Bathroom - Yes or No?

[CadMan60]

This may sound like an odd question, but I’d like to hear some views on whether I should be thinking about installing a bathroom in my shop.

I have been lurking on this site for some time, formulating plans for a 34 x 24 shop build. The shop would be located at a rental property we own that is about a 5 minute drive from my house. I honestly hadn’t been thinking about a bathroom in the design until my wife brought it up and I had one of those “oh ****” moments. There isn’t a lot of room in a 34 x 24 layout to include a bathroom, plus I’m sure it adds at least $10k to the cost as there are no water or sewage lines to the site. As well, I don’t realistically think I will be spending hours at the shop, so can’t really justify the 24/7 heating that a bathroom would probably require (I live in a climate with very cold winters, so probably can’t just let the lines freeze). I wondered about a portable camping toilet ($164 cost) for those emergencies, but then thought that might be bordering on “weird and embarrassing dad” when my kids realize that I’m emptying my portable toilet at our house. Any thoughts or suggestions? Now I'm wondering if this might scuttle my build plans...

 

[38Chevy454]

Weed control for number 1 (pee outside) and take a drive for number 2.

It will cost a lot more and be much more permit hassles to install basic bathroom. You need to maximize shop space, not use a portion for bathroom.

 

[Deej]

I wish I had a bathroom in my garage. I have to poop every time I go out there

 

[Falcon67]

If there isn't a primary structure on the property (lot) that you can tap into for sewer, you may have problems getting the building permitted in the first place. Cities do not like accessory buildings on lots my themselves.

 

[JakeKohl]

A bathroom is a very nice commodity in the shop - I have one and wouldn't change a thing. You could do some sort of compromise - I've seen some guys on here just mount a urinal on the wall and plumb it outside. If you want to get fancy, you can post hole dig a hole, pour in some gravel, and plumb the urinal waste into the make-shift, mini-septic system. It doesn't solve everything, but it is a start and doesn't take up much room.


...added to which, this is small enough an installation to do without the getting the authorities involved.

 

[Architorture]

you should probably review the urinal thread on here for an exhaustive review of waste disposal options not requiring plumbing, a sense of shame or in some cases basic human dignity...

edit-

didn't realize how far back down the list this gem had fallen...

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187069

 

[CadMan60]

If there isn't a primary structure on the property (lot) that you can tap into for sewer, you may have problems getting the building permitted in the first place. Cities do not like accessory buildings on lots my themselves.

There is a house on the property (rented, so can't use the facilities), but the garage is detached and water/sewer would need to be run to the garage.

 

[Maine]

I rent a lot of portable toilets for my construction sites, they are about 115 bucks a month and they service it weekly. Might be able to get one cheaper at a monthly service intervale. Just something to consider.


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[supra90turbo]

I wish I had a bathroom in my garage. I have to poop every time I go out there

So true!

My garage has a bathroom, but it isn't heated in the winter so all water gets shut off. Every time I get there, whether I realize it or not, I gotta go.
Very aggravating in the winter time!

 

[Steevo]

I put a full bathroom in my shop when I built it. Toilet, sink, and even plumbed for a corner shower. I haven't put the shower in, but I have used the **** out of the toilet.

I won't wear my shop shoes inside the house, so to go use the ******* in the house it means washing my hands in the shop, then walking up to the house (only 50' away), through the house garage to the entry door to the house, taking off shoes (laces ), then through the house to the far end where the hall bath is. Trying not to spread dirt, grease or metal shavings as I go. Then back through the house, out into the garage, put on shoes, then back out to the shop.

I love having a bathroom in the shop. Wipe my hands on a rag, drop trou, go.
Life is good.

 

[readhead]

How about a composting toilet.

 

[Mr. Tool]

Yes of course!

I'd install one or have one built, beats having to always go back inside the house, dirty'n all.

 

[brownbagg]

run a funnel through the wall, need extra get a five gallon bucket and a garbage bag

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

One of the better improvements that I made when I built my garage. Toilet, urinal and sink (with hot water).

Jim

 

[Eagle Point]

I say YES. It never fails when you put on coveralls and get your hands dirty it's always time to go. Having a bathroom in the garage is great plus it keeps the house from getting some of the garage dirt tracked in as stated in previous post. When we went house shopping and came across the current home I had to have it. There is a 3 car attached garage plus another 2 car with a large shop area off to the side and a full bathroom with shower. It comes in very handy. If you can do it, do it.

 

[cburnscrx]

I don't have a dedicated shop building, but if I did, there's no way I wouldn't have a bathroom, and I would even include a shower.

 

[canuckian]

I'm just in the design stage of my next shop (house/shop build scheduled for early April) and it's definitely having heat and a bathroom. I doubt I'll go full bore and put in a shower but definitely a toilet and sink. The main shop will have a utility sink as well.

 

[pmilin]

Adding a bathroom is the first thing I did when I bought my place. It had a large detached garage. I was able to build a toilet room with a pocket door to minimize the size. I added a sink to the end of my work bench and an under sink hot water heater.

This not only adds convenience when working in the shop but it gets used when I am outside working on the yard etc. Having the sink is great for cleaning things that I would otherwise have to take in the house or use the outside hose.

I keep my shop at 45° in the winter so pipes don't freeze. I think it cost 2-3K to get the pipes run. I built the room and added the sink plumbing myself.

I documented it all on my 36 x 48 makeover thread (see sig. below)

 

[vwracer]

I will never build another shop without a *******!

 

[hidollartoys]

Of course you should include a bathroom. Adds value and will provide convenience that right now you can not even imagine.

 

[Norcal]

If a bathroom is not built you will regret it, if it is built you will not regret it. Insulate it well including all the piping, plus install a small heater to keep it above freezing when the shop is not in use.

 

[454ragtop]

For that size, I wouldn't want to give up the space. Plenty of trees behind my shop, No 2 is obviously a different matter. Might want to check the tax situation, bastards here said I had an apartment above the garage, never heard of an apartment without a bathroom.
Jim

 

[55bigblockcid]

I put a full bathroom in my shop when I built it. Toilet, sink, and even plumbed for a corner shower. I haven't put the shower in, but i have used the **** out of the toilet.

I won't wear my shop shoes inside the house, so to go use the ******* in the house it means washing my hands in the shop, then walking up to the house (only 50' away), through the house garage to the entry door to the house, taking off shoes (laces ), then through the house to the far end where the hall bath is. Trying not to spread dirt, grease or metal shavings as I go. Then back through the house, out into the garage, put on shoes, then back out to the shop.

I love having a bathroom in the shop. Wipe my hands on a rag, drop trou, go.
Life is good.

For what?

 

[930dreamer]

I have a bathroom in my 30x40, I keep a small heater in there during the cold months. The shop is ten miles from the house so a to-go cup of coffee is needed, I turn on the heater when I arrive and nature takes care of the rest.

 

[davidlee]

I also have a bathroom in my shop. I did a DYI "septic tank". I used a 15 gal plastic drum, drilled some holes in it, doug a hole and burried it with some gravel and about 15' of drain pipe. It is used for the toilet and the shop sink. I built it in 1994 and I have not had any problems yet.

 

[Slick111]

Per code most every where on earth you will need heat in any building with plumbing I seperatly plumbed and heat my bathroom inside my shop and YES I will never have one with out it got seen peeing behind my shop in neer darkness by a off duty female cop and you guessed it indecent exposure arrest $500 fine and court costs thankfully it was long ago before pedifile laws were a death sentence.

 

[jwith68]

You want one, believe me. Don't know what your ceiling height is, but you may have enough overhead to use it for storage, compressor, etc, so you don't really lose the floor space. 4' x 5' is plenty to have a large, deep laundry sink and toilet, make it 4' x 6' and you can have a toilet, shower and smaller sink.

Mine is 7'6" inside, with a 2x6 ceiling structure, and has a utility closet attached that holds my water heater (50 gal full size) and 60 gallon upright compressor. The whole "block' is 4'6"W x 8'6"L x 8'H, outside. It sits under my 11' main ceiling height just perfect to be a good storage platform for miscellaneous lumber, sheet goods, etc. I could have easily eliminated the utility closet and mounted a compact water heater and horizontal tank compressor above the bathroom.

That whole block is insulated, and is sitting inside an insulated building. If I had to, I could turn off the heat for the rest of the building, shut off and drain down the water line that extends to the front of the shop, and heat only the bathroom. It would take only a tiny amount of heat to keep the water lines safe. As it is, I burn a very small amount of propane keeping the whole shop at ~50° all the time, and up to ~65° when I am working out there.

You'll want water out there anyway, and I second the DIY septic idea. You really don't put a significant volume of waste water down a shop drain. Mine daylights into a pit, and it is dry most of the time.

 

[brickG-man]

Yes, yes, yes! The biggest mistake I made on my garage when I built it 26 years ago was not roughing in for a small bathroom.

 

[TerryH]

I put in the plumbing for toilet and sink when I built my shop 20 years ago. Never put one in. It would be nice to have but I'm not willing to give up the space now.

 

[timewarp]

500 feet from the house, might get by with no bathroom, but 5 minute drive you need a bathroom. Also nice for washing up, get all dirty in the shop and you can clean up before going home. Or avoid a trip home to clean up before going somewhere when you're all dirty from working in the shop.

 

[Lippyp]

My view is if you have the space then a toilet would be nice, I have a toilet in the ground floor of my house in France that we currently use for storage/workshop and it's great especially when we're outside as the main bathroom is up two flights of stairs so when the kids need the toilet it's usually a last minute job. That said we used a chemical toilet over there as our only toilet for several years before we had the spetic system installed and it wasn't a real hassle, the waste was actually just dumped in a pit I dug away from the house and covered up with a shovelful of soil after each emptying and kept covered with a bit of old fibre cement corrugated roof sheet to keep the rain out. Worked fine for two of us spending up to three weeks there. Sometimes got a little whiffy if it was really hot was the only downside.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Well, is the choice between a shop with a bathroom and with a roll of toilet paper, or a shop without a bathroom and with a roll of duct tape??

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

Absolutely yes! I put a full bathroom in me shop when I finished the interior. sink, toilet, and shower. I also put in a small electric baseboard heater to keep the space from freezing. I have used the shower some, not much but I too have used the **** out of the toilet. In fact I prefer it to the those in my house! Part of my routine in the morning while the dog are out doing their business, I'm in the shop toilet doing mine!

 

[santagary]

I'd love to have one AND a stack washer and dryer to clean those stinkin Levis and shop rags that my wife, (precious moments), SWMBO, won't allow to be washed in her elevated billion $ washer and dryer.

 

[PCO6]

My garage is attached and the powder room off of the kitchen is only seconds away so I'm covered. I told my wife that I want to decorate it in a 50's or 60's gas station restroom theme. She has no sense of humour about those kind of things however.

 

[PECVD2]

You want one, believe me. Don't know what your ceiling height is, but you may have enough overhead to use it for storage, compressor, etc, so you don't really lose the floor space. 4' x 5' is plenty to have a large, deep laundry sink and toilet, make it 4' x 6' and you can have a toilet, shower and smaller sink.

I agree. I roughed mine in, it sat there for 5 years and I finally got around to installing the fixtures. I too have a storage deck above my bathroom. This summer I plan on fabricating a wood storage center above it and installing the shower and stainless deck on the WH closet.

 

[malibu101]

I won't wear my shop shoes inside the house, so to go use the ******* in the house it means washing my hands in the shop, then walking up to the house (only 50' away), through the house garage to the entry door to the house, taking off shoes (laces ), then through the house to the far end where the hall bath is. Trying not to spread dirt, grease or metal shavings as I go. Then back through the house, out into the garage, put on shoes, then back out to the shop.

I love having a bathroom in the shop. Wipe my hands on a rag, drop trou, go.
Life is good.

I laughed at this since it reminded me of what I heard one of those Redneck comedy guys once say-
"You might be a redneck if you've ever had to wash your hands before going to the bathroom."

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

My garage is attached and the powder room off of the kitchen is only seconds away so I'm covered. I told my wife that I want to decorate it in a 50's or 60's gas station restroom theme. She has no sense of humour about those kind of things however.

So I'm guessing that she won't let you put one of these on the back of the restroom door? My wife gets a kick out of showing this one to her friends. I think that I'll keep her!

Jim

 

[Duck]

Put it in, you won't regret it.
My shop is 3oo' away from the house, down a steep slope.
Like others have posted, many is the time, once in the shop, I had to carefully make my way back up-hill to the house bathroom, hoping I didn't step on a loose rock .
Don't put one in, and you will regret it, sooner than you think.....
Duck

 

[James E]

...but I have used the **** out of the toilet.

What do you use the **** for?

I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

Seriously though, if you have the money and the space, you really need to do it. I have a full bath in my detached garage. It's been in for a year and absolutely no regrets.