Toilet in middle of garage?!

[Wobblydeb]

We are in the middle of buying a house to renovate. There is a toilet in the middle of the garage at the moment (yes, there's a bit of stud wall around it).

Any ideas what the previous occupants might have done with the soil pipes?

It has been a while since we've seen the house, and I'm mulling over the various options to create a proper downstairs loo [instead of the stable-yard feel it currently has]

I'm thinking making use of existing arrangement might prove the cheapest - what do you think?

Oh - and can anyone point me in the right direction as regards building regs considering this is a previous piece of work we're updating?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I would hope the installer has connected the WC to a foul sewer, if not then you'll soon be in trouble! Provided a sewer has been laid correctly and to regs then no reason why you cannot continue to use it. If not the job will have to be done properly!

Really need to investigate properly what has been done and ascertain its correct before going further! Regs: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/parth/approved

 

[Nige F]

Any ideas what the previous occupants might have done with the soil pipes?

?

laid a piece of board over the open manhole with a hole in it - soil pipe goes from wc through hole - simples

 

[Agile]

What does your surveyor think of it?

Could be a serious building Regs infringement!

Tony

 

[longdogs]

We are in the middle of buying a house to renovate. There is a toilet in the middle of the garage at the moment (yes, there's a bit of stud wall around it).

Any ideas what the previous occupants might have done with the soil pipes?

It has been a while since we've seen the house, and I'm mulling over the various options to create a proper downstairs loo [instead of the stable-yard feel it currently has]

I'm thinking making use of existing arrangement might prove the cheapest - what do you think?

Oh - and can anyone point me in the right direction as regards building regs considering this is a previous piece of work we're updating?

Are sure it's not a Skoda?

 

[Wobblydeb]

Thanks for your response ...... this forum is great.

Okay, we asked our solicitor to search for building certificates for a few items including the loo. As expected, nothing is showing up. I suspect this was either done many years ago, or was a bodge job by the current owner.

Obviously we will go back to the surveyor and see if that affects value. We are planning work, so it isn't a deal breaker. What would be the next steps to bring it up to modern building regs and get it signed off?

I am thinking of either using the existing location at the back of the garage, or moving it to under the stairs (which is just the other side of the wall).

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

It's impossible to advise what would need doing to bring the work up to regs standard without seeing what has already been done. The job may be perfectly adequate and just needs signing off, or it may be it's a complete bodge and needs to be completely redone.

You really need your surveyor to inspect the work and make any necessary recommendations to bring it up to standard. Basically, drainage needs to have been done properly, 2 doors are required between a WC and a habitable room, and the WC needs either an openable window or fixed ventilation, i.e. an extractor fan, and hand washing facilities either in the WC or an adjacent room (not a kitchen).