Shower Pan install above grade drain

[vintagecar]

We have a condo in an older building, built in the 60’s, and upgrading bathroom and kitchen. The old tub and tile was removed.
The tub/shower drain is above grade and we want to install a shower pan and new tile, not go back to a tub.
The fiberglass pans I have used are made for the drain below grade. So, I’m scratching my head on this one. Looking for options. It was a 27” tub and we want to go to 30” as well.

 

[Geofd]

If your gonna put in a shower only the drain must be 2" back to the main if it's not that the 1st thing to think about

 

[Twowaxhack]

Post pics. I’d love to see your situation.

 

[vintagecar]

Here are the 2 images. One of them is after the plumbers ran new lines (the above pex has been fastened since that pic) and they put a rubber coupler with clamps to the drain and PVC pipe. I don't have to have a center drain. The other image is before the construction work- it was a shower tub combo prior to construction, we just want a shower.
I've had suggestions of raising the floor with pressure treated lumber and plywood, then putting my shower pan on that. One suggested I will need a pea-trap, which means that would be about a 12" step up into the shower...not something I want to do. kinda lost...but I can't cut into the floor.

 

[Twowaxhack]

It probably has a running trap. If you added another fixture trap it would be double trapped.

Tough situation. Are you on the ground floor ? You might could break the slab and install a connection below grade.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Who did this piping ? You better check it again….,,,

 

[vintagecar]

It probably has a running trap. If you added another fixture trap it would be double trapped.

Tough situation. Are you on the ground floor ? You might could break the slab and install a connection below grade.

I thought it might have that trap already in place. I cant break into the slab at all. I have to go above grade. I've seen some shower pans online that are an above grade pan, they look to have about a 6" edge, which I could live with. I'm just uncertain the proper direction.

 

[vintagecar]

Who did this piping ? You better check it again….,,,

View attachment 42097

fairly large regional company -certified/licensed plumbers- why? what's wrong with it?

 

[Twowaxhack]

fairly large regional company -certified/licensed plumbers- why? what's wrong with it?

Is the upper valve suppose to be a directional diverter for various functions ?

It appears to be a Delta diverter valve that’s piped with cold water. That’s incorrect……and if that’s the case it’ll never work.

Get me another pic standing in front of it. Showing all the piping and connections to it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Those Diverters don’t get piped with constant pressure. There’s no way to regulate temperature.

Also the hot looks like it’s connected to the lower valves shower riser……All wrong but the hot might go behind the shower riser and connect to the diverter……either way it’s wrong.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The diverter looks like it’s off center and the valves may be too close together to install the trim plates.

You better get all that corrected before yo do the walls.

I’m 100% positive this is all wrong or I’ll be eating crow. And I’ll eat it raw.

 

[vintagecar]

fairly large regional company -certified/licensed plumbers- why? what's wrong with it?

We have the shower head and then a wand, which is what I assume the diverter is for

 

[Twowaxhack]

We have the shower head and then a wand, which is what I assume the diverter is for

It’s not piped correctly. Don’t close the walls up until it’s corrected.

 

[vintagecar]

ugh. well they aren’t closed up yet. still trying to figure out the shower pan/drain deal.

 

[Homerbplumbing]

Saniflo is a system that was made for above grade installations. it is made to be piped in to a macerating pump but I have used them for above grade drainage pans with success. If the plumber can’t even figure out how to pipe in a simple shower valve then I wouldn’t trust them to do an out of the norm shower pan install. I would be concerned that the tub is an 1 1/2” drain and the shower drain pipe they ran is 2”. You cannot decrease the size of a pipe in the direction of flow. These guys look like they are steering you inti a world of problems with this. Could you post more pics from many different angles so that our speculations could be confirmed.

 

[Homerbplumbing]

Did anybody pull permits on this job. A cheap job will come back to haunt you in the future. One look tells me these guys take no pride in their work. I doubt they care what happens once the job is done and they have your money in hand. I hate to be blunt, but I don’t want to see you get taken.

 

[vintagecar]

went to the condo and got pics.

 

[vintagecar]

Did anybody pull permits on this job. A cheap job will come back to haunt you in the future. One look tells me these guys take no pride in their work. I doubt they care what happens once the job is done and they have your money in hand. I hate to be blunt, but I don’t want to see you get taken.

yeah permits were pulled, paid alot for the job too...

 

[Twowaxhack]

They screwed your plumbing up.

The showers not piped right and unless they use a AAV whatever drain they have stubbed out would be S trapped.


Personally I’d find a new plumber and ask for a refund on the shower piping job.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I see some bad pex crimps and it’s not sized properly. It’s undersized.

They also must own stock in a pex coupling factory.