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I'm hoping someone can help me figure out the following. I paid my home builder to plumb a 3/4 bath in the basement. As we got close to closing they finally cleaned up the basement and gave us a tour. I could see where the toilet drain protruded through the floor and a vertical pipe with a right angle pipe on it for the vanity. What I don't see is a drain for the shower. When I asked the builder they stated the drain was under the concrete. Long story short, I closed on the house and now that I'm planning to finish the basement I'm starting to doubt they plumbed it correctly. In your experience(s) is it an acceptable practice to NOT have a drain protruding for the shower? I can post photos if needed. Thank you for any information you can provide!

[All 4 Drains [Drain In Floor

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  • So, there's no apparent drain for the shower? (Yes, a photo would help.)
    – Daniel Griscom
    Commented Mar 7, 2016 at 12:22
  • Daniel, yes, I just didn't have them yesterday. Sorry for the delay. I do stand corrected as there is a second raised drain and a drain in the floor with a cover. I'm attempting to figure out how to attach the photos so bear with me. Thanks everyone for your input!
    – Justin
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 1:59

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A roughed-in stand up shower drain should be a 2" pipe sticking up out of the concrete with a pipe cap on it about 17" or so away from the wall or proposed future wall.

Ask the builder where they put it exactly. If they can't show you then they owe you some money to fix it.

Good luck!

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  • Archon, thanks for the info and after some more investigation I did find a drain, flush with the floor. I think this might be my shower drain. I've posted two photos, as that's all I'm allowed at this point. While the drain might be there, it doesn't look very functional. That's another issue to sort out, thanks again for your opinion!
    – Justin
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 2:16
  • The last picture you posted there is a clean out not a shower drain rough in. Here is the clean out: siouxchief.com/products/drainage/commercial/cleanouts/…
    – ArchonOSX
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 6:28
  • The shower drain looks like this before it is installed. homedepot.com/p/2-in-PVC-Shower-Drain-with-Strainer-825-2PPK/…
    – ArchonOSX
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 6:30
  • The install instructions are here. See how it attaches to a 2" pipe that must be measured and Cupid off to fit the particular shower base you purchase. That is why it is left stubbed up out of the concrete. siouxchief.com/docs/default-source/technical-documents/… Yours is not there in your photos.
    – ArchonOSX
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 6:33
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Your suspicions are correct & legally all pipe ends need to be exposed & visibly capped. This can be done by the pipe protruding from the floor or by leaving a 6" wide hole in the floor around the pipe.

I'd get a plumber with a camera to inspect that plumbing & more, before you break-up any floor. The camera operator can confirm what's what & may be able to pinpoint it's location under the floor. If not then it's off to the inspector to get the guy who did it back out to do it again & right this time.

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  • Thank you Iggy for weighing in. I've posted a couple photos and I think I found a drain that's flush with the floor. If you have a moment please check them out and let me know if the design makes sense. Thanks again!
    – Justin
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 2:17
  • Well, it looks very promising. I'd expect a 1.5" or 2" plain pipe end under that cap. It has to have a trap under there, so hopefully that's in place as well. The other 2 should not have traps under them. You can tell a trap, for the most part by pouring a pitcher of colored water down the pipe. No trap equals the water rushes away & doesn't bob up & down as it drains to then just sit there when done draining.
    – Iggy
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 3:08

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