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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 04:35pm
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We'd like to install plumbing at the lake to take a shower and to have a flush toilet. (Via trucked in water for cistern and septic or holding tank) However, we have two cottages each with little outhouses and no decent space in either cottage for a toilet and/or shower so I've been thinking that instead of compromising the install I could just build a dedicated bathhouse. (Maybe with a 5-6' covered walkway from the main cabin, or as a total stand alone building.)
Has anyone done this?
My thinking is that I could build a little say, 10'x12', building and super-insulate it, and do whatever I wanted to make it the perfect washroom.
Someday we could always then run a couple lines to and from a kitchen sink.
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:30pm
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I've done a few. I think it a good idea, as long as it can't freeze in cold weather. Here's a 12 x 12 with an additional 6' covered porch, I'm building now. It will have a large lake water tank in the attic, but no toilet.
Owen
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 07:12pm
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I just got a permit to build a 42 square foot guest bath, a little detached building just big enough for toilet shower and sink. If you want to see plans let me know and I'll figure out how to post it.
I'm going to drain mine in winter, to avoid freezing pipes. Just summer use.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 26 Jul 2014 01:29pm - Edited by: Malamute
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I have a bathouse. It's 8x12. 5x8 is bathroom, claw foot tub, water heater, toilet and vanity/sink. The other part is pantry and temporary reloading room. It's insulated relatively well. I heat it with a milkhouse type electric heater. I had a fancy programmable heater, unfortunately, it didn't reboot if the power went out, and I froze some of the plumbing one winter. That heater went in the garbage and I got the simple old fashioned heater and all has been well.
I plan on having indoor facitlies in the addition to the cabin, whenever that comes together. The bathouse may end up being the laundry room.
I built a boardwalk from the cabin to the bathouse, it makes it nicer when in slippers or flip flops in the middle of the night or when it snows.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 27 Jul 2014 11:23am
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I think that is a great idea. I was planning on doing a remote shower, but to add a washroom is a good idea. I'm building a water tower with 3 55 gallon plastic food grade barrels. I have a well on site, planning on adding a livestock solar well set up, a gallon a minute type deal, then will have to transfer it to the tower 55 gallons at a time.
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2014 09:46am - Edited by: KinAlberta
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Found two similar threads on this... Don't know how I missed them earlier.
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/2_2885_0.html
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/2_4660_0.html
I'm now wondering if it wouldn't be possible to super insulate it and design it to the point of not having to use electricity to survive our Alberta winters unattended for months. A neat challenge.
Maybe a black roof and walls, a south facing glass wall to allow an interior (trombe) wall to heat up to keep critical components above zero in our -40 degree, short daylight winters. Maybe a rubber trap under the sink? A frozen, wrecked pump would be a huge risk.
28" thick walls...
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creeky
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2014 11:08am
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I built an 8'x16' bathhouse with composting toilet. Propane hot water. shower. Insulated with 3.5" polyiso walls, 4" xps floors and polyiso 1.5 with 6" rock wool in the ceilings. South facing double pane windows with argon and e coating.
I heat with propane vented set at 12 c. During a sunny day it will go to 19 or 20 off of solar gain. Even at -20. The building used less than two 100 lb tanks last winter with record cold.
You can build it.
Razmichael had a great freeze proof drain. Is he around?
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creeky
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2014 11:17am
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Ah. And some researchers in japan have done a heating system that uses decaying straw bales. If the bales were set around your pump ...
I'm planning to experiment with this idea using urea as my straw decay starter. I'll report back next year.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2014 05:22pm
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The RV industry makes waterless traps for sinks and showers, they somehow incorporate an air bladder to prevent sewer gases passing. Solves part of the problem, but I can't see how you could prevent pipes and pumps freezing without a heat source.
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 3 Aug 2014 08:21pm
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Ours is almost done.
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larry
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# Posted: 3 Aug 2014 09:19pm
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i did that very thing. we used an out house for three years before we decided to have a flush toilet and shower. it is working well
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2015 03:25am
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So, what would be the 'all in' cost? Cistern, small simple building, etc.
The one above is beautiful and far nicer that what I was thinking of - though the porch is very nice.
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littlefarmnc
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2020 12:09pm
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I know this is an old thread but I'm hoping you can share your design? Looking to build one a bathhouse in NC.
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Absolutely
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2020 05:52pm
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I did a small separate bathroom. It's about 6' x 6' and has a shower, composting toilet and sink. you can see it on my thread here.. It's been great as the boys using the bunkie down the trail can use it without tying up the bathroom in the main cottage.
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mj1angier
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2020 09:10am - Edited by: mj1angier
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Here are our outhouse and shower at our place in NC foothills.
The toilet is a 4x6 plastic shed that one of us had. It works good for our composting toilet other than it needs working windows- get hot in summer, lol
The shower stall is U shaped to have a dry area. It's fed from the rain gutters but we also have a creek 50 ft away we can pump from. The floor is plastic pallets like breweries use to stack kegs. I have enclosed the pumps and batteries scene these photos.
Edit: dang photos are sideways and I can see how to change them
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2020 12:54pm - Edited by: KinAlberta
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Quoting: bldginsp I can't see how you could prevent pipes and pumps freezing without a heat source.
If camping coolers work as advertised and can keep ice for days and days in the summer, I think keeping a small area (water in toilet bowl/trap and pump) above freezing for 16 or so hours should somehow be possible. Unfortunately I’m often wrong. I imagine rubber traps should be able to freeze proof sinks and tubs. Faucets / lines that drain back must be available, right?
I think the trick would be pulling up some ground heat plus using super insulation around pipes and the entire structure (or small an inner toilet room) to hold the heat and then magnifying and capturing enough heat from sunlight to straddle darkness and cloudy days. A solar panel and heat tape might be required.
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