Putting in a utility sink in garage

[Iamkar33m]

Hello All,

I wanted to see if there's any way I can put in a utility sink on my own, or if I should hire a plumber to do this job. There is currently no drainage or water pipes in the garage, however the corner I want to put the sink in will be adjacent to the kitchen sink (just on the other side of the wall, see picture attached). How difficult will it be to tap the H/C water pipes and (perhaps more importantly) set up adequate drainage? I'm hoping I can tap the Kitchen sink's drainage without having to cut into my slab.

Since I've joined i've gotten quite a bit of information from this community, I don't know if I could do half the things I've wanted to without your collective knowledge and support. =)

- Kareem

 

[sands35]

It's a pretty easy plumbing job. Find where the studs and the existing drain is in the wall. You will want to cut out a ~1' square drywall hole from the garage side so you can work in there. PVC can be cut by hand or a powered saw. Put in a Y to drain from the garage.

Worst case, you will need to put in a double Y to drain both the inside and outside sinks. It just depends on what it looks like inside the wall.

Depending on how it looks in there, you may need a flexible coupling to get it all back together.

Make sure the discharge from one sink doesn't back up the other. Sweep Y help with this as does staggering the drain pipe from the sinks into the main stack.

You are likely close enough to the vent pipe that you won't need to worry about venting. It is probable that the vent is on a common pipe and just goes straight up the wall.

Assuming it is all PVC, make sure you use purple primer and the right cement.

The water lines are pretty easy too. Just make sure you pressure test them before you button up the wall.

 

[C96]

Should be a simple project; once you open the wall duplicate what’s been done for the kitchen sink in the garage for your new utility sink.

 

[BJ42LX]

One of the first things I did when I bought my house was put a sink in the garage. It is awesome!

Is your garage at a lower grade than the house? If so, another option is to route the plumbing into the basement through the rim joist (that's what I did). With the kitchen sink where it is there should be opportunity to tap into the hot, cold and drain lines in the basement without too much trouble.

Issues to consider:

- how to handle the freeze in the winter - shutoff valves with drains where they are easily accessible.
- a vent for the drain depending on where you tap into the drain line. With the kitchen sink right there I don't see this as being an issue at all.

Consider adding a counter next to the sink where you can place stuff your working on/ washing. Also, you'll want some cabinets in the area to store soap, cleaners, paper towels, etc.

 

[nine4gmc]

The house my girl just bought has a 900sf shop in back with an existing utility sink in it. The P.O. put a "y" on the house exterior hose pipe faucet with individual valves to shut each off. They ran the PVC cold water underground about 50' to the shop, then through the wall to the sink. The drain is simply an elbow under the sink, extending through the wall about 2". It passed home inspection here in Louisiana, IDK what your codes are there. Definitely not suitable for a toilet or shower I would think but the sink was no issue as I pointed it out to him prior to purchasing. I plan to extend the drain pipe into the ground where we will dig a French drain tunnel to the large city drainage ditch behind the shop.

 

[readhead]

If the house was built in the last fifty years that is a fire wall. That isn't a problem but you may want to use some specific products to maintain the seperation.

 

[Iamkar33m]

Wow, lots of good advice in here. Just some more information to consider:

1) The house is 1976 construction, it is a fire rated 5/8" drywall I will be going through to tap the Kitchen sink lines. Anything specific I have to do to make sure it'll pass inspection (if necessary)?

2) The garage slab is 4" lower than the house, I might not have enough pitch on the drain pipe from the utility sink in the garage to tee (or rather Y) off the kitchen sink above the slab.

3) I do not have a basement under the house, and living in So. California I don't have to worry much about freeze conditions. Also living in So. California, I don't think we're allowed to french drain grey water (otherwise this would've been my choice).

See the picture attached for details. In the corner where the white bucket and red compressor is will be the utility sink. To the right of it will be my workbench (from the sink to the far right wall).

 

[48RON54]

Subscribed! I'm doing something similar, only have to tap into the waterlines and drain from the washer..I've been meaning to get to it. I should be able to steal some good info off your topic!

 

[theoldwizard1]

1) The house is 1976 construction, it is a fire rated 5/8" drywall I will be going through to tap the Kitchen sink lines. Anything specific I have to do to make sure it'll pass inspection (if necessary)?

Patch the drywall the best you can (after you pass the rough-in inspection) and fill any voids with fire-rate foam.

2) The garage slab is 4" lower than the house, I might not have enough pitch on the drain pipe from the utility sink in the garage to tee (or rather Y) off the kitchen sink above the slab.

Worst case, you will have install a "pump in a box" - Saniflow Sanishower

 

[Iamkar33m]

Patch the drywall the best you can (after you pass the rough-in inspection) and fill any voids with fire-rate foam.



Worst case, you will have install a "pump in a box" - Saniflow Sanishower

Precisely what I was looking for! If I can't use gravity to drain my utility sink, I may just have to use this product.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Hello All,

I wanted to see if there's any way I can put in a utility sink on my own, or if I should hire a plumber to do this job. There is currently no drainage or water pipes in the garage, however the corner I want to put the sink in will be adjacent to the kitchen sink (just on the other side of the wall, see picture attached). How difficult will it be to tap the H/C water pipes and (perhaps more importantly) set up adequate drainage? I'm hoping I can tap the Kitchen sink's drainage without having to cut into my slab.

Since I've joined i've gotten quite a bit of information from this community, I don't know if I could do half the things I've wanted to without your collective knowledge and support. =)

- Kareem

Depends on your definition of "can". If you tap the kitchen drain do it after the trap (I'm not a plumber but assume there is a trap in the kitchen plumbing). No fuss no muss.

Not saying it's going to be cheap and not saying it's going to be easy, just saying if you don't want to pay a dude it's probably not a problem. Just use the cold water line, why the hell not? Should save you some work.

 

[sberry]

I like to raise the sink anyway, you can get the elevation for the drain. It don't get much easier than this. back to back plumbing is good. One of my shop sinks is backed up to the bathroom.
Little older pic but the location is the same.

 

[Iamkar33m]

nicksnothereman, It's not that I don't want to pay someone to do it. I'd rather get my hands dirty and learn some basics since I just bought this house a couple months ago and this is my first home. I've rented apartments before this so I never got a chance to do any of my own work.

sberry, I'm going to have a higher than usual workbench since I'm tall. The sink was going to drop into the workbench, so it might already be higher than most standalone sinks.

Thanks again for all your insight folks!

- Kareem

 

[54FordPanel]

Make sure you plumb hot water out there too.

My sink is one of the best things I ever did in my shop. Doubles as a urinal too

 

[theoldwizard1]

Think about what sberry said about raising the sink, especially if you are planning on using a plastic laundry tub. I always find that the bottom of those to be about 4-8" too low for me.

Code typically requires that a sink by attached to the floor. The simple way to do that is mark and drill 4 hole in the concrete (use a masonry bit) the appropriate size for a HD (#12 screw) plastic wall anchor. Spend a couple of bucks and use stainless steel screws. To raise it up, cut some PT 2x6 into squares. Attach the fir one to the floor as I described and then stack as many as you want on top, screwing them together. Screw each legs to the top of the stack.

My laundry room floor had a lot of pitch so water would not run to the back where the drain was. A few stainless steel washer under the front legs solved that.

 

[theoldwizard1]

sberry, I'm going to have a higher than usual workbench since I'm tall. The sink was going to drop into the workbench, so it might already be higher than most standalone sinks.

f your are going to do this, make sure that you have some kind of a lid that will fit over the sink that will be flush with the rest of your work bench.

 

[Iamkar33m]

f your are going to do this, make sure that you have some kind of a lid that will fit over the sink that will be flush with the rest of your work bench.

I was planning on something similar to that too, I'd hate to have small bits fall down the drain. I was simply going to use one of those rubber stoppers for the drain, all I'd have to do is unplug it to use the sink.

- Kareem

 

[SteveCh]

2) The garage slab is 4" lower than the house, I might not have enough pitch on the drain pipe from the utility sink in the garage to tee (or rather Y) off the kitchen sink above the slab.

Go to HD or wherever and buy some version of this in the correct diameter:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U0Z3AW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Then see how far down the existing drain pipe you can install it and perhaps you do have enough room to do it. If not, yes, you are gonna have to raise the sink.

You can always return the Y if it doesn't work out.

 

[Iamkar33m]

SteveCh, that's my Plan A. Here's what I'm going to do next weekend:

Open the wall adjacent to the kitchen from the garage side and inspect the plumbing.

Plan A: Put in a "y" adapter and plumb the garage sink drain straight into the kitchen drain pipe.

Plan B: Buy that "pump in a box" and use that to tap into the kitchen sink drain pipe.

Plan C: Follow the kitchen sink drain pipe into the slab (break it open) and hire a plumber to put in a dedicated drain (and vent) line for the garage sink into the main drainage line.

- Kareem

 

[InPrimer]

I didn't see this mentioned.. I put in a kitchen faucet with a sprayer it. comes in handy

 

[theoldwizard1]

Plan C: Follow the kitchen sink drain pipe into the slab (break it open) and hire a plumber to put in a dedicated drain (and vent) line for the garage sink into the main drainage line.

You will save a lot of money busting open the concrete and patching it yourself !


Please follow up with pictures !

 

[Iamkar33m]

You will save a lot of money busting open the concrete and patching it yourself !


Please follow up with pictures !

Though I'm a bit nervous about doing it myself, I'm going to try. Anything special I need to know about breaking open a concrete slab? According to my blueprints, the garage is sitting on a 4" concrete slab.

- Kareem

P.S. I will definitely be posting pictures before, during and after.

 

[abachman]

Not sure where you are located but freezing could be an issue if you are in the northern climate, even though it is attached to the house.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Though I'm a bit nervous about doing it myself, I'm going to try. Anything special I need to know about breaking open a concrete slab?

You may ask a plumber to come out for an estimate and then, for a few bucks, get him to use a drain line "radar" so you know where the drain line goes.

Although it is extremely dusty (respirator and goggles are a must) get a diamond saw blade for your circular saw. The straight line cuts will look much better when you place your new concrete.

It will take multiple passes to get through the concrete, probably 1/2" - 1" at a pass. If you have help, a hand spray bottle with water will help keep the dust down and cool the blade some.

If you are young and strong, get a sledge and start whacking between your cut lines or rent a demolition hammer from HD.

 

[Iamkar33m]

So I took my dremel w/ router tool to the wall and peeled it open. What I found that the hot and cold water pipes are nice and accessible, but the drain pipe I'm not so sure. According to my math, the drain pipe should meet the existing sewer pipe at about 12-13" from the garage floor. The Sanitary tee for my kitchen sink is about 20" up, but there is a tee below it that is simply plugged.

So a few questions before I proceed:

1) Any idea what that plugged sanitary tee is for? Can I take it out and put one facing the garage for the sink there?

2) Should I put the taps and the drain on the wall containing the pipes now, or should I route it around the corner to the empty wall? The sink will be facing the empty wall, not the wall with the pipes.

3) How difficult is it to solder copper piping? I've never done it before, should I hire a plumber or attempt to DIY? The pipes I'm tapping are those for the kitchen sink, so my wife would murder me if I knocked out her sink. =P

Thanks for the insight.

- Kareem

P.S. I believe (if I'm reading the blueprint correctly) the two walls I have in the picture are both load bearing. So I think I need to be careful if I'm going to core out any studs to route piping.

 

[nine4gmc]

I'm no plumber but I would think that bottom tee could be replaced with one pointing towards the garage. Also, I haven't soldered in years but when I did, there was no walls, just open frame studs so everything was easily accessible. I would warn to be safe with the torch, working in enclosed walls as to not start a fire, keep a fire extinguisher handy. They do make compression and simple push-in fittings for copper too, but I think I would prefer solder in a permanent place.

 

[Gerald O]

...The Sanitary tee for my kitchen sink is about 20" up, but there is a tee below it that is simply plugged.

So a few questions before I proceed:

1) Any idea what that plugged sanitary tee is for? Can I take it out and put one facing the garage for the sink there?...

That lower tee looks like an inspection/cleanout tee. You could certainly replace that with a san-t for the utility sink, but you'll need to cut out and replace both of them to get to the straight/gluable section of pipe. Use a repair coupling to make the final splice.

2) Should I put the taps and the drain on the wall containing the pipes now, or should I route it around the corner to the empty wall? The sink will be facing the empty wall, not the wall with the pipes.

Just exiting directly out the wall where the existing pipes are will be the easiest, but you would need some fairly long supply pipes from the cutoff valves to reach the faucet. Drain is no problem going sideways.

3) How difficult is it to solder copper piping? I've never done it before, should I hire a plumber or attempt to DIY?

Very difficult if you've never done it before. If you try it yourself, read up on the proper technique and then practice on some scrap pieces until you get good enough. Don't try to do your learning on the actual plumbing.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Get a couple of bids from plumbers. They usually like this kind of a job (homeowner mad a "mess" knocking the holes in the wall and will fix it himself).

Personally, I would have the plumber "tee" the hot and cold and have it come out of the wall. Then run along the outside of the wall (with proper support) around the corner. Stops (shutoffs) should be immediately below the faucet. Make sure he comes out low enough so the the stops aren't mounted too high under the sink.

 

[Iamkar33m]

Decided to roll up my sleeves and do it myself. Here's the end result of the plumbing project. Before I close up the walls, I will be running the electrical for the sockets in the back wall then insulation.

Thanks for your support and inspiration folks!

 

[captain14]

Feels good to get something accomplished like this as a first timer? Great.

Plenty of information on here to learn from or ask for advice to work through it.

Worthwhile project and you will appreciate it every time you use it

 

[BJ42LX]

That'll work.