I have a bathroom which is slightly shorter than the length of the bath
(bath is 170cm room is 165cm) The previous owner has got a bath in
there by chisling out a hole in the breeze block wall which is about
70cm wide and 5cm high to get the bath in. If I feel under the bath I
can put my hand right through to the inside of the outer brick wall.

Further along the wall, underneath the window there is a toilet which
has a waste pipe which goes into the breeze block wall (without going
through the external brick wall) then runs along in the middle of a gap
in the breeze block wall for about 50cm before coming out of the wall
(back into my bathroom) for about 50cm before then going out through
both walls and into the waste pipe. So basically some of the breeze
block wall is resting on a waste pipe, albeit around the pipe it has
been cemented up. I know this sounds pointless but thats what the pipe
does!

The wall is fine otherwise and seems very solid its on the upstairs
floor, built in 1966 but its a situation which is a little concerning
and I have the following questions which if anyone has any advice on
I'd much appreciate.

1. I had a homebuyers report done on the house before buying it, do
you think that this is something which should have been picked up in
the report and would I have any recourse to action against them?

2. I want to replace the bath with a smaller 160cm bath so there will
be no need to go into the wall with the bath. If I want to reinforce
the slot which has been chiseled out of the wall what should I use and
is this a good idea?

3. Is it advisable to try and move the waste pipe or is it best just to
leave it as it is?

On 19 Dec 2005 05:19:41 -0800, dp wrote:

I have a bathroom which is slightly shorter than the length of the bath

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd like to see photos. Can you
upload some to a web site?

Speaking as someone who is 6' 3" - I wouldn't buy a house with a small
bath, so you may be reducing your re-sell potential.

In fact, I'd quite like to replace my bath with a deeper one (not
longer, for similar reasons), any suggestions?
--
Nigel M

Nigel Molesworth wrote:

Speaking as someone who is 6' 3" - I wouldn't buy a house with a small
bath


What a ridiculous reason for not buying a house.


--
Grunff

Grunff wrote:
Nigel Molesworth wrote:

Speaking as someone who is 6' 3" - I wouldn't buy a house with a
small bath


What a ridiculous reason for not buying a house.

Thats what I thought, afterall only 3ft to 4ft of each of us sits in the
bath.

I think he needs a jacuzie.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

dp wrote:
I have a bathroom which is slightly shorter than the length of the bath
(bath is 170cm room is 165cm) The previous owner has got a bath in
there by chisling out a hole in the breeze block wall which is about
70cm wide and 5cm high to get the bath in. If I feel under the bath I
can put my hand right through to the inside of the outer brick wall.

Further along the wall, underneath the window there is a toilet which
has a waste pipe which goes into the breeze block wall (without going
through the external brick wall) then runs along in the middle of a gap
in the breeze block wall for about 50cm before coming out of the wall
(back into my bathroom) for about 50cm before then going out through
both walls and into the waste pipe. So basically some of the breeze
block wall is resting on a waste pipe, albeit around the pipe it has
been cemented up. I know this sounds pointless but thats what the pipe
does!

The wall is fine otherwise and seems very solid its on the upstairs
floor, built in 1966 but its a situation which is a little concerning
and I have the following questions which if anyone has any advice on
I'd much appreciate.

1. I had a homebuyers report done on the house before buying it, do
you think that this is something which should have been picked up in
the report and would I have any recourse to action against them?

2. I want to replace the bath with a smaller 160cm bath so there will
be no need to go into the wall with the bath. If I want to reinforce
the slot which has been chiseled out of the wall what should I use and
is this a good idea?

3. Is it advisable to try and move the waste pipe or is it best just to
leave it as it is?

breeze block walls are especially good at self support, due to the
depth of the blocks. If youre left with a hole after replacing your
broken bath, you can fill it with breeze block, brick, stone, or cement
mortar.


NT

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
Grunff wrote:
Nigel Molesworth wrote:

Speaking as someone who is 6' 3" - I wouldn't buy a house with a
small bath


What a ridiculous reason for not buying a house.

Perfectly reasonable to me.


Thats what I thought, afterall only 3ft to 4ft of each of us sits in the
bath.

The corner bath in a house we once lived in was too small to even sit
in properly. I will *never* buy another house with a corner bath.

MBQ

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:


breeze block walls are especially good at self support, due to the
depth of the blocks. If youre left with a hole after replacing your
broken bath, you can fill it with breeze block, brick, stone, or
cement mortar.


Agreed. As far as the waste pipe is concerned, I would chop a bit more block
out, immediately over the pipe, and support the blocks above with a
light-weight lintel (the sort which is made out of a single sheet,
corrugated in cross-section. And then put some mortar back, between the pipe
and the lintel to seal it all up. At least the pipe wouldn't be supporting
anything then. [It probably isn't now, TBH - 'cos blocks hold themselves up
quite well when you cut an aperture in an established wall].
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:45:27 +0000, Grunff wrote:

I wouldn't buy a house with a small bath

What a ridiculous reason for not buying a house.

What I really meant was: "I wouldn't buy a house that didn't appear to
have room for a standard bath".

--
Nigel M

dp wrote:
If I feel under the
bath I can put my hand right through to the inside of the outer brick
wall.


I'd just brick that up with some more blocks.

So basically some of the
breeze block wall is resting on a waste pipe, albeit around the pipe
it has been cemented up. I know this sounds pointless but thats what
the pipe does!

I wouldn't think the pipe is holding up the wall, it's probably just been
cemented to make good.

3. Is it advisable to try and move the waste pipe or is it best just
to leave it as it is?

If it's not in the way leave it. If it is, move it.

Dave

Thanks for the replys so far, very comforting.

I'm at work now but once I get home I'll upload a few photos.

I can see the big guys point but I didnt appreciate the situation when
I bought it in my naivety. However, luckily everyone is not 6 foot 3!

Oh yeah and by the way Sir Benjamin, I was at your place on Friday for
my Christmas Party - Knowslely Hall!