# Garage Bathrooms



## Machen

How many of you guys have bathrooms in your garages? Do you think it is a good or bad idea?

Does putting in a bathroom require a lot of work? I just want a toilet and a sink in there. No tub or shower.


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## Bushytails

I don't think I've seen many bathrooms in garages.  Keep in mind your city zoning department, depending on how fascist they tend to be, might object to such an idea and claim you're trying to let someone live there.  

It's a moderate amount of work.  If your sewage lines are above the level of the garage, it's a lot of work.  If you have a slab, it's a lot of work.  Pick up a book on basic plumbing and start reading...

--Bushytails


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## chocolaterain

how r u going to enclose the bathroom?  a couple of pieces of plywood?


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## Bushytails

"r" and "u" are not words, first.

Second, framing in a couple walls is a bit more than a couple pieces of plywood...  frame some studs, then screw on the plywood/drywall.

--Bushytails


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## KerryD.

I believe it's quite a bit of work to run sewer lines out to the garage and to install the fixtures.


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## BoBoBoyd

Bushytails said:


> "r" and "u" are not words, first.
> 
> 
> --Bushytails



But you still know what they stand for.


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## Jeff

Bushytails said:


> depending on how fascist they tend to be,
> --Bushytails





Bushytails said:


> "r" and "u" are not words, first.
> --Bushytails




hmm??  <also not a word


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## Daryl in Nanoose

In my area they allow toilets and sinks but no shower. Like Bushytails said the amount of work depends on your situation.


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## Steevo

I have a shop/garage under construction on my property in Idaho, and our local city codes had no problem with a full bath inside it.  I am putting in a 6' x 8' bath with sink, shitter, and a corner shower.
I didn't want to have to walk back to the house, take off my shoes, and walk through the house to the bathroom, then back out, put on my shoes, walk back to the shop, just to take a leak.


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## Admin

I think it only matters if you apply for a permit!


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## mustanggarage

I plan on installing a full bath with shower this summer.  when I had my garage built I had the plumbing run in the slab at the same time.  I have to have a new septic tank installed since my building is too far from my house septic system.  my needs are multiple, the first is the need for the toilet if a dump is needed.  my deck serves fine for urinating now. It has a privacy fence and faces out only to a cornfield and no prying eyes for miles.   I also want hot water for washing hands.  I currently just have a freezeproof faucet outside the back door.  finally I wanted to be able to shower myself and bathe my dogs in the garage rather than in the house.  since it was planned from the beginning of construction it is not a big issue the only big issue is coming up with the 5000 dollars I need for the septic tank.  but this summer with any luck I will be set.


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## imported_frozenstar

A sink and a toilet is good enough. I don't think it would cost you a lot of time. The only problem you will have is your pipelines. But if your pipeline is already fixed then I think it won't be a very big problem at all.


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## DarylBrands

A bathroom in your attached garage to your home often just does not make sense to me when you consider the time it takes to kick off your boots and step inside. 

If you have quite a walk to the house however, perhaps adding a small bath will be very convenient. Before you get your building permit you will need to work out the details with your local building and zoning permit officials. 

In a horse barn setting where you may house others and their animals for the day a bath may be even more beneficial such as this 12x6 Bathroom in a detached 30x60 horse garage floor plan. 
A small kitchenette on the backside of the bath is another idea you may determine you would like if the plumbing is already being installed in the garage for the bathroom.


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## DarylBrands

View Free New Bathroom Floor Plans with Layout Designs at 
http://www.homeplansforfree.com/Free-bathroom-designs/

Personally I think that keeping the bathroom in the home is often best for those with tight budgets. The site above has many designs including luxury master bath layouts which might be just a little too much for a garage - still there are half bath and small bathroom designs which would work just fine.


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## Daryl in Nanoose

I can see the advantages of a full bath if your away from the house for bathing animals but couldn't see myself using it but if you got the room and the bucks what the hell, why not.


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## mustanggarage

well my bath is nearly done now.  all the plumbing and electrical is done, I just have to finish mudding and sanding the drywall.  it is functional however.  I have already bathed the dogs a couple times.  I do not have the shower door on yet so I have not showered in it yet.  I have cleaned up, washed my hair in the sink and made myself much less smelly before going inside.  my wife appreciates it a lot.  our dogs do not come in the house so we spend a lot of time out there with them.  we watch movies I have snacks and sodas stocked and it is very convenient to have the bathroom working.  I used an electric tankless water heater so I use no energy at all when I am not actually using hot water so it should be efficient as I will likely never use that much hot water out here.


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## rustywrangler

mustanggarage said:


> well my bath is nearly done now. all the plumbing and electrical is done, I just have to finish mudding and sanding the drywall. it is functional however. I have already bathed the dogs a couple times. I do not have the shower door on yet so I have not showered in it yet. I have cleaned up, washed my hair in the sink and made myself much less smelly before going inside. my wife appreciates it a lot. our dogs do not come in the house so we spend a lot of time out there with them. we watch movies I have snacks and sodas stocked and it is very convenient to have the bathroom working. I used an electric tankless water heater so I use no energy at all when I am not actually using hot water so it should be efficient as I will likely never use that much hot water out here.


 

How big is this bathroom?????


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## mustanggarage

well the bathroom is 10 x 10, so no we do not watch movies in the bathroom or keep snacks in the bathroom mister smartypants:facepalm:

but here are some pictures from before I finished hanging the drywall.  I still have to finish mudding and taping but I think I may hire the rest of that done I am sick of it.




















the tp holder idea I got from a guy on GJ.  it is a combination tp holder and grab bar. (my dad is partially disabled) made out of 3/4 inch pipe.  powdercoated ford blue:thumbsup:


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## mustanggarage

well I bailed on the mudding and taping.  I talked to the guy who did my daughters bedroom and he came over yesterday got more done in two hours than I did all week.  should be ready for paint when I get back from vacation.  :rockin:


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## rocksparow

First you need to plan your garage ideas and there are various collections of the best design of the bathrooms which are incorporated into the floor plan. Garage bathrooms are nice convenience touch which looks best when you use gloss surfaces that gives you easy clean up.


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## mustanggarage

I have the bathroom nearly done finally.  I still need to finish the edge of the countertop, I want to enclose the sink in a cabinet to hide the plumbing.

I also want to do something with the water heater.  I want to wait and see how hot it gets when I am using it to decide how and if I can enclose it in some kind of vented cabinetry.  

I also need to tile the floor.  right now the water table is still too high I want to wait until this fall when it drys out a bit with luck before I put the floor down.  I put down some of the stuff we put in our rec room downstairs for temporary something to walk on.  I have some more I may finish out the floor with it just so it looks good for temporary or I may not.  anyway here are some progress picks.


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## havasu

Looks great...add a microwave and you got a complete home there!


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## mustanggarage

havasu said:


> Looks great...add a microwave and you got a complete home there!




the microwave is above the fridge.  :rockin:


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## havasu

OK, NOW I'm totally impressed! :thumbsup: 

Regarding your plastic sink basin in the bathroom, have you considered looking for stainless steel or cast iron? The reason for asking is when I rebuilt my garage, the only sink available without dropping mega bucks was that same sink, so that is exactly what I have. 

I'm really unhappy with it....it feels cheap, it flexes, it stains easy, it sounds like water dripping into a plastic bucket when using, the legs fall out, the screws exposed on top look tacky, etc.

Does anyone have any ideas on how or where to locate a better sink without having to cash in a CD?


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## mustanggarage

the sink is the only sink in the shop so it will need to be used for hand washing, parts washing, dog water etc.  so I wanted a deep sink like that and thats the only one I found that fit the needs at the time.  I may replace it some day, and I intend to finish it out so it looks better but we will see I may hate it some day too.  next goal is to make some form of a backsplash.  I am thinking of painted plexiglass or something.  have to think about it some more before I decide.


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## havasu

I recently went to an appliance junkyard and they had a stainless steel deep well sink, with a built in backsplash. It was very used, and they still wanted $200 for it. In retrospect, I probably should have picked it up. 

I also found that Sam's Club (on line shopping) has cheap, Chinese stainless steel sinks for about that same price, but being Chinese, they are probably made out of lead. Since I buy American, I'll just have to wait a bit myself!


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## BlueCabbie

Machen said:


> How many of you guys have bathrooms in your garages? Do you think it is a good or bad idea?
> 
> Does putting in a bathroom require a lot of work? I just want a toilet and a sink in there. No tub or shower.


I am kind of new here, but I think that it is a very good idea. I had them put the rough plumbing in when I built my Garage. Then I built a frame around it and sheet rocked it. Installed a toilet, and a cabinet with an extra large mop-sink. A very handy thing and the builder started offering it as an option on the other houses he builds.  While you are waiting to install it, wash your greasy hands in the kitchen sink a few times and your wife will like it too. 

As to zoning, if they give you grief, tell them that you may want to install a swimming pool and you want a pool bath.


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## EricO

I have one of these...http://www.incinolet.com/. I bought it off of ebay (expensive but works great) for my cottage, since I didn't have a bathroom and the old outhouse finally rotted out. Used it for 3 yrs., tore down the cottage and built my house. Now will install it back in my mancave garage. Also used all the knotty pine paneling from the interior of the cottage to make my walls and cabinets in the garage.


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## mustanggarage

I decided I needed to add these photos to the bathroom thread.


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## havasu

So where are the pics of the GOOD magazines!


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## thomask

Now thats a retreat!


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## mustanggarage

havasu said:


> So where are the pics of the GOOD magazines!



naturally I assume you mean the Quadratec catalog and JP magazine.  My son keeps those in the house in the downstairs library I mean bathroom.


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## havasu

mustanggarage said:


> naturally I assume you mean the Quadratec catalog and JP magazine.  My son keeps those in the house in the downstairs library I mean bathroom.



Exactly!!!!!!!!!


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## Tinkmaster

I wouldn't do without my bathroom in the garage building.   When I am outside working in the building, it is so convenient.   It keeps the kids out of the house also.   I don't have to keep the bathroom in the building that clean either.  When the wife is happy, everybodies happy.


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## vettesplus

when i built my house in 2002 my wife made me put a bathroom in the garage, best thing i ever did.


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## mustanggarage

vettesplus said:


> when i built my house in 2002 my wife made me put a bathroom in the garage, best thing i ever did.



besides marrying a woman who thinks ahead and considers garage stuff as important you mean


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## alexhkcs

I would like to bookmark the page so I can come back here to read that you did a great job.


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