gearheads78

I wanted to fix the leaking drain in my daughters bath tub so I went to Home Depo and got a new twist turn assemblyfor the drain. I went to take the old one out when I got home and instead of unscrewing the piece of crap plastic pipe snapped under the tub. I have no access behind the tub without pulling out my kitchen cabnets and countertops. So is my only choice to pull part of the freaking tile and walls down and pull the tub?

lshlsh2

Never understood why no access panels for things like that. One thing though the pipe was probably leaking where it broke. It maybe worse when you get into it. I don't now how old your house is but old houses are like old cars.

Larry

Lady72nRob71

Another "snap" of the day...

Where in the pipe did it break? The threaded area that the drain nipple screws into? This would be easier to fix. If it broke elsewhere further down, a new plan of attack will be needed. Possibly pulling the kitchen cabinets would be easier. I would think the countertops could be left in place (if like how mine are installed.)
I hate plasic pipe....
I need to replace my drain thingie but now i think i will leave it to the next owner.

Oldsguy

I feel your pain Richard. I HATE plumbing repairs, they suck.

Jamesbo

This isn't the right way to do it Richard. But can you put a smaller piece of pipe down into the old drain pipe? since there is not much pressure in a drain. It might work.

X2 access to pluming is a must if you build a house.

71supreme

Hey Richard,

Pics help. Is there a sink in those kitchen cabs & counters? If so perhaps the drains connect to the sink somewhere. How old is the house? Is there a basement, or a crawl space?

Mine is a post ww2 house with a full basement, and a lot of these little tricks in it. When I bought the house I had to replace half the bathroom, including the tub. The tub drain wound up being connected to the kitchen and bathroom sink drains. That was some work. So I put an access panel in just behind the tub faucets & drain. it's come in handy once or twice since. I hope that's all you have to do.

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Can you go from under the floor? Do you have a basement,crawl space, cut a bigger hole in the floor so you can work. Or is the house built on a slab. If it is built on a slab you are done for, then you would have to rec a wall. Another question is, does your cabinets have a back on them or can you see the wall? Then you could cut the drywall out, fix the problem and repatch the drywall. Would be a little pain in the *** but a lot less work and very cheap to do this the destroy a bathroom. If it come to worse cut the back open in the cabinet and then cut out the drywall, then if you want you could cut the piece of cabinet 1/4 inch smaller or so, install some trim around it so it covers the cut and then you have a door if you ever have to get in their again you can. Even put a hinge so you can swing it open, as long their is enough room

Lady72nRob71

I like this idea. Hopefully it is a full size cabinet that he can at least crawl into. With my luck the "spice rack" cabinet would be behind the pipe.
No basements here in TX, I think his is on a slab - a fairly "new" house.

Richard, if you need a hand with anything, holler at me - I will be home at 4pm.


Hmmmmmm....
I can almost sense a complete kitchen and bath remodel in the near future.

Jamesbo

Richard,

There "May" not be any sheet rock behind those cabinets. Which would make it a little easier.

MDchanic

Definitely, having kitchen cabinets backing on the bathtub plumbing is a plus, not a minus.

You can do an awful lot of damage to the backs of under-counter cabinets and have it be essentially invisible when you're done.
As I was reading this, I thought just what others have said: get out the SawzAll and / or the razor knife and start cutting. If you go through sheetrock, try to cut along the centers of adjacent studs so you can re-screw the piece you remove.
Make as big of a mess as you want down there, even remove structural elements of the cabinets, so long as you replace them with something equivalent. Once you put the pots and pans back, nobody will be able to see a thing.

Which reminds me, I've got a leaky bathtub above the kitchen that I've got to fix one day...

- Eric

gearheads78

This is a concrete foundation. The drain broke about an inch below the opening of the tub not the drain into the foundtion. The wall access to the back is in the kitchen in the corner behind the cabnet. At the very least I would have to take up the counter top and sink to crawl over the cabnet into the corner. the openings through the cabnet doors is maybe 10" wide. No way I could crawl through that

Oldsguy

Not even with a diet.

Maybe time for a kitchen refurb while you are at it.

joe_padavano

The MIGHTASWELLS don't just apply to cars...

Rickman48

Seems to be easier to take up one run of tile around the tub, pick it up, and slide it out.
Think I'd replace the faucet assembly, while that far.
I've found, [the hard way] shortcuts are more work, as what tools are you gonna be able to get in there?
As my Daddy used to say, 'do it right, or don't do it at all!'
Typical 'minor repair' - turns into 'major remodeling' sooo easy!

Lady72nRob71

Hmm... Half a jar of PVC cement and maybe a thinner piece of pipe to cut and glue inside as an 'inside' coupler? This might work if away from any bends.

How does the pipe go through the foundation? Solid cement or is there a sand opening for the pipe to pass through?

BIGJERR

Call a plumber and get a qoute............Then youll know what your up against..........My .02!

Jamesbo

Rob,

That's what I was trying to say. You're just more eloquent. I have done this before in a pinch with varying degrees of success. The biggest probelm is if there is a clog further down any connecting drain, it might break thru the "Rigged" area.

MDchanic

Got any small children?

Never too early to learn about the wonderful world of plumbing .

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

Uh, my mom would have a total opposite view of this.
Afterall, she remembers when I decided to get into the toilet tank when i was 8 or so. Neither of us could believe how big an indoor fountain the John could be.
For years she regretted getting us handyman books instead of coloring books...
On the plus side, I did eventually learn to do our own plumbing work. Then I wish SHE had read the books and knew not to touch a copper pipe right after I sweat soldered it (it will be a tad warm afterwards!)...

gearheads78

I don't know. You can't see anything. A bunch of ants came running out of the drain and soon as it broke. There is no way to patch or rig anything without access to the back side of the tub.

Jamesbo

So the overflow broke off with the drain?

442much

There is a leak underneath my kitchen sink that I told the wife I would fix. Damn plastic pieces and stainless steel pieces everywhere. I'd have to use tools that might work...maybe I'll fix it by calling a plumber. I hate crap like this. Good luck and thanks for posting - prolly save me some $$$. As Clint Eastwood once said {squinty eyes} "A man's got to know his limitations."

oldsguybry

He hit the nail right on the head , that is what i did to access bottom of tub , just cut hole bigger where pipe comes through floor in basement..

Lady72nRob71

It is even more fun when it is underground and mud and water is added to the mix, also.
A couple years ago, a stupid tree root decided to seek out and destroy the only 5-way pipe junction in my yard sprinkler system.
It was under a rose bush, too.
I won in the end at least...

gearheads78

I wish it was that easy for me.

Bluevista

I've been doing jobs like that since I was old enough to hand a pipe wrench to my old man, no joke. Other kids spent their summer vacation playing with their friends.

I'd take out the cabinet or cut a hole in the back and then through the drywall too.
It's a pretty easy fix if the pipe isn't buried in the concrete, then it's "Escape from Alcatraz" chipping through concrete in a dark cramped hole time.
Tearing out the tub would be a good reason to replace that tub with a nice whirlpool job though?
The front panels come off a lot of those yacuzzi type tubs for access so you wouldn't ever need to crawl through a hole in the kitchen cabinet to get to stuff.
Accidentally drop an engine block in the tub and damage it beyond repair then call the insurance company.

Lady72nRob71

Oh, God - that reminds me of doing this back in August...

It was bad enough WITH the space to work.
Can't do it through a hole in the wall...
If there is any chance on having to break through cement, then it will be best to just pull the tub.

Aron Nance

Richard:
Our house built in '57, (WITH a basement, Rob, though extremely unusual in Texas - damned clay around Dallas). We just had the master BR remodeled. They cut the bathtub in half to remove it, as it was a tight fit in that end of the BR. Installed a low lip shower; Juju's worried about my tripping getting in/out (I know, that's WAY too much information!). Through the cabinet sounds like the best option for you to try, before you consult with a plumber. Good luck!
Aron

gearheads78

I know everyone keeps saying cabnet is the easiest way but the wall where I need access is in the corner. I cant go through a cabnet and I would have to go over the cabnet to get in the corner. That would require at the very least removing my counter top that I can't afford to replace right now.

442much

This reminds me of the gynocoligist who got 110% on his mechanics test. When others complained that they also rebuilt the test engine just as well and only got 100%, his teacher said, but did you rebuild it through the tailpipe.

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Can you post a couple of pics of the mess your in, cause by the time you pull a bathroom apart a rebuild you would be looking at least a couple of grand. May no be easy threw the cabinet but that would be your cheapest option. even lets say you go over the counter top, put a carboard and a drop sheet down, counter and floor, take some painters tape tape it well so nothing will move. Cut a hole in between your counter top and your upper cabinets. leave at least 2 inches top and bottom so then you can retape it. I will tell you a trick when it comes to re taping. Say you opening is 16 by 16. Cut the drywall 20 by 20. Flip the drywall on the face, mark 2 inches around the drywall. Take a knife and scribe along the line, cut 2 or three times but don't cut threw the drywall. the 2 inch piece , snap it,then slowly pull it off but leaving the face of the drywall on.Then you are left with a 16 by 16 piece of drywall with 2 inches of paper around so you can do a nice mudding job. Even this way you don't have to worry about cutting on the studs.No tape needed it works great I do it all the time.Post some pics anyways and then I could help you out more, from the bathroom and kitchen

made in the usa

i would say pull the tub even if you get the cabinet pulled out and there is no space you call in a plumber he is going to pull the tub anyway . i thought ahead on this one when i remodeled our bath room and the cabinet has bigger doors for a reason there is a hidden door threw the back into a wet wall i can slide inside to all the piping. but i did put in a Jacuzzi tub. so i wanted to be able to service or repair any thing on the jets any way good luck get some pics up so we can see what mess your in .

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

What type of counter top is it? Granite or a laminated counter top? If laminated remove screws from under the counter and remove it, if granite do not touch.

gearheads78

Its laminated but I think I might have thought out a better way. If I pull my stove out and cut both sides of the cabnet in the corner out I could crawl though it and be at the backside of the wall where the bath is. The repair to the side of the cabnet would only be seen if you are getting out a cookie sheet or pull the stove.

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Should work,that will be the cheapest way of doing it.But dam how far to you have to get in the wall? You don't have a 2by4 or by 6 wall separating the bathroom to kitchen where the tub is against the wall. What you have hiding in there.lol. Well any ways have fun with that, by the way don't forget to glue you fittings.

dhoff

Richard, There is a company that makes a replacement drain that you put down from the top without removing the tub, I used one of these last year with good results so far. Not sure if this would fix your problem? ( www.wingtite.com ) Dave

gearheads78

Thanks for the lead but it won't work for my problem.

Oldsguy

Richard

It's obvious that lots of people here are interested in helping you and we all really hope you find an affordable solution out of this predicament. I am encouraged to see so much response for a fellow member. Keep us updated.

cutlassgal

Ken..... I'm sure your advice really helped him out, lol!!! You ain't right, lol!

How tight were those shorts??

Schne442

Is the tub side wall an interior or exterior? You may be able to get at the drain from outside the bathroom through the side wall. cut some drywall and maybe a stud or two and you could reach it.I wouldn't rip up my bathroom or kitchen untill I've exhausted any other options first. IMHO
Gary