# Adding a basement bedroom



## JoulesWinfield (Dec 19, 2006)

Hello all.
Im sure you noticed this is my first post here.
After doing some surfing I thought I would join and cause lots of greif,
I mean maybe get some help and help others.

A little background- I have done many DIY projects over the years. My parents usually bought POS homes and forced us kids to "help" with the repairs. Through the years I have had some usefull jobs for short periods as well as being a machine tool electrican for 4 years.

I have been a general helper on a framing crew, a roofer and a residential electrican. Each for short periods.
Now I am a controls engineer, have been for about 8 years.

So anyway, I am adding a bedroom in my basement. As a result I am also putting in an egress window. The part that concerns me is that on one side of the area is the washer, dryer, utility tub, sump pump, and main electrical panel and the furnace is on the other side.

The side that the furnace is on will be a full wall. The other side is the part Im not sure what to do with.

Any advice you guys can give me is much appreciated.
Im already pretty familiar with the local codes regarding the egress window, but not so much with actually installing one. And the washer dryer area is another concern.

Thanks


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## glennjanie (Dec 19, 2006)

Welcome to the Fourm Joules:
Is there a better place for the washer-dryer? Upstairs,perhaps. I'm sure your wife would love to have them in or next to the bathroom; it makes it so much handier and less steps up and down. Keep us posted, maybe even some pictures.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 20, 2006)

Well there is a better place for them. I just cant put them there yet.
We are planning on adding on above the garage at a later date which includes a new laundry room.
But for now I just need to add a bedroom, and I dont have the $50k that its gonna cost to do the master addition.


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 20, 2006)

Heres a quick layout with a coupe of dimensions.
Its just a napkin sketch at this point.






Im thinking that the washer dryer etc area I could just do like a fan fold door or a couple sets of bi fold doors.

Im just not sure if there would be any codes relating to having the sump in a bedroom or any of the other things on that side.


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## glennjanie (Dec 20, 2006)

Hello Joules:
Thanks for the floor plan; it helps to visualize the problem you have. I'm not aquainted enough with codes to know about putting the appliances in a bed room, but I look at it this way, if they are behind a folding or bifold door then they are not in the bedroom but in a closet. I see no problem with that.
We might need to consider the sump though; it should have a solid top and , in Kentucky, it would need a seperate 2" vent through the roof. Do your washer and sink discharge into the sump?
The window appears to be in a good location.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks for the replies.

The sump does have one of those plastic tops that kinda locks in place. It just has a slot from the back side for the drain.
As far as a vent goes, Ill have to check with my buddy thats a master plumber, but if I need a vent couldnt I run it through the wall? Getting to the roof from the basement would suck, I guess if I had to I could do it though.

The washer drains into the utility tub (sink) that has its own pump to lift it to the house drain pipe. The sump just dumps through a pipe to the outside.

The window in that drawing is the existing window, the egress will be a little wider, but still centered in the same place.

The room has gotten a little larger, 9x12 and it may grow a little more to put a closet to the left of the washer and dryer.


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## glennjanie (Dec 20, 2006)

When we moved here the washer drained into the laundry tub, drained to the sump and was pumped out by the sump pump. That is a redundancy of pumping so, I extended the washer drain to the house drain which the sump pump was emptying into. Now my sump pump runs only when its raining, while the washer pump was running often. Washer pumps will raise the water 10' with no problem; I was raising it 7' and didn't even use a back flow preventer.
Now the washer is on the main living level and still drains into the same pipe. A real neat little coincidence.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 20, 2006)

My laundry tub pump lifts about 7' as well.
I cant say that I have ever noticed the sump running.
I know it works, but every time I have the inclination to check its totally dry. 
I guess thats a good thing.


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 22, 2006)

Heres an updated plan.




Still need a couple of things worked out.
Heat and cold air return. Framing around Egress window.

Oh, and theres this gas pipe that sticks down about 3 inches that Im not sure what to do with.

On a side note I checked the sump again last night, there was about an inch of water in there. We have been getting a bit of rain lately. First time I have seen anything in it.


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## glennjanie (Dec 22, 2006)

Hi Joules:
If the gas line sticking down has a plug or cap on it, you can unscrew the pipe that sticks down and move the plug to the ell that probably turns the pipe down. If its a cap, just unscrew the down pipe and the ell that turns it and put the cap on the pipe after the ell. Of course, I am basing this on the gas pipe being black steel pipe, if it is a copper line everything changes. Oh! and be sure to turn the gas off at the meter before you begin.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 27, 2006)

The gas pipe is Black pipe, I would assume steel. The home was build in 1996 so it is pretty close to curent standards.

It is actually the pipe that connects to the oven/range in the kitchen up stairs. So I cant remove it.

I would like to conceal it some how but I dont want to just drop the whole ceiling to cover it as I would loose another 4" or so.


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## glennjanie (Dec 28, 2006)

OK, I had pictured a down pipe with a termination. Now I have a different picture. The pipe could be painted with glossy grey enamel and allowed to remain exposed; it wouldn't look too bad.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Dec 28, 2006)

Yea thats what I think Im gonna end up with.
Maybe later when I can get in to put up some better finish work Ill try to make up some thing a little better.
I already have a support post to box in so Ill have some inspiration going.

Thanks for all your help.


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## JoulesWinfield (Jan 10, 2007)

Update:
Had my plumber buddy stop by and take a look. Looks like I can just move the pipe with minimal effort. Just need a couple of fittings and a short length of pipe.
I can run it tight to the beam, since I will already have about 10" of space and an acess panel on that side of the beam.


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## wesley8808 (Jan 12, 2007)

Check your local code, you might be able to add a nipple along the pipe and use a flex line.  My whole house is supplied with gas through flex lines, no more black pipe.


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## JoulesWinfield (Jan 12, 2007)

That must be some kind of new flexible line.
I know that using the traditional flex lines for more than a few feet is a big no no. And I understand why.

Do you have any information about the type of pipe that was used?


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## wesley8808 (Jan 15, 2007)

I looked in my basement and I have all the gas lines run with this product.

http://www.omegaflex.com/trac/index.asp

The lines run about 20', 10', 10', and almost 60' (to a gas fire place).  My Father -In-Law is a pipefitter at an oil refinery and told me the approval is on a county by county basis.  Check with your local Building Inspector.  

I am not sure whether you can purchase the line as a home owner.  My F-I-L also mentioned you might have to be a card carrying member of a gas affiliated organization to purchase it, he will be doing my gas work as I finish the basement, so I am not worried about availability.  But you might be able to get it.


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## glennjanie (Jan 15, 2007)

Hey Joules:
Wesley has a neat looking product there, if it is sold and permitted in your area. The gas pressure in the house is regulated down to ounces of pressure, which shouldn't be any trouble for the lines to hold. Just make sure the local gas company and/or building inspector are OK with it.
Glenn


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## JoulesWinfield (Jan 16, 2007)

That is pretty cool.
I have a good friend that is a licensed master plumber Ill have him look in to weather or not I can use it. This could make moving the washer and dryer upstairs much eaiser.

Thanks Wesley.

Just a quick update, I have the window in and the room framed as well.
It took me and my brother about 4 days to get everything right with the window and the framing only took about two days. Not too bad for a couple of ametuers. Now its on to electrical, HVAC, insulation then drywall.
Hopefully a couple more weekends and Ill have it all done.

Thanks for all your help everyone.


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## wesley8808 (Jan 24, 2007)

How did the gas line work out?  I would be interested to here if you tried the flex line and liked working with the product


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## JoulesWinfield (Jan 25, 2007)

My buddy is going to come out this weekend to move the gas line.
Im thinking we are just going to stick with the black pipe that is already in there.

I did get the electrical finished up last night so thats off the list.


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