Saniflow: yay or nay?

[superlambanana]

We want to convert an existing pantry in the kitchen into a downstairs cloakroom (moving the door so that it opens off the hall instead). We're also planning a kitchen extension that will be an L shape, with one side of that wrapping round behind the pantry iyswim. The issue is that this will mean there's nowhere to put a soil pipe, so we'd have to have a saniflow instead.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Are they any good?

We've had a saniflow for 10yrs. It's ok, if there is no other option BUT I would move heaven & earth to make sure there was no other option.
You must be careful with what goes down them. Difficult with kids, however it was our cleaner who caused the biggest problem using 'flushable' toilet cleaner thingys (she didn't read the sign next to the wc). It's also a bit noisy.
It's given us a downstairs loo which wouldn't otherwise be possible but you do have to be careful otherwise you have to sort out some fairly minging drainage issues.

Yes agree with the above, if there are any other options (however disruptive) don't get one. We've just moved into a new house with one that has a problem, and we can't find anyone to fix it. It's a bit of a nightmare to be honest.

The holiday cottage we stayed in last year had a saniflow en-suite. It was noisy, smelly and there were notices all over the bathroom with dire warnings about what would happen if you flushed any more than one sheet of toilet paper.

no it's not that, it doesn't seem to flush properly at all, very weak flow and fills up alarmingly.

The thing about saniflows is that they can work perfectly well for years and years, but when they go wrong they do so horribly and no decent plumber will look at them.

no, wiffy drains almost guaranteed, and it's noisy.

Thank you. Gah, might not be able to have downstairs WC

Nay. Not having stood in the shower and looked down to find I was up to my ankles in freshly churned poo as the damn loo had backed up.

nononononononononononono.

Ok I won't then Not going to argue with such unanimous voting!!

Any other ideas welcomed though... Can you run a soil pipe under a floor?

you can run it between joists if they go in that direction. You can't cut a hole in the joists if it runs across them. On a ground floor you may be able to run it under the joists, it will be tiresome digging up your drains to connect it. Of course there might already be a foul drain to the front/back/side of the house near the new WC. Look for manhole covers.