Question for builders - putting a bath in a shop

[phantom309]

Howdy.

Am starting to put together plans for a workshop and want to put a small bath in it. There will be a utility closet in the front quarter of the bath and I want to put a shower in a cubbyhole along the back wall behind the utility closet.

My question is: If I'm going to put in a 36x36 square shower insert, how big should I plan to make the cubbyhole behind the closet where the shower will fit? Does it need to tightly fit the shower insert to support it, or should I make it an inch or two bigger to give me some wiggle room? I've never installed a shower before.

I had been thinking that I better leave some extra room in case the drain isn't put perfectly in place during the plumbing rough in, but I guess that's really not necessary - I can instead just put the walls where they need to be in relation to the drain and build out from there...

Also, should I go with the one piece insert, or the kit with separate pan, sides and rear?

Thanks.

Mark

 

[Syncro]

Mark- I'd get the shower unit first and then build the walls to fit. Usually a 36" stall requires a 36" opening. The framed walls need to be tight to the fiberglass unit when the support lip is screwed into the studs. Be sure that there is enough room to get the unit into the room, if thats not a problem than a one piece unit is better. Also, be careful when cutting and soldering the shower valve, one slip with the torch will ruin it. Some units need support under the moulded floor, loose morter is whats used if the pan is not a self support design, which it probably isn't.

 

[btolle]

Mark is right-get the unit first. I will add: buy a fiberglass unit, not one of the cheap, flimsy ones.

If it is a poured concret floor then you need to get the dimensions for the unit and that will allow you to measure for the drain. I would plan on the drain being a little off from where it should be in case it gets bumped during the pour.

I would suggest you also consider adding a laundry sink to the workshop. Very handy for washing hands, lots better than a bathroom sink, plus gives you the ability to wash large or odd shaped items.

Bill Tolle

 

[dicker]

If I can throw my two cents in here, try to buy an acrylic shower stall, not fiberglass. Fiberglass is inferior to the acrylic products. It will come with fiberglass chop on the back to give it rigidity, but it will be a thermoformed acrylic sheet, usually 3/16 of an inch thick. One piece is always better than the sectional one, if you can get it into the building.
I have been in this sort of business for a long time and have acrylic tubs and a shower stall in my own house that are going on 15 years old and show no sign of wear.

Richard

 

[BB_TX]

Mark - I put up a 30'x40 metal building 5 years ago. I had a concrete contractor do the slab, but I roughed the plumbing myself. Even though I had never done that before, I wanted to make sure everything was where I expected it to be. I put in a bathroom with a corner shower unit, a commode, and a vanity. On the outside of that, I put in a kitchen counter/sink and cabinets with a water heater closet beside that. I went to HD and carefully measured everything to make sure how far from the walls the drains should be. My water came up thru the slab into that common wall so I had to have that and the drains pretty close to exact. Ended up working out very well.
Attached is a picture of the outside. Pardon the tractor parked in the kitchen. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BB_TX]

Here is a partial view of the shower.

 

[BB_TX]

See if this looks better. Looking thru the door.

 

[dummy]

Wow! What a nicely appointed tractor storage unit.

 

[v8dave]

You don't have a location in your profile to know if this is an issue.

If you are going to require building permits, here is something to check before you add a shower/bath in a shop. In California, some counties consider adding a shower (but, not just a toilet) to a utility building equivalent to adding living space. This will apply living quarters compliance rules to the structure. Then to top it off, the asessor taxes you for that living space too.

 

[DUMBDOG]

Building permits and assessments are only if they know about it. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif