Basement Bathroom - Vanity, Toilet and Shower

Total Cost of the Basement Bathroom

I did all of the labor working mostly weekends with occasional help from my teenage son. Total labor for this project was about 8 to 10 man-days; I emphasize quality and neatness when working so I may be a little slower than others. Setting the tile is by far the most labor intensive part of the project.

The material costs were ~$5,600 consisting of:

• $1700 porcelain tile, grout and thinset mortar
• $500 shower stall bedding cement, metal lathe, shower pan liner, cement backer board, screws, glue, etc.
• $1000 vanity cabinet, sink, faucet, vanity mirror
• $600 for copper- and PVC pipe and fittings
• $100 shower valve
• $550 sewage pump (eBay bargain item) and high water alarm
• $150 exhaust fan
• $200 electrical wiring, junction boxes and misc.
• $30 building permit
• $100 2×4 boards and plywood sheeting
• $350 toilet and fittings
• $150 towel racks, toilet paper holder
• $75 paint
• $100 tile wet saw rental

I already had all the tools necessary for the project, except for the tile saw which I rented from Home Depot.

Project Phases

1. Part 1 – Project overview, rough-in plumbing connections, painting the walls.
2. Part 2 – Floor plan and fixture layout, relocating the shower drain.
3. Part 3 – Building the shower stall and shower pan.
4. Part 4 – Tile measurements and layout.
5. Part 5 – Tiling the shower stall walls and floor.
6. Part 6 – Soldering shut-off valves on the sink and toilet water lines.
7. Part 7 – Installing the shower head and valve. SharkBite solderless fittings.
8. Part 8 – Hot and cold water copper plumbing connections to the main water lines.
9. Part 9 – Sewage ejector pump installation and splicing into the main sewer line.
10. Part 10 – PVC sewer and outside air vent plumbing.
11. Part 11 – High water alarm wiring and installation.
12. Part 12 – Installing the toilet flange, setting the toilet, hooking up the water line.
13. Part 13 – Bathroom vanity, sink, faucet, drain and water supply plumbing; sewage pump operation video.
14. Part 14 – Vanity light and switch electrical wiring and installation. Wiring diagram of the “before” and “after” branch circuits.
15. Part 15 -  Wiring the light switch. Overview of the GFCI, exhaust fan and vanity light switches.
16. Part 16 – Wiring and mounting the vanity light.
17. Part 17 – Bathroom exhaust fan installation overview.
18. Part 18 – Sewage basin closure and testing for odors; overview of the finished water and sewer plumbing.

Before and After Photos

Before - In the beginning, there were only bare walls and floor with roughed-in plumbing stubs:

Bare Walls and Floor

After – The bare walls and floor were transformed into an attractive bathroom:

Basement Bathroom - Toilet and Shower

Before – Plumbing rough-in for the toilet and vanity:

Plumbing Rough-In for Vanity and Toilet

After -Toilet and vanity:

Basement Bathroom - Toilet and Vanity

Vanity and light:

Basement Bathroom Vanity

Vanity, door and tile:

Bathroom Vanity

I hope you find this bathroom project series informative and saves you money by:

• Helping you plan your Do-It-Yourself project.
• Understand the scope of work if hiring a contractor and knowing if your getting quality results.

Thanks for reading,
Bob Jackson

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The sewage basin consists of a two-part metal lid that is attached by six (6) bolts and rubber grommets to seal the various wiring and plumbing penetrations.

Sewage Basin - Closed and Sealed

A strip of 1-1/4 inch wide by 7/16 inch thick foam rubber single-sided self-stick tape was applied to the rim of the sewage basin to provide and air-tight seal against the metal lid. I chose the extra thick 7/16 inch tape for the extra gap-filling ability.  I’ve heard of people using caulk to seal the lid, but that would make it difficult to remove the lid in the future for maintenance.

Frost King - Foam Rubber Weatherseal

The cross-seam where the two lids overlap was like-wise sealed using a length of 3/4 inch wide by 3/16 inch thick single-sided self-stick foam rubber tape.

The two-halves of the metal lid were bolted onto the sewage basin, checking that the 7/16 inch thick foam rubber was squeezed to about 1/2 of its original thickness. The idea is the foam rubber tape if left to expand and seal any gaps between the basin and cover; and not to tighten the lid down so much the foam tape is crushed or the lid becomes warped.

Testing the Sewage Basin for an Air Tight Seal

Before declaring the bathroom “open for business”, I needed to verify the sewage basin cover and grommets were 100% air tight. I did this by pouring a bottle of cheap perfume down the sink and running the water until the sewage pump was activated. I then sniffed around the basin for any hint of perfume. I detected no hint of perfume. I waited an hour, ran the water again and rechecked, finding no scent of perfume.

As of this writing, the basement bath has been open for business for two months and there’s been absolutely no odor whatsoever.

Water and Sewer Plumbing Connections

The following is an overview of the completed water and sewer connections. The building inspector said he liked my work when he signed off on my building permit.

Floor-level:

Sewer, Water and Shower Valve Hookups

Mid-Level:

Copper Water and PVC Sewer Plumbing

Upper-Level: Notice the 2×4 bracing for the 2 inch PVC riser plumbing.

Overhead Water and Sewer Plumbing

Overhead:

Main Sewer Connection - Black Wye

The high water alarm is mounted to the 2×4 wall studs and is on a separate electrical circuit from the sewage pump.

Sewage Basin and High Water Alarm

The final installment of this series is here.

Take care,

Bob Jackson

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