ᐅ Planning a Guest Bathroom in a New Build – What Is the Minimum Size? (Building Standards?)
Created on: 11 Dec 2022 12:59
T
T-i-m-m
Hello house building forum,
we are currently planning a semi-detached house. The building plot is very small, and the footprint is accordingly limited. To achieve a reasonably usable living area, we want to keep non-living spaces small and allocate the saved space to the living rooms.
On the ground floor, we are planning a guest toilet without a shower—that is, only a toilet and a washbasin. Recently, I have been carrying a laser measuring device when visiting friends and have measured several guest toilets. Conclusion: 1 meter (3.3 feet) in width and 2 meters (6.6 feet) in length are more than sufficient. In our case, the door would be on the short wall, the toilet opposite the door, and the washbasin on the long wall.
We are currently looking for a builder and have roughly presented our plans. One potential builder mentioned that according to the DIN standard, a guest toilet must be at least 1.24 meters (4 feet) wide.
My online research so far hasn’t been enough to find the relevant regulation or DIN. The DIN 18022 on bathroom planning appears to have been withdrawn without replacement.
Is anyone familiar with this requirement? Is it not allowed to plan a 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide guest toilet in a new build?
we are currently planning a semi-detached house. The building plot is very small, and the footprint is accordingly limited. To achieve a reasonably usable living area, we want to keep non-living spaces small and allocate the saved space to the living rooms.
On the ground floor, we are planning a guest toilet without a shower—that is, only a toilet and a washbasin. Recently, I have been carrying a laser measuring device when visiting friends and have measured several guest toilets. Conclusion: 1 meter (3.3 feet) in width and 2 meters (6.6 feet) in length are more than sufficient. In our case, the door would be on the short wall, the toilet opposite the door, and the washbasin on the long wall.
We are currently looking for a builder and have roughly presented our plans. One potential builder mentioned that according to the DIN standard, a guest toilet must be at least 1.24 meters (4 feet) wide.
My online research so far hasn’t been enough to find the relevant regulation or DIN. The DIN 18022 on bathroom planning appears to have been withdrawn without replacement.
Is anyone familiar with this requirement? Is it not allowed to plan a 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide guest toilet in a new build?
Okay, convinced.
Regarding the building authority: We had a thorough review with the building authority, involving a case officer, the responsible urban planner, and an independent third opinion (a friend of a friend who also works at the building authority and gave us an objective, supportive view of the plans while still having to agree with his colleagues). The authority clearly stated what they will approve and what they won’t. We went through many challenging rounds with the authority. The project has a certain history, which is irrelevant here. Just trust me: The external dimensions are fixed. Increasing the height is not possible either, as it would violate the setback to the neighbor on the left.
Regarding the guest WC: I don’t see it as a waste of space as long as it is very small.
General contractor: We are in close communication with our construction partners and reputable general contractors (final decision pending). After a complete failure with a large solid construction company, we have gained a lot of insight regarding our choice of contractors.
And now, the moment of truth. Our floor plans for the ground floor and first floor (the attic will be used as a study and has not yet been drawn).
Ground floor:
- Entrance hall, guest WC, utility room, open-plan kitchen-living area
First floor:
- Bedroom, child’s room, bathroom, hallway, broom closet
Please excuse the rough dimensioning; I had to enter it manually. All dimensions, except the two highlighted ones, refer to internal measurements. The terrace is not yet planned and is included for reference only.
Walls: Exterior 36cm (14 inches), interior 17.5cm (7 inches) and 11cm (4 inches).
2 full stories + attic
Furniture and sanitary fixtures were placed roughly and should not be taken too strictly. Window planning and door swing directions are also for rough orientation only.
Goal of the plans: Maximize open-plan kitchen-living area, closed staircase (this is debatable), maximize bedroom and child’s room space.
The feasibility of the utility room is still under review. I’m not sure yet whether it needs to be larger or can be smaller.
Regarding the building authority: We had a thorough review with the building authority, involving a case officer, the responsible urban planner, and an independent third opinion (a friend of a friend who also works at the building authority and gave us an objective, supportive view of the plans while still having to agree with his colleagues). The authority clearly stated what they will approve and what they won’t. We went through many challenging rounds with the authority. The project has a certain history, which is irrelevant here. Just trust me: The external dimensions are fixed. Increasing the height is not possible either, as it would violate the setback to the neighbor on the left.
Regarding the guest WC: I don’t see it as a waste of space as long as it is very small.
General contractor: We are in close communication with our construction partners and reputable general contractors (final decision pending). After a complete failure with a large solid construction company, we have gained a lot of insight regarding our choice of contractors.
And now, the moment of truth. Our floor plans for the ground floor and first floor (the attic will be used as a study and has not yet been drawn).
Ground floor:
- Entrance hall, guest WC, utility room, open-plan kitchen-living area
First floor:
- Bedroom, child’s room, bathroom, hallway, broom closet
Please excuse the rough dimensioning; I had to enter it manually. All dimensions, except the two highlighted ones, refer to internal measurements. The terrace is not yet planned and is included for reference only.
Walls: Exterior 36cm (14 inches), interior 17.5cm (7 inches) and 11cm (4 inches).
2 full stories + attic
Furniture and sanitary fixtures were placed roughly and should not be taken too strictly. Window planning and door swing directions are also for rough orientation only.
Goal of the plans: Maximize open-plan kitchen-living area, closed staircase (this is debatable), maximize bedroom and child’s room space.
The feasibility of the utility room is still under review. I’m not sure yet whether it needs to be larger or can be smaller.
M
Myrna_Loy11 Dec 2022 20:54I would design the kitchen smaller to have more living space. I would take more inspiration from tiny houses or even trailers and galleys, rather than trying to imitate the layout of a standard 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) ground floor. Alternatively, I would look more to traditional eat-in kitchens. The staircase should be designed to maximize storage space, either as a bathroom or for kitchen or wardrobe cupboards. You need zoning rather than a large open area.
S
Sunshine38711 Dec 2022 21:01I think the floor plan makes good use of the less-than-optimal house shape and is well thought out overall. I would consider whether you will be happy with such a narrow bathroom. Otherwise, from my perspective, the house can be built as it is. I would definitely add a window to the utility room! And some storage space under the stairs.
Cooking is an essential part of our daily lives. The kitchen can certainly take up a significant portion of the available space. I don’t consider a 32m2 (344 square feet) open-plan kitchen-living area to be so small that I would need to use a camping stove and two folding chairs in there.
I would definitely not plan the kitchen any smaller; it also has a good orientation towards the terrace. The living area/sofa/TV in the quiet, slightly secluded corner is realistic, and with today’s TVs, it doesn’t need to be much bigger. 8.52m (28 feet) by 7.72m (25 feet) are simply not ballroom-sized external dimensions.
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