A park district is able to approve the financing of a new public toilet. The team behind the project has chosen the site, and the structure appears to be suitable and is set to go ahead.

The contractor will then begin to examine the site. The proposed location is drainage problems. The utility connections could be farther from the proposed location than originally thought. Delivery vehicles may have difficulty reaching the installation site, and the design of the building could not fit with the available space.

Image credit: romtec.com

The issues they face do not have to mean that the construction project won’t proceed. They could, however, result in redesigns and extra costs, in addition to delays in construction. For public entities and developers, a restroom project becomes much easier to manage when location conditions impact the design selection from the beginning.

Drawings of buildings aren’t telling the whole story

Before choosing facilities for park restrooms prefabricated the project team must know what the property around it can be able to accommodate. The location’s slope soil conditions, drainage access to utilities, as well as access to construction sites can all influence the construction process.

If a bathroom will be built near a play area It may be necessary to connect the restroom with the existing water and sewer infrastructure. If the infrastructure isn’t accessible or cost prohibitive to construct, a new approach may be needed.

The foundation and location of the building must also account for any applicable codes, accessibility rules, and site-specific conditions. The basic layout of an building might appear to be suitable on paper, but it’s going to require significant modifications once these factors are taken into consideration.

Urban Projects have their own construction limitations

Installing sidewalk restrooms involves more than finding enough space for a compact structure. These sidewalks typically contain underground utilities such as pedestrian paths, street furniture and entrances to buildings that are close by. Collaboration with local authorities can be needed for construction projects.

The placement of a restroom too close to the utility corridor could be a problem for excavation or foundation construction. Accessibility of the bathroom is another consideration. The entrance and the access must satisfy any applicable requirements.

Romtec offers ADA-focused and customizable single-user bathroom units, which include options for door and sink placement. The design options give project teams the flexibility to work with the constraints of the location and also plan for a feasible public use.

Are you without a sewer line? You don’t have a sewer connection? Think about Alternatives

Remote recreation areas pose a unique infrastructure problem. The closest sewer connection could be several miles away, making flush toilets not practical.

When placed in the right locations, vault toilets provide an option to use water without. They do not rely on a sewer to transport wastewater, but instead store the water in a tank, which must be maintained regularly.

But choosing vault toilets won’t be enough to mean that you can skip the planning requirements for the site. The construction requires adequate terrain, access to servicing equipment safely with adequate ventilation and compliance with environmental regulations.

Romtec’s Sweet-Smelling Technology (SST) is employed to create water-free vault toilets. This helps manage the odors through ventilation. The selection of a sanitation system early will prevent costly modifications in the design of the building in the future.

Construction Coordination Begins Prior to Delivery

Prefabricated construction is often misunderstood as a pre-determined decision made by the manufacturer. However, coordination is still needed for site preparation, utility connections, accessibility and local approvals. Romtec’s approach for these projects is to use customized building kits and design support instead of relying entirely on pre-built structures.

The company works closely with the landscape architects, project owners and contractors to ensure that they match specifications for building to the requirements of the site. This is especially useful when the bathroom needs to conform to an existing architectural style, or accommodate unique properties.

A better project starts with Better Questions

Before approving the purchase of a restroom, owners should establish the manner in which the building will receive utilities, how construction equipment will get to the site and what permits are required.

The building should be constructed in a manner that doesn’t need major modifications to the infrastructure surrounding it.

The above questions might not seem as interesting than selecting architectural finishes or exterior finishes yet they can have more impact on the project’s costs and the timetable.

It’s not enough to complete a building in time. A successful public restroom project will consider the building, the infrastructure of the location, as well as construction and intended usage. Making early decisions will ensure that the final bathroom is suitable to serve the local community more effectively.