The Quarter Bath Problem
By Christa TerryOne of the strangest things in our house is the room we like to call the Quarter Bath. Think a half bath without a sink. Basically, it’s a closet with a toilet installed down in our finished basement. We’ve just added it to the list of strange DIY projects that one of the house’s previous owners decided to tackle, badly. Anyone else have this problem? Because we have it in spades.
As it stands right now, there’s no room to add a sink, even one of those tiny corner sinks. What we’d like to do someday is expand the room, finish the walls properly, and add something like this:
Inspiration provided by Kristen Buckingham. I think something like this could really cheer up my sad basement half bath (which as I said is currently a quarter bath). I’ve thought about scrapping the project altogether as rather ambitious, but really, it would be nice to have somewhere to wash one’s hands after using the facilities instead of having to pop back upstairs to use the kitchen sink.
March 5th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Sounds like you have the Pittsburgh toilet! (May also exist outside of Pittsburgh) Some of them don’t even bother with walls.
Made so that the steel workers could clean up in the basement before coming upstairs into the real house. You use the sink next to the washing machine for washing up.
March 5th, 2010 at 7:40 am
Yes, our townhouse was listed as having “2.5 baths.” What it really had was two baths and a closet in the basement with piping so that a toilet could be installed. It’s not clear where a sink would fit, if anywhere.
On the other side of the wall looks like a pretty good idea, though. Since the basement is also the library/craft room, having access to some running water for rinsing paint brushes and the like might be handy.
March 5th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
The first house I rented (that is, after all the apartments) had a shower in the basement. No sink, no toilet, just a shower. A square white-painted metal shower stall with no ceiling (just the joists overhead) and a plastic curtain; it was about 30 inches per side.
However…since the only other bathroom was on the second floor (2 flights up) and had a claw-foot tub with no shower, we did sometimes use the basement shower.
March 5th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Here’s something fun and only $140.00. It’s a sink that retrofits onto the toilet tank lid! http://www.toystoreinc.com/servlet/the-3919/Toilet-Lid-Sink-Combo/Detail
March 5th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Heck! This site has them listed for $89 to $115!
http://www.tierrapath.com/index.php/Toilet-Lid-Sinks.html
March 5th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
I’m so happy to know that I’m not the only one who has experience with bizarro plumbing!
@Jennie Holy smokes, that’s literally THE perfect solution. I had no idea one could retrofit such a thing (I’ve posted about all-in-one sink and toilet combos before but you had to buy the whole toilet). Thank you, thank you, thank you!
March 6th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
OMG!! That is crazy. Who would torture people with such a room?! Just a toilet and no sink? Girl, I wouldn’t know what to do. Is there at least a light above?
March 6th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
I was going to tell you about the toilet tank lid top sinks, but it looks like a few others had the same idea. Here’s the link I found nonetheless: http://www.gaiam.com/product/toilet+lid+sink.do
March 6th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Glad I could help! Finally being a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer paid off! (Except in getting a job!) LOL!!!
March 7th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
@Adrianna Yes, there’s a light, thankfully. It would be pitch black, otherwise! But, yeah, I know. Even worse: The interior “walls” are particle board covered in ugly wallpaper! Once we can update the sink/toilet, we’re going to put up drywall and a new light and make things right!
@The Bombshell Thanks for the link — the more options I have, the better!
March 11th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
I was going to suggest a little wall-mounted dispenser of antiseptic rub (like Purell) but a sink that retrofits onto the toilet lid sounds like a much better option!