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Can I put a sink in my garden room?

The answer is yes! Although there are a few things that you do need to consider depending on what you want. You may want to install a washing machine or have a sink with cold water. But perhaps a toilet and a shower would be handy for your garden gym…

aroominthegarden.co.uk - Can you connect water to my garden room?

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One of the most common questions we get asked when meeting with potential clients is: “Can you connect water to my garden room?” The answer is yes! Although there are a few things that you do need to consider depending on what you want. You may want to install a washing machine or have a sink with cold water. But perhaps a toilet and a shower would be handy for your garden gym… Let’s explore the different possibilities one by one.

Installing cold water

Cost: from £1500+

If you simply want to have a sink for washing your garden tools, or maybe even a washing machine for your laundry, all you need is to have cold water reaching your garden room. The first step will be identifying the nearest cold water, mains connection in your house (for example a kitchen or toilet sink). Then we have to create a system for the water to flow in and out of your garden room. One pipe will bring the fresh water in and another will take the dirty water out. The pipes must be buried a minimum of 750mm underground. To do this, we have to build a small trench to accommodate the pipes. If we are digging through soil, we can do this simply by using a narrow spade. Things get a bit more complicated if we need to go through concrete. Of course, it’s still possible, don’t get me wrong, but it may take a bit longer which increases the final cost of the build. Once we have sorted out how to connect clean water to your garden room, we then have to work out how to get rid of the dirty water. If there is an existing soil drain point (not a rainwater drain), we just have to add a connection and bring a stub soil stuck into your garden room. But if that is not possible, we have to create a flow from the garden room to an outside drain. To do so means installing a pump station. The bigger the distance between the garden room and the outside drain, the bigger the pump station you will need. Another factor to consider is whether the pipes are going uphill, horizontally or downhill. The cost for a pumping station starts at around £400. Garden Buildings are Permitted Development and do NOT require planning permission as long certain criteria are observed. To learn more about it read our article 7 garden office or summer house planning permission rules to keep in mind

Installing hot water

Cost: from £300+

To avoid of having to deal with all the regulations that come with installing a boiler, we highly recommend using an electrical shower (cost starts from around £50), which will generate its own hot water. You can also install a small hot water heater under a sink, which provides you with 7 to 10 litres of hot water (cost starts from around £50).

Installing a toilet

Cost: from £2000+

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There is no prohibition of plastic CUs. To comply, it should, strictly speaking, in domestic (household) premises, be non-combustible or be in a non-combustible enclosure.

engx.theiet.org - Plastic consumer units/enclosures etc - Wiring and the Regulations BS 7671

WHJI think you being very unfair on the IET. The change in the 17TH Edition to non-combustible consumer units was made at the request of the London Fire Service who made their case to JPEL due to the number of fires they were attending involving consumer units.My my personal view is if they are unsuitable for installation in domestic premises they are unsuitable for installation anywhere. I think you may have a job buying a new plastic consumer unit from a reputable wholesaler now. You have already been advised to use the cast BG garage unit which is also IP rated. When I get around to replacing my old metal MEM unit in my workshop I will use the BG unit. I have already replaced the consumer unit in the house with a Wylex metal unit.As an IET member I feel it is insulting and offensive to the IET, and to other contributors who offer free and expert advice here, to log on to this free forum and insult the provider. You may feel more at home on the Screwfix forum as you clearly have no confidence in the IET!

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