the house we just bought has the washer and dryer in the downstairs bathroom but they were origanally in a room in the back of the house (wich is were the wife wants them now) and i have everything pretty much figured out except the drain for the washer.

the house is a slab (no basement or crawl space) and it was built in the 50's. so there is a piece of 1 1/2" pvc sticking up about 1/4" out of the floor that was used for the drain. since its pvc i know its not origanal to the house but i wanted to make sure it was still functional. so i took a big jug and poored water in it and it filled up then slowly drained down (not to slow, just slower than i think it should).

so i ran a snake down the drain to see if there was anyhting clogging it. and i get down about 15' and its clear but then i can feel what feels like a sharp bend that i just cant get the snake to go around, doesnt feel like a clog so im thinking the drain is clear.

here's where my plumbing experience goes away. if a drain is clear but not tall enough (like say i add a few feet of pvc because im going to have to anayway) would that make it drain slower?
or should i spend some cash (that i dont have much of cause im laid off still) to have a plumber check it out?

If the drain was draining properly an 1-1/2 inch drain would not drain fast enough for a washer with just a stand pipe and trap, it would need to be connected to a laundry tray and the washing machine then would dump into that.  

That way the laundry tray will pick up the slack for the drain, that being said it sounds like your 1-1/2 inch drain is not draining properly as it is, it should drain with out backing up about as fast as you could pour water in that size opening.  

hope this helps

You will also need a trap and a vent (protects the trap from being siphoned).

Depending on the code in your area you may be able to use a Stdir vent (full name 'air admittance valve') instead of running an actual vent.

1.5 inch is no longer considered adequate for a washing machine.

You need 2 inch or a laundry sink that can hold the entire washer cycle (and even it is supposed to be 2 inch).

A smaller laundry sink may only hold one washer drum of water, and if it ever clogs you will flood the basement.

A floor drain would be a good idea.

You may need to make sure the drain you have empties into a sanitary system.

You will need to locate the manhole you main drain hooks to the system.

Run some died water down the pipe and see if it comes out in the manhole.

A small hand snake usually will not go through too many bends before it just starts to spiral around in the pipe.  I would be surprised if it actually made it out 15 ft. A stiffer cable is usually necessary to get any distance.

While in most states I've worked in, 2" was the minimum size by code, here in WI, until recently, 1 1/2" pipe, with just a standpipe, was legal. Inch and a half pipe, when fully open, and installed correctly will keep up with a washer, but as it builds up with stuff, it'll back up.

If there is room, I would go the route of a laundry tub. If (or better said: when) the drain starts to slow, you will have capacity in reserve. Also, I can't speak for everywhere, but most states wont allow an air admittance valve on a washing machine drain (with a few exceptions), because positive air pressure can be an issue.

The tougher part is only having a 1/4 in of pipe stubbed out of the floor. Make sure there isn't a trap in the floor as well.

sorry for the rambling/incoherency of my reply, it's been a     L     _______        O            _________                 N                 _________                    G                day

we just moved to this part of the country so im not familiar with how the houses were built and the codes out here. so im gonna check with the town and see if i have to pull a permit to do the new drain. there isnt a lot of room where i want to put it and i want to do it right.