Shop office with bathroom?

[rustyshakelford]

About 3 years ago we built a 40x60 enclosed with 52x84 under roof. Concreted the 40x60 initially and just this week we have 4200 sq ft of Concrete poured all around the shop and a 15x20 slab poured next to the shop to be an office. We build jeeps and are appointment only, however, there’s times when we do small projects that take less than 2 hrs and it doesn’t make sense to drop it off due to our location so they usually wait.

I wasn’t planning on having a bathroom thus the 15x20 size and not including plumbing in the slab. The more I think about it, the more I’m considering adding on to the new slab maybe 7x20 for a walk in bathroom with shower and maybe some more showroom area.

Our home is on site but my wife hates me coming in filthy. Thoughts are a 250 gallon tank and leach line for how seldom this will be used.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on already adding on. Concrete truck minimum price is $400 for 4 yards. Already have all the form boards here to reuse and will also frame up a pad for our rti ramp while I’m at it

Brett

 

[carnutdallas]

No brainer. You already started talking yourself into it. Makes complete sense and a real business has to spend real money to stay viable and customer satisfaction, that improves your own environment, is a win-win. No sense going into house dirty. Separate work and home life. Won’t be cheap, but sounds like you know how to do it, so do it ;-)


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[lis2323]

No brainer. You already started talking yourself into it. Makes complete sense and a real business has to spend real money to stay viable and customer satisfaction, that improves your own environment, is a win-win. No sense going into house dirty. Separate work and home life. Won’t be cheap, but sounds like you know how to do it, so do it ;-)


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I agree. A no brainer. You’ll come across this post years from now and wonder why you even had to ask!

 

[txvwnut]

My next shop will have a three piece bathroom in it. An office with a showroom for what you do will be a plus.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Awesome guys. Just needed some other opinions. I thought it was a no brainer but after all that Concrete and requiring about 20 yards more than I was told I was second guessing it. Have no idea what the office will cost but hopefully I can do it under 5k more for everything with myself doing the work. I’ll add pics as we go along

Brett

 

[uscarry45]

Absolutely do it. Get started!

 

[gearbox]

Stick with your idea. I think it'll do you good.

 

[NUTTSGT]

A shop that big and no bathroom ? Your wife will be happy that you're not walking in her house all dirty to just take a leak.

Win Win

 

[Shadowdog500]

Do It! Might even want to put a washer and dryer and a slop sink in there for your really dirty work clothes. When I come in from the shop filthy dirty I come in through the garage and toss my clothes in the washer before I even walk in the house.

 

[James-W]

I am surprised your wife didn't suggest you do this before you started the last project.

 

[930dreamer]

Nice bathroom win win.

 

[joncrane]

Rusty

1. add a slop sink for water and washing things including a floor mop
2. add a bathroom. Much more civilized than peeing in the bushes
3. a fiberglass shower is a good investment too.

I did all three after thinking long and hard and it was a great investment in my shop. never a regret. I turn off the hot water and rarely use it, but it is there. Use an electric hotwater heater and have a flash hot water heater and can shower in 15 minutes notice..

Down side, is it is setup to be drained (pipes all slope) but I do not turn it off, just heat the place.
Jon Crane
Rochester Mich

 

[4 FN 27]

Bathroom? Yes. And throw in a Urinal for those who come up short when using the toilet.

One of the best things added in my shop.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I have a full bath in my shop. It's tiny, but oh so nice to have.

 

[ovscrider]

don't forget if you have a legal business there you may have to have ADA bath including shower. We built out an office that the town made us widen by 18" so that the shower was ada compliant even though the other 4 bathrooms in the building were ADA they were jsut toilet and sink.

 

[tarmy]

Put in the full bath and shower... and a shop wash sink for clean up.
Outside I added a boot wash off area with a galv. Steel grate over a small concrete inlet that runs out a pipe half way up so it don’t plug. Clean it out each year.

 

[samss]

Make it easy to clean. My shop bathroom has epoxy floor with a floor drain and the showerhead right above it. FRP on the walls and ceiling. Hose it all down and squeegee the floor. Like joncrane said, small tankless water heater.

 

[Simplytodd]

I put a bathroom with a shower in my shop. Also went ahead and put in a washer and dryer as well. Just last week we set a 250 gallon tank with a leech line. I can’t wait to put the toilet in as the house is a 5 minute walk from the shop and I prefer to have my coffee in the shop. Not long after the last cup there is a 5 minute walk in my future. Will be nice when it’s a 50 ft walk.

Do it I don’t think you will regret it.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Great ideas. Initial plan was to go stained concrete for the office and now I’m thinking epoxy the office and bathroom. Was already thinking about a floor drain under the shower and just to place tin on the walls for a rustic theme. It should be large enough that a simple shower curtain would be fine and have it poured with a decent slope for draining. We do 3-5 builds per month and I might have 1-2 customers a month out here besides those dropping off. We aren’t high volume. It’s on our property so I don’t think I need to worry with ada issues. We’re 20 mins from town in an unrestricted area. I have been working out the details in my head for a material list and more importantly how am I going to tie it into the existing shop.

Excited to get this going but need to get the other slab poured sooner than later so I can begin. Office was power troweled. Considering pouring the bathroom myself but thinking it needs to be power troweled too and I don’t have a clue. Will be hard to find someone willing to do a 6-7x15’ area I bet for anything reasonable

Brett

 

[FANTM58]

All for it as well, my shop is about a 100’ from the house
And I have the plumbing roughed in for a 1/2 bath.
But due to not having the shop insulated yet, I haven’t
Finished hooking up the radiant floor heat, and I do not want to freeze
The water lines, anyway it’s a huge pain to go to the house
So ,,, behind the shop is way more convenient!!
Not a good look for clients !

 

[rustyshakelford]

Update time. Had a 7x20 extension formed up and changed that to 8x20. No particular reason but a member suggested making a mini master in there and thought the extra space would be nice. So how I have no clue for the layout and seeing if anyone had ideas. Total space will be 23x20. Want a 3 piece bath and space for a queen size bed and night stands. No need for other furniture I don’t think. Also would like room for some couches in the office area for hanging out and watching tv. Bathroom will need to be on an outside wall in the area I’m pouring.

Any ideas for a layout?

Brett

 

[danfromsyr]

sometimes shyt happens and it's really nice to have a nice/decent space to deal with it..

there have been more than 1 time I've had to strip down before entering the house after a day/night in the garage.. in my case I enter in the laundry room.. and will miss that once we relocate the laundry to the 2nd floor.. I'll need to put a grab bag with clothes in the garage.

 

[danfromsyr]

Hmm the bed is an interesting thing.. if it'll be in a area possibly view able by the general customers.. and you want to keep a neat appearance I'd go with a Murphy style bed..
they can be made with a desk front face. *desk portion pivots..
food for thought.

this one is neat
https://www.closetworks.com/wallbed-office_detail-11.shtml

 

[dcg9381]

I have a similar building, 40x60 enclosed with another 900 sqft of roof/concrete.
Long term, if we put a bathroom in, it's going in 2nd floor (16' eve). I did add 3" drains at the foundation perimeter, every 20' or so.

For temp use, we have a port-o-potty outside. Also, we're in the country..

I just finished a "kitchen" - that was the priority over a bathroom..

If your main problem is coming back home to the house, I'd probably simply install an outside shower and a stainless sink inside... Doesn't sound like you really need the toilet.

Around here, both the shower and sink are technically "gray water" - and don't require septic or black water disposal. We use the water of irrigation, but do not have a garbage disposal. Long term - I'm designed to use a grinder pump to pump up the main house septic system.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Don't need night stands, just a Murphy Bed. Nothing wrong with them, I "sleep" in one every third night.

 

[dw1]

I put a bathroom (Toilet and shower) in my barn build, I have my washtub right outside the bathroom, it is a modern convenience definitely!!

 

[Bruce Amacker]

Time for alternate perspective. I had a commercial garage for 25 years with a shower, it only got used less than once a year by myself or the guys. It was removed by the current owner.

My current hobby shop also has a shower, again it only gets used once every couple of years. I think a washer/dryer would be a better use of space, or even a used dishwasher for washing parts.

A bathroom is obviously a must-have.

 

[lis2323]

I suppose everyone’s situation is different.

My shop is only half a minute away from the house. I already have 3 bathrooms there and one in the garage so I REALLY don’t need another one to clean. [emoji849]


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[CHuDWah]

My Dad had a hobby shop with a bathroom about a mile from his house - just a toilet and sink in one corner but sure was handy when nature called.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I have posted it in my other thread I think but to give some back story. We do top tier Jeep build for customers all over Texas. If it’s just a typical lift, that’s a two day job. We have folks driving 3-4 hours just for me to do 90 mins of work. We’re starting to get quite a few from Dallas and for a lift and few accessories, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to leave me the Jeep for an extended period of time. We’re 20 mins from town and the closest hotel. My wife would prefer to not have strangers (her words not mine) staying in our home.

The bathroom has become a no-brainer. Doing a toilet, 4x4 walk in shower and nice sink. Considering a washer/dryer too for my work clothes.

Just had the idea to build a loft in the office to hold the bed. I’ve slept of Murphy beds for far to long and I hate them. Love the small space they need and look but I’ve never been on a comfortable one. Foam mattresses don’t work out well in them. I could do an10’x20’ loft by lowering my office ceiling height to 8’ and would have plenty of room. I want to add the option to letting customers stay for a night or two worst case vs having to get them to a hotel. Uber doesn’t service us.

I currently have removed the 7x20’ form boards and moved them to 8x20. Also pouring more concrete for my rti ramp to be placed.

I don’t expect to use the bathroom all that often especially the shower but it’ll be nice to have for customers and any guests we have that stay the night. It’ll be an alternative guest house

Brett