To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Hot n Cold?

Do you have hot and cold running water in your detached shop/garage?

  • Yes

    Votes: 39 37.1%
  • No

    Votes: 56 53.3%
  • Never needed it

    Votes: 4 3.8%
  • Couldn't live without it

    Votes: 12 11.4%

  • Total voters
    105

Thumper68

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
5,134
Location
Duluth MN
I was talking to a friend tonight and he was surprised that I have hot and cold running water in the detached shop (a shower too).

I couldn't even think of having a shop with out at least cold running water/sink to wash hands, clean parts etc...

How many of you have Hot and cold running water in your shop?

You can choose more than one answer
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

coljar

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
6,244
Location
Belpre, Ohio
Re: Hon n Cold?

I said yes, even though the on-demand heater is setting over in the corner ready to be installed. No time right now. My water lines are in a 2 1/2' conduit running from the house.
 

Nexussian

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
639
Location
Alaska
Re: Hon n Cold?

Not currently, but I would prefer it.

I can see a shower, I would prefer to clean up in the shop if something erupts on me, rather than track it into the house.
 

rlitman

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
24,637
Location
Long Island
Re: Hon n Cold?

I don't have a regularly heated shop. Water in the tray by the grinder often freezes in the winter.

But to answer your question. Beer goes in cold. If you've got the patience to wait 20 minute or so, it's warm, but not really hot...
 

bobcatdan

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
9,948
Location
Kaukauna,WI
Re: Hon n Cold?

Water is in the plan. Was going to do it last summer and didn't, better not fall in that trap again.
 

justanengineer

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
7,722
Location
Motor City
Re: Hon n Cold?

Nope, never needed nor wanted it. Where you have a sink I'd rather have another machine and not deal with the cost/maintenance. Deep sinks in the house and/or outside spigots are always <20 seconds away so no loss.
 

58Yeoman

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
8,999
Location
Central IL
Re: Hon n Cold?

I have cold but no hot. My shop isn't always heated, so it gets pretty cold in there. I have a deep sink, and the exposed water line is heat taped (it comes out of the floor). Then I have a trouble light hanging on the curved part of the faucet with a blanket over it to keep the spigot from freezing. I hate cold weather.
 
Last edited:

MushCreek

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
9,803
Location
Upstate South Carolina
Re: Hon n Cold?

Sort of. My detached barn has a full bath, and a small (12 gallon) water heater that I just plug in as needed. I did this partially because I lived in the barn while I built my house, and because eventually, 1/3 of the barn will be finished off as a great room/ guest house. That way, overnight guests have their own place with a full bath. When I get permanent power out there, I need to put in a larger water heater, but I need to figure out how to keep it from getting funky when it isn't used for months at a time. I'll probably always drain the system in the winter, as there will be no permanent heat source in the barn.
 

Cyberbear

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,524
Location
California
Re: Hon n Cold?

I have a 2800 sq/ft shop with a water line from my deep well system providing water to my wash room with a commercial deep cast iron sink and a flushing toilet. My water line provides four hose bibs, sink, toilet, ice maker and feeds my electric water heater. It's a sweet set-up and only required a single water line. I ran PVC underground and use galvanized and copper above ground to prevent physical damage from weather and accidents from idiot hired help.
 

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
51,060
Location
Northern Central Ohio
I have cold water but not hot yet. It's still in the plans and I wanted to put a shower in the garage also.

Just having a toilet in the garage made it worth the cost and time to remodel the small bathroom. No need to walk back to the house when it's **** *** cold or pouring rain. The cold doesn't really bother me but chances are there will be snow and don't want to track that into the house.


BTW, I fixed the thread title too, I didn't think you wanted Hon n Cold.
 
Last edited:

matt_i

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
10,737
Location
SE Michigan
I had it, a sink. I rarely used it, it froze once on me on the hot side and I walked into the shop to a steam bath with everything cold dripping water. Very bad. So I shut it off, capped and drained the lines. Took down the large sink enclosure (with tiny bar-sized sink) and put in a parts washer. So much more utility in the parts washer for me.

Why is the waterline(s) even subject to freezing. The previous owners were planning on expanding their bathroom by enclosing a formerly free airspace between the house and shop building, all unheated at present with no opening into the house other than the penetration to the basement for piping. The plumbing is all there as part of that, but never was finished. So, its possibly available for future but I doubt it will be a part of my plans. Don't want to be forced to heat the shop all winter.
 

DBendr

Banned
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
377
I have cold water but not hot yet. It's still in the plans and I wanted to put a shower in the garage also.

Just having a toilet in the garage made it worth the cost and time to remodel the small bathroom. No need to walk back to the house when it's **** *** cold or pouring rain. The cold doesn't really bother me but chances are there will be snow and don't want to track that into the house.


BTW, I fixed the thread title too, I didn't think you wanted Hon n Cold.
 
OP
T

Thumper68

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
5,134
Location
Duluth MN
I have cold water but not hot yet. It's still in the plans and I wanted to put a shower in the garage also.

Just having a toilet in the garage made it worth the cost and time to remodel the small bathroom. No need to walk back to the house when it's **** *** cold or pouring rain. The cold doesn't really bother me but chances are there will be snow and don't want to track that into the house.


BTW, I fixed the thread title too, I didn't think you wanted Hon n Cold.

Thanks I was going to PM you, but you beat me to it.
 

Leaflessshadetree

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Messages
7,171
Location
Don't ask.
No selection for "not yet". My older shed had running water (just 1 spigot). Unfortunately that line developed a leak and I haven't fixed it so it is normally shut off at the house.
The new shed I am planning on having water and will most likely have a point of use heater on the sink or maybe a small water heater.
 

Gerald O

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
1,884
Location
NC
I've got hot and cold water to the new garage shop but it's technically attached. There's a small 9'x4' enclosed 'mudroom' connecting it to the house for zoning reasons.

It's got a bathroom upstairs with sink, toilet, and shower. Downstairs in the shop it will be getting a utility sink.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

larry_g

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
16,891
Location
oregon
Living on the farm the house was designed with a 'Dirty' entrance where we can come in, dump off boots and barn clothes. It is connected directly to a bathroom so no need in the shop. I do have a wash station outside that is usable and also there to wash vegetables fresh from the garden.

lg
no neat sig line
 

greasyfingers01

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2015
Messages
143
I've got a 5'x6' half bath in the shop I just moved into. The water heater looks like it's 40 years old. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. The shop is only 32'x45', so it eats up a bit of space. If I need to take a leak I just go out back to the wood line, otherwise the house is only 75' away. However when I just want to hide out, especially when there are out of town "guests" over, it would be nice to have a toilet and a shower. I'll definitely have a utility sink but not sure what to do for hot water. Electric tank, tank-less, or gas because it's cheaper to run. I have NG in the shop.

4ea7d90569667da7d093f6a2845eab44.jpg
 

zmotorsports

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
21,438
Location
Northern Utah
No bathroom but I did run water underground from my house back to my shop in 1995 when I was building my shop. At the time, I thought it was a must have because I figured I would wash my vehicles in my shop and in my paint shop at my parents house I had water plumbed in after the shop was built for wet sanding cars and wetting the floor down prior to spraying.

I have never turned on the water from the house to the shop in the now 20+ years I have been working in my shop. I don't want the mess of washing my vehicles in the shop and I do not paint or wet sand vehicles any longer so no real need. When I wash vehicles in the winter time, I use a local car wash and then drive home pull it in the heated shop and chamois/dry them.

Don't miss having water one bit.

Mike.
 

maxpower_hd

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
2,230
Location
Massachusetts
I don't have a sink but I have a cold water spigot with a bucket hanging off of it. It works fine for washing hands and having water for cleaning something. I haven't really needed a shower so hot water isn't a big deal. But if I had unlimited space a shower, toilet and sing would be nice so I wouldn't have to trek into the house with dirty cloths, shoes, etc.

As it stands now I wouldn't have the room for it.
 

APEowner

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
4,166
Location
Sunny, New Mexico
I don't currently have a detached shop but my old detached shop did not have running water in it.
I would have really liked to but our water table was way to high for a dry well and there was no practical way to tie into the existing septic system. The pool was in the way and if I'd gone around I couldn't have run enough slope.
 

Onewolf

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
371
Location
East Central Florida
The original plan started with just a cold water sink, but then we added toilet, and then hot water for the sink and finally we said what the heck, let's add a shower to make it a full bath. The hot water is provided by an 80Amp 240v on-demand heater (which necessitated going to a 200AMP service).

IMG_2936.JPG
 

Piddle

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2016
Messages
11
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
Have a frost free cold water spigot with line pressure right in front of garage with a hot water spigot on the outside of the home 50 yards away. Guess that gets me by. The hot water on the outside of the house earns it's badges in the winter from thawing horse water buckets to washing the car and the needs of the garage without going inside and PO-ing the wife with my shoes...
 

4 FN 27

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 19, 2015
Messages
4,635
Location
Minnesnowta
3/4 Bath for me with Hot & Cold. All hose bibs inside are Soft Water and all outside Hard Water. Had to install the kitchen sink too...

Found over the years when I had a shop with a shower my buddies who found themselves put out of the house for a night or two ended up at my shop sleeping in my RV or Semi and a day or two turned into weeks...so the new shop has no shower and no overnighters.

IMG_4080.jpg


IMG_4081.jpg
 

sberry

Banned
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
35,747
Location
Brethren, Michigan
I built a long time ago before the adfvent of the box stores and had trouble scoring a water heater but now they are not much more than 100$ and really cute. A 6 gallon small electric would be ideal for many of these, I am not that big a fan of instant although they would be better on gas so it didn't sock an 80A load on to rinse hands.
There are a lot of uses for hot water, I would be absolutely lost without it. I have 1 real bathroom/laundry on the first floor with a whizzer and another utility sink in mechanic section which keeps so much traffic out of the bathroom.
5 sinks, 2 water heaters, 2 utility sinks on shop floor.
 

Attachments

  • sink P.JPG
    sink P.JPG
    34.5 KB · Views: 14
  • sink.JPG
    sink.JPG
    36.1 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:

Steevo

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
8,738
Location
43.49600, -112.04300
I have hot and cold running water in the (heated) shop, with a deep utility sink in the shop, and a vanity sink in the bathroom. I have a 26 gallon water heater installed in the bathroom. I use the utility sink every day that I am in the shop. The work I do often leads to dirty hands, and I wash them multiple times a day. I can't imagine living without the convenience of hot/cold water and a restroom in the shop. I have spoiled myself, and wouldn't want to have to walk to the house, take off my shoes, and go inside just to use the toilet, or having to go without washing my hands all day.

I plumbed for a corner shower in the restroom, but never installed one (yet), but that would be nice on occasion also.

i-fRf27jJ-L.jpg

i-vgHrrfk-L.jpg
 
Last edited:

sberry

Banned
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
35,747
Location
Brethren, Michigan
Ok, some more current pics. The layout here is almost perfect. The office is not in a ******** in the back but one enters the shop, can walk to sink if needed or turn in to my office.
 

Attachments

  • front office.jpg
    front office.jpg
    145.7 KB · Views: 22
  • front office e.jpg
    front office e.jpg
    144.7 KB · Views: 20
  • front office clip.jpg
    front office clip.jpg
    144.7 KB · Views: 20

sberry

Banned
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
35,747
Location
Brethren, Michigan
Stevo, nice set up and we look at this about the same. My sink is used a dozen times a day or more and I do have a shower upstairs but I lived in the place at one time and I really wouldn't need it, its not a priority like the hot and the utility sink.
 

BoostAddiction

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
885
Location
Western North Carolina
I'm a little surprised to see all the folks with freezing problems. My attached garage never gets below 40, even in very cold temps. That's mostly because it is insulated, though I'm sure that sharing a wall with the house doesn't hurt any.

To the OP's point, I have a sink with hot and cold, as well as a hose reel that can have hot and cold. Washing cars in the winter with warm water is a luxury!
 

Gerald O

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
1,884
Location
NC
The new bathroom in the loft over the shop nearing completion. I still have to put up the shower enclosure and bathroom door, but now I can take care of 'important business'.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • bath_02.jpg
    bath_02.jpg
    86 KB · Views: 44

dirttracker18

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
3,191
Location
Slate River, ON
Currently have cold water and a DWH for my in-floor heat which I can use for hot when needed. The system is piped to my incoming cold water so when I need hot I open the valve to my floor system and it stays pressurized and full.

I do have plans to add a washroom, connected to my house septic, but that may or may not happen. More likely a shower will be added to my floor drain system but no toilet.
 

jgorm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
463
Location
San Diego
I do and it's great! I have a 60a instant hot water heater so there is no cost when i'm not using it. Washing your hands with warm water is great when it's 40F out. I have a shower in there too.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom