Any new home builders and/or plumbers around?

[stee6043]

I'm looking for some opinions:

I have a 2003 built home (I bought in 2006). The basement is 50% finished with rough-in for a bathroom in one corner not currently finished. We have well and septic which is why I have a question. The main plumbing "outlet" that heads to the septic is approximately 5' off the finished basement floor. The plumbing in the slab for the future basement bathroom perplexes me. It's a few feet from the main plumbing outlet but it's built into the finished slab. I do not have a sump style "well" anywhere in that corner of the house for any kind of waste pump. Where does this plumbing go??? It's clearly setup for a stool and sink. But there are no connections to the plumbing vent system for the sink and I just can't figure out how these things would connect to the septic tank.

Has anyone seen such a setup? Am I good to use this plumbing with no further concern? Basement bathroom is in the 1-2 year plan so this is step one.

I should say that I live in a subdivision that was built entirely by one builder and they seem to have a very good reputation. So I have a hard time believing this would be a shady install but I wanted to ask the question and see if I might be missing something. Thanks for any thoughts!!

 

[dave11]

I'm a little foggy. By "outlet" do you mean the main DWV stack?

And what is 5 feet off the floor?

Can you post a pic?

 

[Gary_602z]

Where does the septic tank lay as far as elevation? Maybe you have to go with a pump up system to get the proper fall to the tank?

Gary

 

[stee6043]

Sorry for the poor terminology. By "outlet" I mean the 6-8" main plumbing line that leads to the septic tank. Where all the pooh from the whole house goes on it's way outside. It heads through my basement wall at about 5' above the basement floor (obviously still below grade). My septic tank is about 15' on the other side of that wall. Since the main exits the house at this elevation I don't quite understand how my future bathroom plumbing can work without a pump.

I'll see if I can snap a pic...

 

[stee6043]

Here are two (awful) shots I just took. The line that exits the house and heads to the septic can be seen behind the fridge. It drops down a foot or two and goes through the concrete wall.

The second shot shows the two pipes plumbed into the slab for the future bathroom. So my question is where do these lines go if the main plumbing exits the house above them...??

Any thoughts??

 

[Gary_602z]

Normally the top of the septic tank is just below the sod. In order for those drains to be hooked into the septic the tank would have to be a lot lower which would not be right for your main drain as you don't want to much fall or the water will run off and leave solids in you pipe going to the tank. Also neither one of those drains look big enough for a stool. I bet that they are just floor drains.

Gary

 

[Gary_602z]

What size is the line behind the fridge? Is there a cleanout on it? It looks like it has a 90 degree elbow on it which maybe a no no also.

Gary

 

[wingman1776]

some place down in our basement there has to be an injector pit. A sealed pit with pump is required to get the sewage from your basement bath to your septic tank. I have seen them set to low and covered with concrete but there has to be one there some place

 

['bert]

you say the entire subdivision has been done by one builder, could you talk with one of your neighbors to see what they have done. they could even show you how they did it.

 

[Dune]

Here in Mass, the "underground", that is the pipes under the concrete would have to have been inspected before the slab could be poured. If the two pipes shown in the photo are the only evidence available, you may have to start over. The first thing to do is find out who the plumber was and see what they know. The plumbers name would be on the permit on file with the plumbing inspecter.

A pit with an ejector pump is not the only solution, though it may be the best. There are also tanks which fit under a raised deck framed by 2x6 lumber and use the same pump as the pit tanks. If you have enough headroom this might be worth considering. Additionaly there is a surface mount toilet which can sit on the slab or flooring with a built in grinder, which can drain a shower and sink.

 

[stee6043]

Thanks for all of the replies!

It's a 6" line and it does have a cleanout. The plumbing approval inspection sticker is plastered on the pipe right behind the fridge. I have seen two neighbors with basement bathrooms that both have the pits with ejector pumps as mentioned above. I have a sump pump in the opposite corner of the basement but I can't imagine where any other pits could be located. The only two corners of the basement that are finished are both at-grade (walkout) so I don't think it's possible that the pit is under finished floor in those areas.

I guess this is where I'm confused. I would have expected to find a pit in the corner "under the fridge" in that photo. But there is nothing. So where in the heck do those pipes go? They seem placed properly for a small bathroom to be placed in this corner of the basement. And they look to be the same size as a previous basement I had for a stool to drop on the larger one and a sink to connect to the smaller one.

I guess calling a plumber (or the original plumber) is probably the best bet. Thanks for all the help, gents.