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Original poster

What is this boxing in bathroom?

40 replies

PumpkinSpiceEverything · 15/08/2017 05:23

Long story short, we've had an offer accepted on a house, mortgage in place but not exchanging until the end of next month (tentatively). Gone round the house the other day to measure up the bathroom for a bath, as it only has a shower (put in for current elderly lady) and we have a young DD and another on the way, and obviously need a bath.

Anyone know what this boxing in could be? It seriously takes up room for the tub and leaves us with a short/awkward length that would be damn near impossible to fit a bath in, save getting something ridiculously priced or bespoke fitted.

TBH we're thinking this is a dealbreaker for the property and may pull out if it can't be done. I'm going to be about 8 months pregnant when we move and having work done, save having a bath installed, is an absolute no until after the new year - but we need a bath ASAP. Photo attached for better explanation.

What is this boxing in bathroom?
OP posts:
Ifailed · 15/08/2017 05:36

I'd imagine it's for some sort of plumbing. How old is the house, and is this on the ground or 1st floor? Do you have dimensions of the room from the floor plan?

engineersthumb · 15/08/2017 05:43

It probably houses the hot and cold water pipes. The only way I could see it being the soil stack/vent is if the toilet has a long branch on the outside of the house (which would be a little unusual) but it does look like it's the right size for a soil stack. Assuming the worst case would a 1400 or 1600 bath fit?
Even if it turns out not to be the soil stack it looks as though the basin will need to be moved also.

engineersthumb · 15/08/2017 05:45

Of course, if it's ground floor the branch could be buried in the floor so it is more likely to be the soil/vent.

usersos · 15/08/2017 06:04

It's to box in the pipe work

dudsville · 15/08/2017 06:09

Ask the owners.

Florence16 · 15/08/2017 06:13

Soil pipes don't usually come back inside like that. I'd say it's the hot and cold water pipes.

Word of caution, even the simplest house sales can take forever to go through...

Believeitornot · 15/08/2017 06:14

Did they used to have a bath in there? I assume therefore it would be easy to reinstall. So I wouldn't worry. Or ask!

Ifailed · 15/08/2017 06:17

A lot of guess work, but I think this is a 'bathroom' that has been moved from the ground floor to the first, and there was not enough room to install a full 4 piece suite, hence no bath and the awkward boxing in of pipe-work.

SweetieDarling11 · 15/08/2017 06:18

What's above the bathroom?! Water doesn't go up, it goes down. Do you have a tank in the loft, if it's a first floor bathroom?

As an aside, if you put a bath in that space eventually where is your sink going to go? Is there room in that bathroom for a bath, sink and toilet?

lastnightiwenttomanderley · 15/08/2017 06:23

Came on to say basically everything engineersthumb has said.

Could also be to do with the kitchen if that's below - where's the boiler? If that's downstairs then it's probably got a feed for the cold water tank going up, an outlet from it coming down and a few other bits thrown in for good measure. It may even have a flue for the boiler in it. Totally normal though.

Is it among other similar houses? Look up their old details on rightmove /zoopla to see what others have done. I'm sure you can get a bath in there, though you might have to look at slightly smaller types,

didireallysaythat · 15/08/2017 07:39

Does the soil pipe for the toilet go out or head towards it ? Sometimes the vent is internal and can be boxed in. It was in our last house.

usersos · 15/08/2017 07:43

If in doubt ask owners if they'd be ok with you going round with a plumber!

Original poster
PumpkinSpiceEverything · 15/08/2017 07:46

A new boiler was recently installed in the kitchen, below the bathroom, but on the opposite side of the wall (as opposed to directly below).

Agreed the sink will need to be moved. We measured the length at 66", wall to wall, and my husband is quite tall and likes a bath several times a week so need an 1800 bath. The house is only about 40 years old and has no previous owners other than current so doubt the bathroom was originally downstairs.

OP posts:
Original poster
PumpkinSpiceEverything · 15/08/2017 07:47

The older woman who live(d) there is being moved into a retirement property and her daughter is handling the sale. She's not been very helpful so far with info so no answers for what's in it.

OP posts:
SweetieDarling11 · 15/08/2017 07:51

Where's the sink going to go though if you have a bath there? (And the pic is taken standing in the doorway, presumably?) Confused

Also I did say water doesn't run upwards so whatever it is is coming downwards. Must be a water tank?

user1499786242 · 15/08/2017 07:52

It would be a shame to loose the house because of this! As I'm guessing you'd have to find another property and start again and then you'd have to move house with a newborn
I would get a plumber to go round to the house and they will be able to tell you if it can be done or not!

Original poster
PumpkinSpiceEverything · 15/08/2017 08:04

I give up, this sounds like far too much work. I do not want a full renovation with a newborn and we wont be able to afford an entirely new bathroom as soon as we move in anyway. I just want a bath installed, looks like we're pulling out of this house and waiting until next summer to move. Fucking British plumbing. I miss America where it's all integrated in the walls and these problems don't exist.

OP posts:
usersos · 15/08/2017 08:07

Don't give up then until you get the facts! Get a plumber round! It might not be as big a deal as you think! X

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 15/08/2017 08:08

You'd seriously pull out of a sale because of this?

sashh · 15/08/2017 08:10

I have something similar in my bathroom, in mine it is where the pipe from the toilet goes as well as hot and cold water the water pipes come out of the top. Mine's only about half the size so the top makes a shelf.

Where does the toilet waste go when you flush? Can you see the outlet from the toilet?

lastnightiwenttomanderley · 15/08/2017 08:10

OP, is the 66" with our without the boxing? That's about 1675 (presume time to tile also?) so less than your 1800 which, to be honest, is a pretty unusual length to find in a standard house these days. Does he really need to lie flat in it? (I'd hate an 1800 bath as I'd be unable to lie in it without my head going under Smile )

He may have to settle for a standard 1700 or, if it's in every other way the perfect house, a 1600.

lastnightiwenttomanderley · 15/08/2017 08:15

If you want plumbing integrated into the outside walls, buy a newer timber framed house?! Or accept that there might be the occasional box out next to a (presumably) brick and block cavity wall....

Original poster
PumpkinSpiceEverything · 15/08/2017 11:13

Yes we're pulling out of the sale. It's not the only issue but it's the biggest one. I don't want anything that needs work doing, which means not completely renovating a bathroom when I'm 9 months pregnant and have a potty training toddler.

OP posts:
5rivers7hills · 15/08/2017 12:15

I don't see what the problem is putting in a 1600 bath - that is the 'normal' length for a bath?

Is a bath a total necessity immediately? Can't you use a tub on the floor of the shower to bath the little one for a bit?

5rivers7hills · 15/08/2017 12:15

I'd be pretty pissed off with you if you were my buyer - pulling out 'because it doesn't have a bath when you KNOW that form the very first viewing!

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