide this more effectively. Was a licensed plumber used? They can explain the codes there and why this is acceptable except for the esthetics.
Casey Wilson
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi Flo! Thank you for the response. From my understanding my licensed general contractor performed the work. He definitely has a license and is bonded. But I don't know the specifics on if this applies to plumbing.

The fake wall idea is not a bad idea. I'm just wondering if there will be enough "leg room". Do you think it would be hard to move at this point?
User
8 years ago
A GC isn’t a licensed plumber. Or electrician. Or tiler. And definitely not a cabinet installer. Make him hire the right subs instead of being the unlicensed hack of all trades.
Bruce in Northern Virginia
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
There may have been a good reason for not recessing those pipes, but I would want to know that the contractor opened up the wall behind, and that the "reasons" were valid. Sometimes its just more work, but not really that difficult.

With respect to code, pipes need to be protected from damage during normal use. Since this appears to be a floor level area where someone might kick a foot or run a broom, it seems like they could be easily damaged.

You could hide them with as little as a tall (6" high?) double depth base molding that is cut out behind to hide the pipes. However, you still need to consider possible damage when they install shoe molding or other finish items.

Bruce
User
8 years ago
The fake wall idea is not a bad idea. I'm just wondering if there will be enough "leg room".

There's plenty of leg room. Sit at a table and see how far your feet extend.
Casey Wilson
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all for the help and insight. I think I am going to go with the fake panel wall that many of you have recommended. I'll post pictures once completed
MongoCT
8 years ago
I have something similar in the foot space under our kitchen desktop. It hides a couple runs of copper pipe that run from the basement up to the second floor to for the radiant floor heat manifold. They jog around the main beam beneath the first floor of the house.

I built a small bumpout with a teak top to conceal the pipes. My wife will sometimes use it as a footrest when sitting at the desk.