Need to replace subfloor under shower. Can I saw off the drainpipe? How to attach new one?

[MichaelJFlaps]

Total novice here...

I discovered that my shower had been leaking, so took up the linoleum to find that the chipboard subfloor was totally soaking and ruined. Removed shower unit and lino, hoping to replace subfloor myself and save some money calling someone in.

The shower drain is stopping me from pulling up the subfloor and I'm worried I'd be doing something wrong if I sawed the drain off at the base (see picture).

Can I safely saw it off and it's an easy job for a plumber to attach some more piping when putting the shower unit back?

If I can do that, it should let me do the subfloor replacement by myself (or at least get rid of the rotten old chipboard) and hopefully save a bit of money on labour.

Bonus question: the plasterboard behind the shower wall tiles looks pretty bad too (underneath the white tiles in the picture). Should I pull all that out and replace it as well?

Any help really appreciated!

Cheers,

Eddie

 

[KenGMac]

Eddie, the phrase can of worms springs to mind?

1/. Cut the plastic waste wherever once the wet chip is out of the way then plenty of room to re-connect.
2/. check the chip floor for water damage / rot spread outwith the area of the shower tray.
3/. When the chip is out of the way, check the joists for wood rot.[need replacing is rotten?]
4/ Get your shower tray, find out where the waste is situated in the tray, that way you can "aim" the waste pipe towards the outlet in the tray [Input here by the plumber]

Can you get access under the floor?? makes life easier?? a crawl space or similar?

Walls??

1/. If you can push your finger into the plasterboard, then plasterboard will need to be replaced + a re-tile [sorry about that]

Time to take the Bull by the horns

2/. Plasterboard walls out + tiles
3/. check timber studs that fix the plasterboard for rot replace studs as needed
4/. New water proof sheeting, not plasterboard, several types on the market.
5/. Fit new shower tray + drain.
6/. fix new tiles or ??? Wet Wall Panels [worth a Google]
7. fix shower screen back on --- make sure the tray will allow re-use of shower screen for sizes [both ways !!!]

Finally, this could have been an insurance claim made against your home Insurance

Hope this gives an indication of what will be needed as a minimum?

Ken

 

[MichaelJFlaps]

Hi Ken,

Thanks very much for the detailed and straightforward response - sounds like I need to pick a weekend (probably one before Xmas if I don't want to be single by then!), go to town on the room, and let a plumber put it all back together!

It's a huge help knowing the process - I wasn't sure whether I was safe to cut the drainpipe, and that was what stopped me ripping up the subfloor. I'd have avoided pulling the tiles, but I need to get rid of them and the plasterboard to check the state of the joists behind them. Just needed your sound advice to convince me I wasn't ripping the whole room apart for no reason!

Definitely going for wet wall, less chance of bad grouting leading to more heartache... maybe even a nice new shower unit so that something good can come of it all!

Really appreciate you taking the time to help, thank you.

Best,

Eddie