Anybody fitted plumbing to a summer house/log cabin

[2anddone]

Hello
Considering getting a log cabin/summer house at the bottom of my garden now dc are getting older! The idea is it will be somewhere for them and their friends to go and also for us to use during the summer. We only have an upstairs bathroom so no toilet currently downstairs. This usually puts me off entertaining as I don't like the idea of people having to go upstairs especially if we are entertaining outside, they mess up the carpets etc.
My questions are has anybody fitted plumbing to a building like a summer house/log cabin?
If so was it relatively easy?
Did you lay the pipes for the plumbing after the building was built or before? I don't want a saniflow after reading about them on here so would want it to go to the main plumbing system!
Complete novice with not a clue what to do (as you can probably tell by my questions!!)
Please help with advice

You have to be careful not to create a separate dwelling (and separate bills, planning issues, etc) - running electricity in is fine, but where will waste water go?

I was hoping to run the waste pipe to the main drain on our front drive.
Would this mean I would make it a separate dwelling even though no one will live in it??
Like I say I am completely clueless

You need to do your own research, but I think there could well be issues with what you propose.

No, anything ancillary to the house would not be a new dwelling. You'd struggle to get the planning permission needed to make it a separate residence anyway, you'd be in trouble if you tried to rent it out or something.

I think different local authorities have different levels of strictness on what is a separate dwelling. Locally it is not a separate home unless it has its own kitchen. We are also hoping to rebuild our garage as an entertaining/hosting space. Early stages but surveyor said it would be about how low the main drain was to facilitate drainage.

Composting toilet?

We had all the plans drawn up for one but moved instead. Planning consent was no problem. The ground work would have been done first to lay the pipework and then the "garden room" would have been constructed. Saniflo was our only option due to length of garden and location of drains. Total cost was £30k (london). Moving to a house with a downstairs toilet and an extra bedroom was more expensive but definitely more practical!

Sounding slightly more positive that I would be able to do it and it not be classed as a separate dwelling. I looked on the planning portal for our local council and it seemed very confusing I think a phone call may be required!!
Is a compostable toilet more reliable than a saniflow?

In my experience, the folk that build garden rooms/summer houses know how to nativage planning. They'll be able to tell you what's possible without needing permission.

I think you need to empty comfortable toilets??! If take a Saniflo over one of those any day!!

*compostable

Saniflo is fine for occasional use! Just have to “educate” guests on what not to put down them and don’t buy nice toilet roll.

But sorry do you mean if you’re entertaining you would send guests out to the log cabin rather that upstairs if they needed a wee?! I’d investigate an under the stairs loo or small extension because that is just bonkers.

You are right Hermione that would be bonkers!! If we are entertaining inside I am more than happy for them to use the upstairs bathroom. It's more for when we are entertaining in the garden/dc have friends round to hang out in log cabin it would save traipsing through the house! Tries not to think about how the carpet got ruined after the water fight of 2016 and mud ground into it!!

Haha got it 😂

I’d rather have a modern composting toilet than a saniflow.

Anyone who has ever dealt with a fucked saniflow (explosion of shit is the most likely outcome) would rather not have to do that again. And visitors, and a BBQ party, yeah, I wouldn’t trust them to use a saniflow without me being in there with them and supervising!

You can actually get some really nice compost toilets now.