Replies

1. 
   Jim_Burger | Mar 26, 1999 05:41am | #1

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   I'm converting an old garage + adjoining room to new kitchen / great room. I need to add plumbing supply lines to existing slab on grade floor. I can saw through floor and bury the lines, or build 2 x 3 subfloor to create pocket for lines and rigid insulation. Are both approaches acceptable? Any preferences, special considerations?

2. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 1999 05:41am | #2

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   You talked about supply lines but you did not mention drain lines. Drain lines need a 1/4 inch drop for each foot of run. Without knowing the details it seems to me that you will be hard pressed to run drain lines any distance under your proposed 2 x 3 sleepers which ever way you put them down. May require cutting the slab or more distance between the existing slab and the new sub floor.

   If supply lines are all you have to run consider taking them overhead. Seems like a good opportunity to play with PEX (see the discussions on this topic).

   Depending on your climate an insulated subfloor may or may not be a confort issue. Suggest you put a level on your existing garage floor. Most are put down with a slope that could drive you crazy when you trim out or make it hard to keep the peas on the plate when you are done.

   Most garages are more than 3" lower than the floor of the house but the ceilings are generally in the same plane. You should be able to build up a sufficient amount.

   One thing to remember about garage conversions. Unless you do them right they always look like converted garages. You may be able to live with it but if you ever go to sell your place the folks that come along to look will never think as much of it as you do!