Who's right, Plumber or Contractor?

last year

last modified: last year

Hello, ten years ago, I had a shower installed on my home’s 2nd floor. The contractor brought the drain pipe up into the corner of the shower and covered it with a square drain, even though the floor tiles are 12x24. Fast forward to 2023, and my new contractor plans to install a linear drain with an offset connection onto either the existing base (identified in pic with red xx’s) or onto the thing above it, circled in blue—I’ll ask him to clarify. His plan will avoid having to cut into the ceiling underneath the shower.

However, my plumber friend says that a linear drain can't be installed on the item(s) in the photo, and that the contractor should open up the ceiling below and hire a plumber to move the pipe to the center of the wall with the fixtures (see pic) and install a standard linear drain there. Who’s right? If the contractor is, can someone explain how the linear drain outlet will be attached to the blue-circled item or the item with the red xx’s? I’m not completely sure what those items are called, so I marked them in the photo so ya’ll know what I'm referring to! Thank you in advance!

Featured Answer

MongoCT

last year

There are linear drain kits that use a traditional clamping drain body, where the linear drain channel can be sliced and diced for a non-centered drain location. Here's an example of one:

Linear drain

With that out of the way? You have a clamping drain so I presume there's a CPVC waterproofing membrane down already down? A membrane that just had a shower demo performed on top of it?

First, I'd want a new membrane. Second, code requires that the membrane itself be sloped towards the weep holes on that two part drain body. If your current shower failed, it could be because the exiting membrane was placed flat on the subfloor instead of on a presloped mud bed as required by code.

Lastly, if your existing membrane is indeed sloped towards the existing drain, a linear drain requires different slope geometry, so the membrane would need to be taken up, the preslope underneath he membrane removed, and a new preslope and a new membrane installed.

I likely went overboard with my response. But with shower renovations and what I've seen posted in this forum, there is a reason for my caution.

Good luck with your project.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
Your contractor may have a plumber that agrees with him.
Dana Powell thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
Dana Powell
Original Author
last year
Thank you Joseph. But isn't the answer to whether or not the linear drain outlet can be attached to the existing bolted-down base a matter of fact and not opinion? If in fact, it can be, should it be? The latter question is a matter of opinion. So I'm really asking for both a factual answer and for an opinion.
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PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
Different contractor in order - one with a more knowledgeable sub.

Looks and sounds like a not great idea.
Dana Powell thanked JAN MOYER
HU-867564120
last year
last modified: last year
If it's a complete tear-out, I see no reason that a linear drain cannot be properly installed from above. Once the existing shower pan and subfloor are removed, everything is as exposed as things would be if the ceiling below were opened to do the same job. There might be some tedious moments, but it should all be doable. One caveat from your description, though, is that the linear drain cannot be connected to the existing drain fitting in the shower floor (your blue and red markings in the photo). The existing drain needs to be cut off and new drain piping run to the linear drain.
Dana Powell thanked HU-867564120
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
IMO the plumber trumps the contractor what you plan requires a whole rework of the plumbing to accommodate the linear drain and you will need a new pan and all the old stauuf ripped out and new waterproofing just like a brand new shower which is what it is
Dana Powell thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
Dana Powell
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
The current shower had an incorrect slope so water stalled and either evaporated over time or had to be pushed into the drain. Here is a picture of the shower after demo. I assume the gray board is the subfloor? I assume there was a membrane that the contractor removed and threw away. From now on, I will be nearby and taking pictures of the process. So I must make sure that the contractor tears out the gray board, and from above, cut off the 2-part drain body and replace that body with the new linear 2-part drain body?

@MongoCT, is redgard considered a membrane? Because in his proposal he noted waterproofing would be redgard.
Dana Powell
Original Author
last year
Hi All, If I switch to a smaller tile, could I (and should I, that is) keep the gray board, add a membrane and put a new square drain on the existing drain fitting?
MongoCT
last year
Dana,

Yes, RedGard is a waterproofing membrane when applied correctly over an appropriate substrate. The floor and wall waterproofing should be a coordinated installation for best performance.

The "gray board" in your photo looks like Oatey PVC shower pan membrane:

Oatey
Dana Powell thanked MongoCT