How easy would it be for someone with limited plumbing skills (I've added an outside tap, and re-routed a few pipes before now) to move a toilet.... about 8 inches to one side? I feel confident about doing the water supply/over flow bits, but it's the soil pipe that worries me. Currently the soil pipe comes straight out the back of the toilet, through the wall, along a couple feet of pipe, and into the main stack. I want to reposition the toilet to one side making it closer to the stack.
What's the best way? Would I be better off getting a plumber to do this for me (against the spirit of the group I know, but would save me dealing with a pipe smelling of poo ;) ), and how much should I expect to pay for such a job?
In my opinion its best to tile under the toilet if poss..
Regarding your proposed toilet move. Moving a toilet I find one of the more difficult diy jobs. If the stack and pipework are cast iron it increases the difficulty; although you can get clamp on adaptors to connect plastic waste pipe to cast iron and they do allow some lateral movement. You need to work out if, with a new hole for the pipe, there are suitable couplers/bends to reconnect to the remaining outside sloping pipe easily. You may have to use a swiveling adaptor. The push in pan connectors also allow a few degrees of adjustment.
You don't say whether the stack is plastic or cast iron. I guess that since it's an outside one, it's more likely to be cast iron, depending on the age of the property.
At any rate, moving the pan closer to the stack involves shortening the run of pipe outside (obviously). How easy that will be to do will depend on the angle. If the pipe only has a fairly gentle slope, you may be able to get away with just pulling it out of the stack, shortening it and replacing it at a very slightly steeper angle. There is a small amount of flexibility, but not a huge amount.
You may find it worthwhile to use a piece of PVC pipe to replace the cast iron (if that's what it is) for the short run.
Otherwise if the angle is relatively steep, moving the pan by 8 inches in a two foot run will make a big difference. In this case the pipe would have to join the stack at a higher point, which obviously means more surgery. To be honest, if it comes to this, it is probably worth replacing the stack with a PVC one and redoing the connections. The materials are cheap and much easier to work with than cast iron. If you go this route, and the pipe is cast iron, there is a fair chance that the underground drains are salt-glaze earthenware. If possible, try to remove the iron pipe carefully to avoid breaking the collar of the underground pipe. However, it's not completely horrendous if you do, because there are repair couplers made of flexible rubber or plastic material which will provide a good connection into the underground pipe itself.
[I always forget some details, sorry] The house is 120 odd years old, but the bathroom is part of an extension built within the last 25 years, and so the pipework is all plastic.
The sloping pipe is about 20" (from centers), with a slope of only a few inches. Do I take it then I'm looking at drilling a new hole in the wall, and shortening the sloping pipe?
The trick is going to be getting the geometry right.
First of all, the tiling is going to raise the height of the pan by (say) half an inch, possibly a bit less depending on what you are doing. If you are tiling onto a boarded floor, and suspect any movement, it's common to put down a sheet of ply and to tile onto that, which of course will add to the height as well.
Secondly, the pan is going closer to the stack, so if you think about the angles, the pipe outside will be lower at the new position than the existing.
The first step would of course be to make a new hole or extend the existing one sideways and make good. You could hire a core drill if you like the idea of a really neat hole.
You would need to measure or simulate the new height of the pan accounting for the tiling and possible ply flooring.
I can think of several ways to realign everything.
a) Use a flexible pan connector. e.g. Screwfix 17529 You need enough depth behind the pan to accommodate one of these and IMHO they look a bit naff and amateurish.
b) Use an adjustable bend. e.g. Screwfix 50087 This would probably be the bend taking the short run of pipe outside through the wall and would be a neater looking solution assuming it works mechanically.
c) Raise the height of the stack slightly to bring the short run of pipe into correct alignment with the new hole. This could be done with a short length of soil pipe and a connector e.g. Screwfix 14551
d) Similar to (c) and neater, possibly even cheaper, replace the section of stack below the branch, raising the height.
The pipe can be cut easily with a hand saw. It will fit the sockets more easily if you debur and slightly taper the cut ends. Silicone lubricant can be used to help get the pipe past the rubber seals, or just as effectively, some washing up liquid.
This isn't the highest on my list of pleasant jobs, but is not as disgusting and pongy as you might imagine. If you thoroughly clean the pan before you start and put down some scented disinfectant or bleach before you start it will help. A plastic bag taped over the pan spigot isn't a bad idea either since there will still be water in the pan, although you could bale that out.
Given what you have, this is not a difficult DIY job and you will have learned about making big holes through walls neatly and working with PVC soil pipe. Any likely problem is easily and cheaply fixable, so this is not a high risk project.
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