Replacing cast iron soil stack

[moh.jobs]

Hi

I have just had a plumber come and quote for replacing the existing bathroom suite. We want the toilet moving about two feet to the left. The soil stack is the original 1930s cast iron one and he has advised that we will have to take it down and replace with pvc since the angle of the connector is too steep for where the new toilet will be - the pipe would come in about half way up the wall. Does this sound right or am I about to be stung for another 300 quid for no reason and it is just to make his life easier. The old pipe is original to the house and we would like to keep it if we can

M

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You can get all the bits to re-work a cast iron stack. It may not be cost effective, though, given labour costs.

[fred]

In article , [e-mail] writes

I think your caution is well founded, cast iron is difficult to re-work but not impossibly so and the opinion may be coloured by its healthy scrap value.

In the worst case there are plenty of rubber couplers available to patch a new section into old.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Why bodge it when the correct bits are available? I'd also not be happy with a rubber coupler - the stack needs firm support overall due to the weight.

[fred]

In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

So you didn't read the, "In the worst case" start to that para then?

[John]

Keep the CI if you can. It's much quieter than plastic.

John

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It also has a near indefinite life if maintained - unlike plastic. Especially true with gutters. It may not be economic to use cast iron on a new build, but many rip it out and replace with plastic only to regret it later.