After the wash basins had been removed from the top floor I then had to remove the copper hot and cold water pipes that fed the basins and the PVC waste pipes that took the waste water away.
The pipes were laid under the original floorboards of the house, so I had to lift a few floorboards. This was made much easier by who ever installed the plumbing as they hadn’t bothered to secure the floorboards correctly after completing the job (who ever worked on the house was a bodge job expert, nothing done to a high standard)!!
The hardest floorboard to lift was wedged between two skirting boards, I didn’t want to remove skirting boards just to lift one floorboard (we might replace the skirtings, but that’s another story) so a little brute force was needed to get access.
I’ve not done anything like this before, so I didn’t know what to expect or exactly how I should do this well. I realised all the pipes are horizontal to the floor, so there must be water still left in them. Which would mean as I cut the pipes water would leak into the ceilings below!! I solved the water problem with the humble black bin bag 
I opend up a bin bag, slid it under the pipe to be cut so when water leaked from the cut pipes it would be caught inside the water tight bin bag.
As I cut a pipe I’d hope that not too much water would pour into the bag as pulling a thin plastic bin bag from a relatively small hole surrounded by wooden splinters and freshly cut copper piping could easily result in a burst bag. I’m happy to report not one bag split and from the three rooms I removed around two buckets of water from the hot and cold copper pipes and the PVC waste pipes (the latter being very smelly stagnant water!).
Interestingly the hardest part of the job was pulling the waste pipes joints apart, even though they are just pushed together some of them just didn’t want to seperate. I ended up hitting one of them apart with a hammer!
This just left capping the hot and cold water pipes that came from the bathroom. I used the new plastic caps that require no real plumbing and they seem to be working OK. They aren’t very tight though, so in two minds to go and buy some copper caps and solder them shut.
That mean all the plumbing from the top floor that we didn’t want is gone now. Next is the next floor down with practically identical plumbing setup.
5 responses to Removing the plumbing from the top floor
I’ve ran into a very similar problem with the plumbing in a house I bought in Feb 2006. I though the problems upstairs were bad but it just got worse!
I have a tenant renting the basement and just 3 months after she moved in the toilate and shower started backing up. There was a terrible smell which is when she realized it it was actually feces and sewage coming up through the plumbing! I called in workers and 10 Grand later There are still issues. She noticed when it rains the main drain in the laundry room has a foul smell which makes the entire basement smell. Shes stuck it out but will be leaving this September due to the odd smells which I completely understand. I am never home so do not notice it, Im actually surprised she stayed this long but think its difficult for a single female to come up with the first and last along with moving costs. I will have more work done once she is gone cause I know I cannot rent to another tenant with things the way they are.
Removing the plumbing from the top floor
Whenever completing complex work, I always recommend using the services of a qualified tradesperson. Even if you want to complete most of the work yourself they may be able to recommend a few trusty shortcuts you never may have considered. As a Qualified Brisbane Plumber I believe it’s never too late.
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Yikes. Sounds like a nasty/dirty job… literally. Best thing in my opinion is to call in a professional. You never know what kind of issues your pipes and plumbing will bring.
I agree with Amanda, get a professional to help, but first! do some more research on the issue. You might find your choice in professionals is totally wrong.
~Kelly
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