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Plop and Roll… Bathrooms, in name and layout

Submitted by DonHester on Sun, 11/01/2015 - 19:57.

Plop and Roll… Bathrooms, in name and layout

Chelan Home Inspections

It’ one of the rooms that when shopping for home most home buyers want to know about and have a minimum requirement.

Does the home have one John or two restroom? Is it a full sized comfort station or just a throne. Is the privy just a potty or does it come with full facilities. Is the oval office more of a out-house than a proper wash room?

The commode, latrine, toilet or Loo, it’s typically important for me and you.

Now in older homes an extra water closet is often desired and you will find some creative use of space trying to get that extra place for that all important second magazine chair.

But wait a minute... like all things in building there are rules and you just cannot go and stuff a crapper anywhere you can, so now I going to make you sit and think.

Here we have an example of bathroom that just doesn't quite make the grade. It may be a convenient system in the sense you can plop and roll right into the shower but it does not meet some of the requirements for clearances and could actually cause an accident.

Figure R307.1-Fixture clearances per the IRC

Per the 2012 IRC-

R307.1 Space required.

Fixtures shall be spaced in accordance with Figure R307.1, and in accordance with the requirements of Section P2705.1.

So you can see per the code the shower needs a minimum clearance of 24 inches in front of the shower opening.

P2705.1 General.

The installation of fixtures shall conform to the following:

5. Water closets, lavatories and bidets. A water closet, lavatory or bidet shall not be set closer than 15 inches (381 mm) from its center to any side wall, partition or vanity or closer than 30 inches (762 mm) center-to-center between adjacent fixtures. There shall be a clearance of not less than 21 inches (533 mm) in front of a water closet, lavatory or bidet to any wall, fixture or door.

It was very common in older homes to have a bathroom space that was just 5’ wide so achieving even the minimum clear space of 24” and 21” may almost be impossible. But it must be remembered that some people those minimum space clearances may be even too small, especially those with limited or impaired movement or where there is need for more access space. When planning if you can achieve a minimum clear space of 30” is often desired.

When putting bathrooms in areas other available spaces we also need to think about height clearance also. Typically we like to see ceilings be at least 90" (7'-6") high. Bathrooms have an exception that allow ceilings to be only 80" (6'-8") high (R305.1.2 Minimum height).

Often when dealing with older home remodels the building official may give a variance on some of these requirements under some of these circumstances as long as it is reasonably safe. This is where having a permit that is signed off showing these variations is ideal.

“Truth does not consist in minute accuracy of detail, but in conveying a right impression”

Henry Alford

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

Instructor- Fundamentals of Home Inspection- Bellingham Technical College

www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572

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Plop and Roll… Bathrooms, in name and layout