In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Pete Verdon d wrote:

As I get closer to the date of the Great Bathroom Refit, I can bash
holes in things to find out what's inside without having to live with
the resulting mess for too long. I've just done exactly that with the
boxed-in soil stack:

http://pverdon.csoft.net/stuff/DSCN3581.JPG
http://pverdon.csoft.net/stuff/DSCN3582.JPG

My new layout will require the toilet waste to enter from a direction
at 90º to the current one; more or less from where the picture was
taken.
Do you think I'm likely to be able to simply swivel the branch on the
pipe, without having to break into the stack at all? Would make life a
hell of a lot easier if I could...


Provided the fittings are of the push-fit type and not solvent welded (do
they make 110mm solvent weld fittings?) you should be able to turn it
through 90 degrees without dismantling - I did something similar a few
months ago. After removing the toilet, if you push a metre (or so) of scrap
pipe into the socket, you'll get plenty of leverage. You will, however, have
to make sure that the whole stack doesn't rotate - which could damage other
connections or cause a leak where it passes through the roof. I held my
stack with a strap (not chain) wrench, intended for undoing car oil filters.
It's a lot easier if you have one or two helpers.


Finally, when I bashed the hole in the side of the boxed in pipe, I
found it stuffed with fibreglass loft insulation. It doesn't serve any
immediately obvious purpose; is this normal and should I be aiming to
replace it when I rebuild?

It's there for sound insulation - so that the whole household doesn't hear
your turds being flushed away. Put it back!
--
Cheers,
Roger
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