I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

On 1/20/2012 7:03 AM, Ray wrote:
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading
this for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for
educated guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of
the first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the
living quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a
bathroom at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we
could make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure
the old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted
completely shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper
is no doubt the starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out
walls, etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

Nothing today is cheap, but if pex and pvc are allowed in your area, and
there is an open chase from the basement to the 4th floor, it is
probably affordable. I'd call a couple of local plumbers and get their
opinions and rough estimates

I've heard that PEX is suited for this kind of job. Fairly flexible, cut to
length, and crimp on the connectors.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Ray" wrote in message
...
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

On Jan 20, 7:51*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
I've heard that PEX is suited for this kind of job. Fairly flexible, cut to
length, and crimp on the connectors.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

"Ray" wrote in message

...
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. *There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.


I recall seeing this same post several years ago.
The answer this time is the same. It depends on
too many variables. Is it Iowa or NYC? Are
the waste pipes OK or do they have to be replaced?
What has to be added or changed to meet code?
Best case would be that the waste system is
good to go and you just need to run new water
piping up a floor. Could be done with copper or
PEX at low cost. And it's easily accessible and
you live in Iowa.

Worst case is waste system needs major work,
doesn't meet code, isn't vented correctly, hard to
get out, involves opening walls in other folks units,
etc and you live in NYC.

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:03:25 -0500, Ray wrote:
All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure
the old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted
completely shut at this point.

They might be junk, but it's worth testing them (pressurise just using
air at first, although subsequent filling with hot water and resulting
joint expansion might throw up problems). If you can avoid having to tear
up walls and floors to replace pipe then that's a good thing!

Back in 2001 I was working at a site in New Zealand that was shut down
after WWII, and we got the plumbing there up and running with minimal
effort; the pipes were fine, but some of the valves (big old gate valves,
the main feed was something like 3" OD) needed replacement as they'd
corroded to the point that they'd no longer seal.

cheers

Jules

On 1/20/2012 6:03 AM, Ray wrote:
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading
this for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for
educated guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of
the first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the
living quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a
bathroom at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we
could make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure
the old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted
completely shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper
is no doubt the starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out
walls, etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

think PEX.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On 1/20/2012 8:45 AM, wrote:
On Jan 20, 7:51 am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
I've heard that PEX is suited for this kind of job. Fairly flexible, cut to
length, and crimp on the connectors.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

wrote in message

...
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.


I recall seeing this same post several years ago.
The answer this time is the same. It depends on
too many variables. Is it Iowa or NYC? Are
the waste pipes OK or do they have to be replaced?
What has to be added or changed to meet code?
Best case would be that the waste system is
good to go and you just need to run new water
piping up a floor. Could be done with copper or
PEX at low cost. And it's easily accessible and
you live in Iowa.

Worst case is waste system needs major work,
doesn't meet code, isn't vented correctly, hard to
get out, involves opening walls in other folks units,
etc and you live in NYC.

In other words, it is possible to be done at a reasonable cost, unless
you live in NYC

On Jan 20, 5:45*am, "
wrote:
On Jan 20, 7:51*am, "Stormin Mormon"









wrote:
I've heard that PEX is suited for this kind of job. Fairly flexible, cut to
length, and crimp on the connectors.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

"Ray" wrote in message

...
I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. *There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

I recall seeing this same post several years ago.
The answer this time is the same. *It depends on
too many variables. *Is it Iowa or NYC? *Are
the waste pipes OK or do they have to be replaced?
What has to be added or changed to meet code?
Best case would be that the waste system is
good to go and you just need to run new water
piping up a floor. *Could be done with copper or
PEX at low cost. *And it's easily accessible and
you live in Iowa.

Worst case is waste system needs major work,
doesn't meet code, isn't vented correctly, hard to
get out, involves opening walls in other folks units,
etc and you live in NYC.

Good eye....... Nov 2011

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...288f9b2fc996b1

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:13:19 -0800 (PST), DD_BobK
wrote:

On Jan 20, 5:45Â*am, "
wrote:


I recall seeing this same post several years ago.
The answer this time is the same. Â*It depends on
too many variables. Â*Is it Iowa or NYC? Â*Are
the waste pipes OK or do they have to be replaced?
What has to be added or changed to meet code?
Best case would be that the waste system is
good to go and you just need to run new water
piping up a floor. Â*Could be done with copper or
PEX at low cost. Â*And it's easily accessible and
you live in Iowa.

Worst case is waste system needs major work,
doesn't meet code, isn't vented correctly, hard to
get out, involves opening walls in other folks units,
etc and you live in NYC.

Good eye....... Nov 2011

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...288f9b2fc996b1

I remember seeing it too.
But I knew it wasn't several years ago.
Because I don't remember anything from several years ago.
Just as before, not enough info to make it worth thinking about.

--Vic

On Jan 21, 5:17*pm, wrote:
On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:30:02 -0800, "Bill"
wrote:

"Ray" wrote in message
I'm sure the old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're
rusted completely shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes
with copper is no doubt the starting point.

Old pipes last a LONG time. I would bet they are good as new. No need
for replacing, just flush them.

I'd tend to agree. *They were capped off, but likely still are under
pressure, unless there is a shutoff. *If they have been shut off,
carefully watch them while a friend opens the valve. *Have your
cellphones or pair of walkie-talkies on hand if you are on different
floors. *Tuen on the valve just a little and watch for problems. *If all
is fine, remove caps and flush out the pipes. *Then start hooking up
fixtures. *If there are any other valves in these old pipes, even
shutoff valves under sinks, replace the washers or the valves. This
should not be costly at all if the pipes are still functional, and
likely are.

The drain pipes may clog if they have not been used in years. *Crud
dried and will pack together when water is first dumped down. *Have a
plbg snake handy. *If the walls are open, replace the drain pipes with
PVC as far down as possible. *They likely connect to plumbing on the 3rd
floor.

If you need to replace water pipes, I'd stick with the copper. *PEX has
been suggested, and some people swear by it. *Myself, I swear AT it.
It's cheap, but you get what you pay for. *Pex was designed for trailer
homes and temporary plumbing or vacation cabins. *When *real* pipes
leak, they generally just develop a pinhole. When pex fails, you'll have
a river of water pouring between the walls and flooding all 4 floors of
that house. I've seen it happen.

PEX was NOT designed for trailer homes and temporary plumbing...

If you are going to try to sound like an expert then know your stuff
man... PEX was developed for in-floor radiant tubing runs for heating
using circulated hot water through an unbroken loop...

What PEX was NOT designed for is to be used like traditional sticks
of copper piping with connections buried in the walls... It is meant
to be a "home run" topology with each point of use being fed from
a manifold...

When plumbing fails it will make a mess no matter what type of
piping or tubing it is -- the PEX will expand with the water as
it freezes, the connectors are what fail which is why none should
be used in a PEX run as the material was designed to be used
in unbroken runs with no inaccessible fittings...

~~ Evan

On Jan 21, 5:17*pm, wrote:
On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:30:02 -0800, "Bill"
wrote:

"Ray" wrote in message
I'm sure the old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're
rusted completely shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes
with copper is no doubt the starting point.

Old pipes last a LONG time. I would bet they are good as new. No need
for replacing, just flush them.

I'd tend to agree. *They were capped off, but likely still are under
pressure, unless there is a shutoff. *If they have been shut off,
carefully watch them while a friend opens the valve. *Have your
cellphones or pair of walkie-talkies on hand if you are on different
floors. *Tuen on the valve just a little and watch for problems. *If all
is fine, remove caps and flush out the pipes. *Then start hooking up
fixtures. *If there are any other valves in these old pipes, even
shutoff valves under sinks, replace the washers or the valves. This
should not be costly at all if the pipes are still functional, and
likely are.

The drain pipes may clog if they have not been used in years. *Crud
dried and will pack together when water is first dumped down. *Have a
plbg snake handy. *If the walls are open, replace the drain pipes with
PVC as far down as possible. *They likely connect to plumbing on the 3rd
floor.

If you need to replace water pipes, I'd stick with the copper. *PEX has
been suggested, and some people swear by it. *Myself, I swear AT it.
It's cheap, but you get what you pay for. *Pex was designed for trailer
homes and temporary plumbing or vacation cabins. *When *real* pipes
leak, they generally just develop a pinhole. When pex fails, you'll have
a river of water pouring between the walls and flooding all 4 floors of
that house. I've seen it happen.

I would tend to disagree with your assumption that the abandoned
piping sticking out of the walls in the bathrooms would still be
"active"
and under pressure... Especially if most of the rest of the
building's
water lines have been replaced with copper...

The OP didn't mention if each of the six units in the building has
its'
own water meter, but generally if plumbing is replaced with copper
they don't leave any of the old stuff connected to fail down the
line...
Also if each unit had its own water meter then nothing not connected
to a specific unit's meter would be left pressurized...

~~ Evan

Thanks for very thoughtful responses. This is most helpful.



"Ray" wrote in message ...

I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

On Jan 22, 11:23*am, "Ray" wrote:
Thanks for very thoughtful responses. This is most helpful.

"Ray" *wrote in ...

I realize that I'm asking a very general and ambiguous question, but I
really have no better view of my plumbing problem than someone reading this
for the first time. So let me just say, I'm only asking for educated
guesses, not precise answers.

We live in a six-unit coop apartment building, with two units on each of the
first three floors.

The top floor has six dormitory-style rooms which once served as the living
quarters of servants -- one for each unit, I'm sure. *There was a bathroom
at one end of the hall, a kitchen at the other.

In the 1950s the fourth-floor was converted to storage rooms, and the
plumbing was disconnected.

So to get to the point: I'd like to reconnect the plumbing so that we could
make these rooms habitable once more, to be used as guest rooms.

All the connections are still in place, with pipes capped off. I'm sure the
old pipes were left in place, but I'm also sure they're rusted completely
shut at this point. So replacement of the pipes with copper is no doubt the
starting point.

The bathroom that we want to reconnect is directly above the main water
supply in the basement, hot and cold.

My question is, are we looking at a fairly simple and easy project?

Or can we expect a five-figure layout which would involve tearing out walls,
etc.?

As I said, all I'm seeking is educated guesses.

i would get some estimates from plumbers.

PEX is the way too go

Is the existing line copper or galavanzed?

dont disturb old galavanized unless you want to replace all the pipe
in the building

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:44:53 -0800 (PST), bob haller
wrote:



dont disturb old galavanized unless you want to replace all the pipe
in the building

What do you mean "disturb?"
Crack open a joint that's got nothing to do with what you're doing?
Then do the same progressively through the house?
Why would you do that?
All I'll say is if you don't know how to handle 2 pipe wrenches at
once, get a real plumber.
He won't disturb anything.

--Vic