adding a bathroom

[cloud23]

I was interested in adding a full bath in my basement and would like some feedback on approx. range of how much it could cost. Currently, I have a half bath in the unfinished area of my basemant (the workshop room/utility room). I just had my plumbing replaced with copper pipes, did not realize how low my water pressure was.  I would like to get rid of my workshop room and make it a big bathroom, I know that the price depends on the quality. I'm look for mid to high range.

[Ana]

I am curious as to how much and how long and how complex it was to replace your pipes.  We have extremely low water pressure.  We can't use one faucet without affecting another, it's very frustrating.   

[cloud23]

We actually had Sullivan plumbing located on 16th Street do the work it took about a week and they replaced the water supply piping from the meter, install copper pipes throughout the house in addition to other things. The cost was @ 5,000. The difference in water pressure was tremendous. Hope that helps.

[dukesdad]

Actually the pressure hasn't changed, the flow has. Pressure is dependent on what the city provides us, on my end of town it's about 40 PSI. When you replace the pipe it allows the full flow of water that has been impeded by all the sediment in the galvanized pipe to finally reach your faucets. The pressure is still the same 40 PSI.

[Ana]

Where can we find the water pressure for our end of town?

[dukesdad]

I made a pressure gauge. Let me see if I can find it, you're welcome to borrow it. It screws on a hose bib or laundry tub faucet. I bought a gauge at the Depot and rigged pipe fittings together to make it work. My pressure ranges from 38 to 42 PSI, which is on the low end for municipal pressure.

[Ana]

Is there a standard, I mean, somewhere on our water bill or at the water dept?  I think I may want to borrow it.  I'll let you know, thank you!

[dukesdad]

Does not say anywhere what the town pressure is. When I was wrestling with my water system at home, I called the city and asked. Someone in the water department told me that it varies but should be about 40PSI. The reason it varies is you may be at the top of a hill and I'm at the bottom, you may be close to the water tower, I may be further away. Most city water systems run 50 to 100PSI. I'm sure if the city tried to crank up our pressure, lead pipes would break all over town. The little town we used to livi in in Kentucky got a federal grant to build a new water tower, when they put it in service the whole frickin' town looked like it had automatic sprinklers. Took them a month to fix all the leaks.
I'll look for the pressure gauge.

[ms_president]

If you are still planning on remodling your bathroom and would like to go with a marble or granite vanity top, or even man made stone...I HIGHLY recommend Absolute Stonework.  They are located in Cicero.  They have excellent service and quality product.  They're website is www.absolutestonework.com

[Bru67]

I was interested in adding a full bath in my basement and would like some feedback on approx. range of how much it could cost. Currently, I have a half bath in the unfinished area of my basemant (the workshop room/utility room). I just had my plumbing replaced with copper pipes, did not realize how low my water pressure was.  I would like to get rid of my workshop room and make it a big bathroom, I know that the price depends on the quality. I'm look for mid to high range.

Depends.  A good bathroom remodel is usually in the $5-7k range but the problem is that a lot of bungalow 1/2 basement baths were done half tail so usually, you're knocking down and building walls, moving plumbing and toilets around, installing proper electrics, correcting past mistakes, etc.  Plus, is the rest of your basement already to your liking?  Once that new toilet is ready to go and gleaming in the overhead light, you're going to look around the rest of the basement and it will look a lot uglier to you than it did before, I can almost guarantee.  Then you'll be asking us how much a good basement remodel costs   

I can only recommend that you decide Exactly what you want first, get your estimates second, and then stick to your plan.  Also make sure that it fits into a grand plan for the whole basement if you even think you're going to want to redo that.  Where you start getting hurt is when you come up with all these wonderful ideas during the middle of the work.  A good plan can minimize costs and make your life less miserable.  I speak from experience on this trust me.