I'm loving doing a reno to the PPOR

[Tizzy]

I'm having terracotta floor tiles removed throughout the house (no, can't do it ourselves it's too hard). So, in the kitchen there will be an island bench. There's no power or water to the island so it was just going to be a food prep table and place to eat a quick breakfast.
However, I was wondering if its possible to cut the cement floor slab to plumb in a new drain outlet, water and power for an island bench kitchen sink? Or is that just out of the question? The slab will be exposed anyway and the house empty, so if it creates a bit more dust so be it.

Is there a plumber on SS who can tell me if this would be feasible?

 

[Glenn]

Hi Tizzy,

I am not a plumber...but my first thought was that a project home slab is at best 100mm thick and most importantly, it is a structural member that transfers building loads from the internal (loadbearing) leaf of the wall to the footings....depending on where the cut is made, the cut could have an impact on how these loads are transferred.

Another consideration would be that the reinforcement in the slab may be exposed by the cutting....and how would you provide the necessary cover to prevent moisture penetration and subsequent corrossion of the reinforcement & concrete cancer?

A structural engineer, NOT a plumber would be my preference for the professional that I would be seeking assistance from.

Good luck

Glenn

 

[Celeste]

Hi Tizzy

Yes you can cut the slab to accomodate new water and waste.

I have had it done in a reno for a friend. We converted one end of the bedroom into an ensuite, added a vanity, shower and toilet. All is fine.

trenchs were cut in the slab for a vanity waste / shower waste and the tiolet, the walls (double brick) were cut into for the waste pipes and the new water pipes and then extended out of the wall to the extra main pipe work added down the side of the house. They re-cemented them in.

The Plumber had a machine that cuts and sucks up the dust, so minimium mess.

He did not say anything about the slab being compromised.



I did not have the same luck regarding adding a waste to the slab of my latest apartment reno as it is on the top floor. Therefor it is the apartment belows ceiling. ....

 

[Tizzy]

Thanks both of you for your views on this.

I'll get some professional Engineering advice then. I need to emply an Engineer anyway to check out a crack in our 4 metre limestone retaining wall on the boundary.

I'm a bit excited though that it could be possible. It's a fair distance from the nearest wall and I'm hoping once the pipes are in place and it all gets cemented back together again it will be okay. (Fingers crossed for me

 

[artemis]

how much are you paying to get your tiles removed?

please post pics of renos!

 

[evand]

I have done it before with no problem but not with an kitchen island bench. We did a desk in the middle of the floor of an office and the owner wanted power, network and phone to it.

My guys pulled up the carpet, cut a groove to the wall in the slab (took off the skirting), kangoed it out, laid conduits and re cemented and re-laid and stretched the carpet once it dried, no problem.

If you're talking H/W cold water + drainage, its a bigger cut (maybe 50 wide x 75 deep or 75 wide x 50 deep). Shouldnt be a problem, a plumber on here might help more than i can. I'm not sure you need an engineer tho, but if you have one there wont hurt to ask him.

I'm having terracotta floor tiles removed throughout the house (no, can't do it ourselves it's too hard). So, in the kitchen there will be an island bench. There's no power or water to the island so it was just going to be a food prep table and place to eat a quick breakfast.
However, I was wondering if its possible to cut the cement floor slab to plumb in a new drain outlet, water and power for an island bench kitchen sink? Or is that just out of the question? The slab will be exposed anyway and the house empty, so if it creates a bit more dust so be it.

Is there a plumber on SS who can tell me if this would be feasible?

 

[depreciator]

Yep, drainage is the problem i.e. getting a 50mm waste pipe with a fall from the bench.
I'm assuming you have no access under the slab?
I had a similar problem with my PPOR DIY kitchen. I wanted to put in an island (or penninsula rather) bench and I had a slab on ground to contend with. And I'd say it's a pretty lousy slab, so I didn't want to go cutting channels in it.
So what I did was raise the floor behind the bench. It's about 100mm high. It makes me feel taller when I'm standing on it and talking to people on the other side.
Here are the pics. Now, no unkind comments about the green bench from anyone please.

Scott

 

[artemis]

that kitchen looks good!
is that 2pac?

 

[depreciator]

Nope. Just green laminate.
The white cupboard doors are melamine - cheap. I figured with little kids they would get damaged anyway, so in 5 years or so I'll get better doors and change a few things. Might even finish sheeting the ceiling.
Scott

 

[Tools]

It can be done, but it is much more than a little cut. It would be a cut at least 300 wide, and deep enough to get the required fall on the pipe,and then be able to replace the full thickness of the slab after dowelling each side and replacing the mesh.

Tools

 

[Tizzy]

Unfortunately I can't get away with a raised platform. I will get an Engineer to assess the situation because there are a couple of pillars that we may look at removing so they can look at the feasibility of that at the same time.

The simple kitchen makeover is now involving a fair degree of demolition.

I've had a second quote to remove the terracotta tiles and it is much less than the first. $3000 compared to $5000.