I have a sewage ejector pump that was buried below the floor in the basement. It just needed to be replaced.

Question

I don't want to bury it again.  Attached is a picture of the area.  Any ideas on how to cover the hole?

FloorNerd · Answer

Well you need to re rout the PVC lines to what ever you replaced the tank or main line. Try to take the tube out then you will have to fill it with concrete. You can't just go over it you will need a hard surface regaurdless what you put over it.

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

I am surprised to see this in the bath itself. Usually you find these in closets or under stairs next to bath area. I notice by the photo that the sealed container that houses the pump system is below the floor level to allow the pipes to be placed below the slab.  I would cut the slab out to about four inches around the finished edges of the existing tiles then build a form and re-cement around the edge of the pump pit and up to create a sealed off area Then once dry construct a hatch door that can be removed and cover it with the same tile on the floor. Make it so that you can use a heavy duty suction cup to lift the hatch exposing the opening below.  Be sure to make it strong enough so it does not flex and crack the tile. And when cementing around the pit that you seal this tight so no moisture from the exposed soil can enter below the hatch and cause mold or rot decay.

FloorNerd · Answer

Woodbridge, in other words Make it a man hole cover right? I wouldn't tile over it just incase u do need get back in there clueless lynolum at best to put over.

KMS Woodworks · Answer

That tile is set on slab...any type of man hole that can take weight will raise the height of the matching tile that would cover it.

one possibility would be to have a metal plate (3/8' thick) made to fit the hole...it could be painted in a faux finish to kind of match the tile.

HandyANDY - Handyman & All Repairs, LLC · Answer

I did this on one of my own properties.  Notch 4 corners out of the slab and set a 2'x4' cut into 4' squares at each corner.  You may have to chip & cut down the portion of the old slab all the way around....in the corners for the cut-down 2'x4's and a 3/4' pressure treated piece of plywood set over it with screws.  Try to create an additional support over the tank with pressure treated 2'x4's.  Drill holes through the new panel hatch to the 4 blocks and the additional support.  Add tiles to the hatch....instead of grout, use a grout caulk....this way you can cut and remove the hatch if you need to.  It won't look perfect but better than anything else I ever came up with.  There is a risk that the tiles may crack if there is alot of foot traffic over it...as the plywood will flex...I haven't had that happen on my own....but my tank is in the laundry portion of a basement apartment so no traffic....LUCK!

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

Better put then I Handy, that is exactly what I tried to day.

HandyANDY - Handyman & All Repairs, LLC · Answer

A rare day for me Bob....but, yeah, this worked out pretty well for me.  Plus, it's in a rental that gets some abuse and wear.  I did this about 5 years ago and no issues with it since.

Cindy · Answer

I want to thank you all for all of your suggestions regarding the hole in our basement bathroom.  Once it's done, I'll take another picture to show you how it turned out...Thanks again!

FloorNerd · Answer

Good luck!

Terri J · Answer

Cindy,  my dad had a similar problem in his basement and he decided to just make a bench seat to cover the hole, then added built in book/storage shelves around it.  The bench seat had hinges on the inside to lower the side and the lid just came off.  No one ever knew what they were really sitting over.

Cindy · Answer

Terri,  that sounds like a great alternative.  I can see putting some kind of cushioned seat there which would make it easy to get to the pump if needed.

Terri J · Answer

Cindy, glad to have hopefully provided you with an easier alternative.  Also, if you don't want  to do it with built ins beside it, you could just design the seat to slide over if you ever need to access the whole again.

I have a sewage ejector pump that was buried below the floor in the basement. It just needed to be replaced.

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I have a sewage ejector pump that was buried below the floor in the basement. It just needed to be replaced.

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