Basement rough in

[Fill]

DIYer, till the going gets rough, anyways...

Can anyone tell me the standard heights for putting in water lines for shower, sink, etc? My 20 year old basement is roughed in for a full 3 piece bath, but i have to run the water lines over.

Other questions:

1. copper or new "plastic" ?(pbex, i think) which would you recommend. the house is currently copper supply.

2. what would be the ideal order for finishing the bathroom - start with electrical, then plumbing, wallboard, flooring, fixtures? Any suggestions appreciated.

I have replaced most of the existing plumbing fixtures in my house and run a new supply line for an outside hose bib, so i have some experience with this, but there are always new things to experience!!

thanks.

[LazyPup]

There are no code specific heights at which we must place the drain lines or shower mixer controls, however there are some code specifics that will influence there positioning by example, the maximum allowable vertical space from the drain opening in a lavatory bowl to the actual water level in the P-trap may not exceed 24". (Some local codes limit it to 12"). Typically the drain waste arm for the lavatory is installed on the centerline of the bowl and 14-18" above the finished floor. I find 16" to be a comfortable height to get the P-trap and tailpiece installed without problems.

Most bathroom lavatory faucett inputs are 4" on center. It is then customary to install the stub outs for the lavatory water supply angle stops about 2" to 4" higher than the centerline of the drain waste arm and spaced 4" to 6" center to center horizontally. (2" to 3" on either side of the drain centerline.)

The standard "Backset" for a watercloset flange is 12" from the center of the flange to the finished wall behind the watercloset. (there are 10" & 14" offsets available for special applications).

There must be a 15" clearance from the centerline of the watercloset (abbreviated WC -common name-toilet) to any wall, fixture or appurtenance on either side of the WC.

The water supply line for the WC should be 6" to the left of the WC centerline and 6" to 8" above the finished floor.

You stated that this rough in was first installed 20yrs ago. No doubt the drain line for the tub or shower is currently an 1-1/2" diameter. An 1-1/2" line continues to be the code standard for a tub however the code standard for a shower stall is now a 2" diameter drain line so if your planning a shower only you will need to replace that line. When figuring the postiton for the tub drain it is always advantageous to check the tub installation specs rather than be confronted with trying to offset the lines later.

It is customary to install the Tub/shower mixer centered directly above the centerline of the finished tub. For a tub/shower combination the mixer should be approximately 36" to 40" above the finished floor. This allows a convenient height for both sitting in the tub and standing in the shower. For a shower stall only it is often more convenient to place the mixer at 48" above the finished floor.

The code requires that the walls of a shower or tub shower/encloser be finished water tight to an elevation 72" above the finished drain. It is commonly accepted that we install the shower arm slightly higher to preclude the need to cut the enclosure or tiles. Keep in mind that the 72" standard was set many years ago when the average height of the user was approximaly 5'5" to 5'9". We are an ever evolving species and I would feel safe in saying the average height of people today would be in the 5'10" to 6'2" range. Keep in mind that you lose about 2" vertical height from the shower arm for the bend on the shower arm and the shower head. When doing a custom install it is always best to consider the average height of the user and set the shower head about 4" taller to preclude the need to duck under a shower head to wash your hair.

Hayzee is the expert on all matters relating to electrical so I will difer that part to him but as a rule, the plumbing codes are very specific about where the pipes in the walls must run determined by the required angles for pitch or offsets whereas the electrical trade has much more flexibility because a cable can generally be bent to any required angle. Most working electricians have enough general knowledge of plumbing layout that we do not have physical conflicts for space but for a DIY'er in my opinion you may find it much easier to run the plumbing first.

Now in regards the material choices for the water lines.

The code approved choices are Galvanized Iron Pipe (almost never used today), Copper, PEX or CPVC. (PVC prohibited)

While there are some who tout PEX to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and pockets on Tee shirts, the overwhelming majority of professional plumbers still recommend copper unless you have specific water quality issues such as extemely acidic water that would be problamatic with copper pipe. In my personal opinion if you have water quality problems that would eat up your pipes, the proper solution would be to install a water treatment system rather than a different kind of pipe. If there is something in the water that can eat the pipe is surely can't be good for your body either.