At Coach Specialist of Texas we don’t just fix damaged RV’s. We can also do custom remodels of the interior as well as install upgrades to the components. Our shop is equipped to repair the body work of any coach, motor home or travel trailer. But we also have a full custom capability for the interior.
We often get some questions from RV’ers about making changes to their RV interior to better fit their needs and their lifestyle. The following question is one of them and represents a question we see often so it is worth discussing.
Question: I love my motorhome, but I hate my bathroom layout. The whole thing has a poorly configured layout due to the useless sink drain pipes. My bathtub is too short, and only lets me sit in it with my chin tucked under my knees. I would like to put a larger bathtub in it.
That means the existing bath tub drain hole is on the exact opposite corner from where I would need it to be.
Oddly enough the drain for the tub is on the opposite side of the black water tank from where the grey water tank is located, so I am guessing there MUST be some kind of play to relocate that drain
My second problem is the bathtub I want to install is 27″ wide, but I only have 24″ from the sidewall of the RV to the edge of the toilet seat. I do have 4+ inches of wasted space between the other edge of the toilet and the “hallway” wall/partition, so I “could” move the toilet over. Is it possible to install an elbow in such a small space to accommodate moving the toilet over?
Are there any “hidden” considerations or modifications that I might encounter if I attempt this endeavor?
Answer:
Replacing the bathtub is not a problem and the plumbing can be moved. The only concern I have is moving the toilet is, if the black tank is located a few inches under the floor your toilet can be moved to the edge of the tank. Most toilets are connected in the center of the black tank and this would allow you to move the toilet a few inches.
Can it be done by the average handyman?
Probably not. Moving a toilet is not an easy task and may require removing the black tank and plugging the old hole and drilling a new one. Using an elbow from your toilet is always a bad idea. It doesn’t get the water flow like a household toilet does and would be getting plugged up all the time.
Anytime you are modifying the tanks of your RV, there is an opportunity for leaks or other damage. The other issue is dealing with modifying the structure of your RV. This is not always a great idea if you don’t have much experience working on RV or good carpentry skills.
RV’s can be customized like a home, but the techniques are more cabinet making than carpentry and they really require a specialist.
If you are shopping around locally for a modification such as this, choose your shop wisely. Make sure the shop you choose has time to work you in, and has the capabilities or even the experience to perform this work for you. Of course you can always take your RV to our shop for an estimate.
You are not the first to want changes like this done, and most RV’s can be modified and upgraded.
Have an RV that you love but with a feature that you don’t? Contact us using the button below to get answers to your RV modification questions.