It's a good idea to have an additional shower. It is not bad to cut a floor joist. You do need to have headers to transfer the support to adjoining joists. Also you can have a man made pan built where you can decide where you want the drain to be. Or you can make a ceramic tile base. Or you can shop more for different sizes.

Raising the shower would not be a good idea. You cannot have 90's in the tailpiece before the trap and get good drainage.

I would shop more first and then use headers as a second choice. You need to also plan on a vent for your shower.

You can also take a look at saniflo.com. They have a new approach to bathrooms which allows installations virtually anywhere with a non-traditional approach to drains.

I am a studying Plumbing student. I like your idea of raising the shower-not only will it solve the issue of space, but it will offer an interesting eye appeal. When you do this, be sure to get a proper slope on the pipe when installing, and use an offset if necessary to avoid any further obstructions. These simple steps will help ensure the flow of water at the proper 1/4" angle and help to reduce the possibility of back-flow. Good luck with your project!

Dear CMRUSH,

You can call a carpenter and have them head off the area where the joist is in the way. Personally this is my first choice. You can also check the market for new products which address the problem you are inquiring about, I am not sure if any of these products have been approved.

I am enclosing a graphic and code reg's from UPC, codes might be different where you live.

Uniform Plumbing Code

(1) the maximum vertical distance allowed from the drain (strainer) to the weir of the trap is 24 inches.

(2) horizontal offsets between drain and trap are not permitted. This reg is flexible as now we have ADA compliance for sinks and lavs but I don't think it will apply to a shower installation.

(3) The vent pipe opening from a soil or waste pipe, except for water closets and similar fixtures, shall not be below the weir of the trap.

(4) If you want to go forward and disregard all codes, the platform height for your new shower will more than likely be 8 to 12 inches high.

Hope this helps you some.

Sincerely,

Jim

Have you looked at using a neo-angle shower pan?

Or a shower pan which has a different drain location?

This would change the location of the drain which would solve this dilemma.

Jim