From Basement To Attic, Here’s How To Tackle Those Tricky Home Plumbing Renovations

Looking to renovate a basement, attic or other challenging room in the home only to be told by your plumber that it will be too expensive, too time-consuming or just too difficult? Saniflo®, a pump company with more than thirty years of experience providing alternative plumbing solutions to homeowners in Canada, makes possible what your plumber said was impossible.

The most challenging rooms to renovate are often also the ones that add the most value to a home. Typically, these are the kitchen and bathroom and they consistently top the list of home improvement renovations that sell homes. These two rooms can also be extremely costly to renovate, require professional assistance, time, and labour. This is partly due to the fact that plumbing often needs to be moved, updated, or added. According to HomeAdvisor.com, the cost to rough in new plumbing for an average-size home with two or three bathrooms can range anywhere from $1,500 to $15,000 or more. Keep in mind this doesn’t even include the cost of fixtures and other materials needed to complete your renovation.

The benefit of choosing a Saniflo system for your kitchen or bathroom renovation is that a plumbing rough-in is not required. Yes, you read that right. In fact, your new kitchen or bathroom plumbing doesn’t even need to be located near the main drain or soil stack. The secret is Saniflo’s innovative upflush technology, which allows for the installation of new plumbing fixtures up to 150 feet away and up to 25 feet below the sewer line. Essentially, this means homeowners can install a new toilet, sink, shower, bathtub, laundry, or any other plumbing fixture almost anywhere, from the basement to the attic, and everywhere in between. No longer are homeowners limited to locations where downhill drainage or gravity evacuates waste.

Each Saniflo system utilizes either an internal macerator, grinder or vortex impeller to reduce human waste, toilet paper, and greywater into a fine slurry, which is then discharged under pressure via a powerful pump mechanism, through small-diameter piping to the nearest waste pipe. These systems require minimal maintenance and are easy to install since they can be placed above-floor, without having to damage the existing floor or break through the concrete slab.

Here is an example:

A homeowner wants to create a new three-piece bathroom in the basement, but is worried about digging up the concrete slab to run new pipes out to the main sewer line because he knows that this can cause stress fractures, weakening the structural integrity of his home. In searching for a more cost-effective and simple solution, he discovers the Saniflo Sanicubic 1®, a grinder pump capable of handling multiple fixtures at once, and which can be installed atop the existing basement floor, no concrete cutting required. The homeowner installs the Sanicubic 1 in the furnace room, next to the location of the planned bathroom. He connects all the piping to the home’s existing plumbing system since the Sanicubic 1 will have no problem pumping the effluent vertically to the soil stack on the main floor. Now, the homeowner can easily install a shower, sink, and toilet with minimal construction, saving both time and expense.

Saniflo’s complete line of residential plumbing solutions offers homeowners the most flexible, reliable, and cost-effective means of transforming any space in the home to accommodate sanitary applications. Beyond bathroom and kitchen renovations, Saniflo is also a great option for adding bar sinks, dishwashers, laundry rooms, outdoor showers, pool house facilities, and more. All you need is access to a water supply and an electrical outlet.

The next time your plumber tells you it can’t be done, ask for Saniflo and make your renovation goals possible. Choosing a Saniflo system means homeowners can make improvements to their homes quicker, more easily, and with fewer costs.

For expert advice, or for more information on how Saniflo can transform your next plumbing project, visit Saniflo.ca or call 1 800-363-5874. Find us on Facebook @saniflocanada and follow for more DIY home improvement tips.

Top 5 Home Improvement Trends for 2020

“Home is where the heart is” goes the old saying, and lately, it is also where people are spending most of their time. Now more than ever, people are looking to improve their homes, and to find places where they can feel comfortable while keeping up with the latest technologies and trends the market offers. From smart home technology to maximizing outdoor space, we’ve compiled a list of simple renovation projects that not only have staying power but will help increase the value of your home.

Smart Home Technology
Today’s home technology is smarter than ever – clocks, appliances, thermostats, lights, windows, smoke alarms and even door locks can all be controlled from your mobile device. It sounds like science fiction, but home automation is providing homeowners with comfort, convenience, security, and financial savings. The introduction of smart home hubs and controllers allows homeowners to be digitally assisted throughout the day. By connecting appliances and other systems with automation technology, they can improve the usability of their house, making it easier to enjoy their home.

Increased Energy Efficiency

An eco-friendly household offers a trifecta of benefits. Homeowners will reduce their carbon footprint, lower energy bills and, moreover, increase the resale value of their property. This can be achieved through using a smart thermostat, installing double or triple-pane glass and ensuring homes are well insulated.

Backyard Makeovers

Homes with backyards that enable outdoor livability is becoming more valued for homeowners. Today, features such as outdoor kitchens and bathrooms are growing in popularity and are easier to attain with an upflush plumbing system like the Saniflo Sanivite. It used to be that outdoor “kitchens” consisted of merely a barbecue and possibly a patio set, but now homeowners can increase the functionality of this space by adding a sink, for a more complete outdoor kitchen. With Saniflo, it’s easier than ever to add an outdoor sink, bathroom, pool house, whirlpool, and more. 

Reinvent Your Bathroom

Bathroom renovations are perceived as expensive and not all homeowners are willing to spend thousands of dollars and endure all the headaches that come with a major renovation. An easier way to remodel the bathroom or install a new toilet, sink, and shower/bathtub is to use an “upflush” plumbing system, like Saniflo. Their range of drain pumps, macerating systems, and lift stations make reconfiguring a bathroom simpler and less costly since all the systems can be installed above the sewer line with minimal construction. 

Loft or Attic Conversions 

Converting the attic from a storage space into a livable room is becoming more popular with homeowners looking to increase the square footage of their home. If you’re looking to add another bathroom on this level, the Sanicompact macerating toilet system can be installed anywhere, and is tankless and self-venting, meaning there is no need to cut a hole in the wall for a new vent stack, drastically reducing renovation costs, while saving space because of its compact design. 

When it comes to home improvement, budget and construction time are two of the biggest factors to consider. Saniflo gives homeowners the freedom to install a new toilet, sink, shower and more wherever it’s most convenient, and for far less than a traditional plumbing renovation would cost. Perfect for when you want to add value to your home without having to spend a huge amount of money or time on a major renovation.

To learn more about Saniflo solutions for homeowners, visit saniflo.ca and follow us at Facebook.com/saniflocanada.

MODULAR HOME BENEFITS

When we think of industry evolution, we often think of technology (and the latest iPhone), or medicine (and the latest wonder drug) – but what about construction? The world is constantly finding new, smarter ways of doing things – and the same goes for building houses, with one of the greatest advancements in precision construction over the years undoubtedly being the modular home! Not schooled on the trend? Well, sit down because class is in session...

WHAT ARE MODULAR HOMES?

Conventional builds take place on-site, with a structure being erected, from foundations to fixtures, all in its final and permanent location/position. Throwing convention out the window, modular homes are built indoors in a factory-like setting and then transported to site to be assembled by a builder. The versatility and speed of the process means that modular homes can be used as long-term, temporary or permanent facilities. Modular homes, which can also be referred to as factory-built, system-built or prefab (short for prefabricated), are fully customizable, varying in style and size. While differing in many aspects from traditional builds, modular homes are value-appraised the same way as their built on-site counterparts, have the same insurance premiums and taxes, and qualify for the same home loans.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Modular homes can be more affordable than site-built homes, not only in terms of production and building costs, but also in the long term as their energy-efficiency means that monthly bills/expenses are substantially less. Homeowners can also save money through a shorter build time with some modular homes having the ability to be completed on a construction schedule almost 50% of that of a traditional build. Since most of the building process happens within a factory setting, when it might be -30C outdoors and traditional sites are shut down, pending homeowners can have peace of mind that a team of skilled labourers are still busy constructing their home with no fear of delay or materials being compromised by the elements. Modular homes are also considered a form of green building, so a perfect alternative for the environmentally conscience.

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN BUILDING A MODULAR HOME

To create a truly seamless build, modular home companies, like MOVE HOME Modules incorporate other smart technologies to complete the turnkey solution boasted by a modular build. For plumbing, innovative products like SANIFLO®’s Sanicompact®, a toilet which does not require breaking/drilling through the floor during installation, are preferred. The Sanicompact is tankless and self-venting, meaning it does not need to be connected to a vent stack. When flushed, waste and greywater are pumped up and out to a septic tank or sewer line through small-diameter piping, rather than flowing down like in a traditional plumbing system. Like all Saniflo products, the Sanicompact is installed on top of any finished floor surface, thus eliminating the need for homeowners/installers to cut through the floor to install pipes – a time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive undertaking in a modular home build.

The demands within the construction industry are the same as with all others; people want top quality innovation, and they want it now. With both time and costing on its side, it’s easy to see why modular homes are fast becoming a popular, modern approach to an age-old process – we’ve come a long way from setting up camp in caves! And to show just how far we’ve come, here are some of our favourite, creative modular home designs:

For more information about Saniflo solutions for modular homes, visit Saniflo.ca or call 1-800-363-5874 and follow Saniflo on Facebook @saniflocanada.