Greetings, plumbing Gurus!
I have an issue that I am not able to address myself. I will be hiring a Pro, but would like your input as to what to expect ... what some possible solutions might be. I have such bad luck with contractors in the past that I am skeptical/cynical now.
The guy who remodeled our small bathroom years ago did very sloppy work. The new floor he installed is not level. The toilet rocked, so he shimmed it. OK, it lasted for several years but the toilet started to rock again. I pulled the toilet, hoping to be able to replace the shims and install a new wax ring and call it a day. Well, there was only a single shim that was a softer rubber type and it had worn out. I went to check the tightness of the the anchor screws around the perimeter of the closet flange and discover that the screw heads on one side just turned and turned ... the screws had apparently sheared. Upon further investigation, I believe that the screws may have been simply "cheaters", never actually reaching the subfloor at all and put in "pre-cut" to their useless length just to look like they were "legit". I can't say for sure, but I don't see holes in the backer board and from the caliber of the contractor's general character and other signs or workmanship, I just don't know.
Anyway,. the holes cut in the wood subfloor, wood floor, backer board and porcelain tiles are pretty sloppy and I don't know how to anchor a new Closet Flange ... or how to address the tile. The contractor used a hinged Closet Flange, the type generally used for repairs, on this project ... again, a complete remodel/rebuild (?), and the flange sat atop the tile layer, barely catching it. Please see pics.
While the subfloor is not rotten, the poorly cut holes in all the layers, especially the backer board, make the project too complicated for my limited skill set. I can't envision the best way to “build-up” the area between the sub floor and the tile ... to provide a solid stable foundation ... don’t know the best way to attack this. While Quickrete, or something similar, might be a potential workaround, the anchor screws still need a good purchase into the subfloor somehow. A better approach would likely be some more major reconstructive surgery (replacing/patching the layers) ... we do have some extra floor tiles on-hand if it comes to that, but maybe you'll have some other ideas!??
There is access to the underside in the garage below. I replaced my other toilet's closet flange by using carriage bolts with fender washers and nuts instead of screws, but that’s another story. This one I cannot handle.
I mentioned that the anchor screws on one side were all broken/sheared (or installed as shorties?), but the other side of the flange was screwed into the subfloor ... but the screws did not shoot straight down ... they were steeply angled outward, to reach the wood, due to the main hole in the floor being being so sloppy ... plus, there were not thru-holes drilled in the tiles, but rather the screws were touching the edges of the main hole in the tile. Awful workmanship!!!
Please see attached drawing, and pics and my attempt at a DWG. The blue tape was placed at the sides of the toilet before I removed the toilet.
What type of solution(s) should I expect a qualified plumber to offer?
Thanks, so much.
Scott - Connecticut
I have an issue that I am not able to address myself. I will be hiring a Pro, but would like your input as to what to expect ... what some possible solutions might be. I have such bad luck with contractors in the past that I am skeptical/cynical now.
The guy who remodeled our small bathroom years ago did very sloppy work. The new floor he installed is not level. The toilet rocked, so he shimmed it. OK, it lasted for several years but the toilet started to rock again. I pulled the toilet, hoping to be able to replace the shims and install a new wax ring and call it a day. Well, there was only a single shim that was a softer rubber type and it had worn out. I went to check the tightness of the the anchor screws around the perimeter of the closet flange and discover that the screw heads on one side just turned and turned ... the screws had apparently sheared. Upon further investigation, I believe that the screws may have been simply "cheaters", never actually reaching the subfloor at all and put in "pre-cut" to their useless length just to look like they were "legit". I can't say for sure, but I don't see holes in the backer board and from the caliber of the contractor's general character and other signs or workmanship, I just don't know.
Anyway,. the holes cut in the wood subfloor, wood floor, backer board and porcelain tiles are pretty sloppy and I don't know how to anchor a new Closet Flange ... or how to address the tile. The contractor used a hinged Closet Flange, the type generally used for repairs, on this project ... again, a complete remodel/rebuild (?), and the flange sat atop the tile layer, barely catching it. Please see pics.
While the subfloor is not rotten, the poorly cut holes in all the layers, especially the backer board, make the project too complicated for my limited skill set. I can't envision the best way to “build-up” the area between the sub floor and the tile ... to provide a solid stable foundation ... don’t know the best way to attack this. While Quickrete, or something similar, might be a potential workaround, the anchor screws still need a good purchase into the subfloor somehow. A better approach would likely be some more major reconstructive surgery (replacing/patching the layers) ... we do have some extra floor tiles on-hand if it comes to that, but maybe you'll have some other ideas!??
There is access to the underside in the garage below. I replaced my other toilet's closet flange by using carriage bolts with fender washers and nuts instead of screws, but that’s another story. This one I cannot handle.
I mentioned that the anchor screws on one side were all broken/sheared (or installed as shorties?), but the other side of the flange was screwed into the subfloor ... but the screws did not shoot straight down ... they were steeply angled outward, to reach the wood, due to the main hole in the floor being being so sloppy ... plus, there were not thru-holes drilled in the tiles, but rather the screws were touching the edges of the main hole in the tile. Awful workmanship!!!
Please see attached drawing, and pics and my attempt at a DWG. The blue tape was placed at the sides of the toilet before I removed the toilet.
What type of solution(s) should I expect a qualified plumber to offer?
Thanks, so much.
Scott - Connecticut
