Mumsnet Talk

We're getting quotes in to convert our garage so that we have an office/spare bedroom at the front and a utility/boot room at the back, which will have an external door and a door into the kitchen. Access to the office will be via a new internal door in the front hall where our cloakroom is at present. The plan is to create a new cloakroom in our understairs cupboard, so that the plumbing 'backs onto' the sink in the new utility room. We've been told that Saniflow is a cost-effective way of doing this.
I'm hoping that some of you may have experience of converting a garage and/or specifically installing Saniflow? It's the first time we've had any major work done and we're pretty nervous so any advice or thoughts would be most welcome!

Thanks Abeer - but what's the catch?!

Put out an SOS for Piglet John - he knows his stuff (and hates saniflos)

Thanks - have pm'd Piglet John

minced poo squirted down narrow pipes?

<boak boak boak>

There are a few people who specialise in opening up the pipes to release a blockage and let it burst out into your house. They are widely shunned and live lonely lives in their mansions.

Shameless bump

.

When the saniflo goes wrong it costs a bomb to put right. When it is use it is really noisy too.

Thanks Chottie

My advice would be, to only allow wees in there.

short of fitting a gentlemen's urinal, I don't think that will really work.

I'd just not have one.

For the cost of fitting one, and having it mended, you could probably dig up the floor and put in a soil pipe.

We've got a saniflo in our en-suite - it is noisy in use - sounds like a blender running, which I guess is technically what it is.

It only churns when using the shower or after a flush, I can empty the sink and it is not enough to fill the chamber and set off the saniflo.

However, we do have a no solids rule for that toilet - more because the door opens on to the bedroom.

If I remember the issue right, the chief problem is that if it blocks (and it will), there is 30 feet or so of poo in the pressurised pipe and it will EXPLODE upwards back into the bathroom when the airlock is broken to unblock the jam?

<<disclaimer: my grasp of engineering is weak>>

We have one in the office at a tea point and it was pretty grim when that exploded. Though amusing to watch the senior partner wade through the mess to turn it off

yes, fixing a blockage is messy and revolting.

you will wish you'd never bought one.

depending on where the blockage is, and how it is fitted, you sometimes get a fountain of minced poo squirting up the sink plughole and decorating the ceiling.

I think your work here is done, PJ.

Is it just as difficult to have them taken out, by the way? I want mine removed BEFORE it goes wrong. No poo has been allowed into it for quite some time, so I'm hoping the revolting ness would be lessened.

removing it, if unblocked, is a simple plumbing job. You will need to remove any pipes that run uphill.

the plumber may not trust you if you claim it is clean, though.

Thanks everyone needs a sit down after imagining poo fountain

I guess you get what you pay for...one of the builders we spoke to actually recommended a Saniflo to keep costs down - I'm guessing they won't be available if/when it packs up!

They won't. The chances of getting a plumber out to unblock a Saniflo are minimal.

hence the lonely specialists in their big, empty mansions.

Well, I feel enlightened - you learn something every day on MN, don't you?