The park district approves financing of a new public toilet. The team behind the project has chosen the location, the building seems to be in good shape and is set to go ahead.
The contractor then begins to review the site. The drainage issue is an issue at the site proposed. There are more utility connections than anticipated. Delivery vehicles may have difficulty reaching the building site and the chosen building configuration might not match the space available.
Image credit: romtec.com
None of these issues necessarily suggests that the project will not proceed. The issues can lead to changes, additional costs and construction delays. For public entities and developers bathrooms, the project is simpler to manage if factors affecting the location influence the building decision-making process from the beginning.
Building drawings don’t tell the whole story
Project teams should consider the size of the property prior to choosing the appropriate park restroom that is prefabricated. The installation can be affected by the terrain’s slope or drainage, the utility, as well as construction accessibility.
A bathroom, for instance, located near a play area may require connections to existing water and sewer infrastructure. If these connections are not available or expensive to extend the project, it could require an alternative sanitation method.
Alongside the relevant codes and accessibility standards, site-specific conditions must be taken into consideration when determining the foundation and placement of a building. The standard layout of a building may appear to appear to be acceptable on paper, but will require major changes when taking these specifics into account.
Urban Projects have their own construction restrictions
It’s not just about finding a space small enough to put a restroom on a sidewalk. On sidewalks that are public, there are often underground utilities, pedestrian trails along with street furniture and access points close to. Collaboration with local authorities is typically required for construction activities.
The positioning of a bathroom too close to utility lines can complicate the foundation or excavation process. The accessibility of the restroom is another consideration. The entrance as well as the surrounding entrance must satisfy all requirements applicable to the project.
Romtec provides customized ADA single-user toilets which include choices for the installation of doors and sinks. These design choices enable the project team to address physical constraints of the site, while creating a plan for the practical use of public restrooms.
Not a sewer connection? Look at other options
Remote recreation sites pose a new infrastructure challenge. The trailhead could be many miles from the nearest sewerage which renders flushing toilets impractical.
In appropriate locations, vault toilets provide a waterless alternative. Instead of transporting wastewater through the sewer system, vault toilets collect the waste into a holding vault that must be cleaned regularly.
However, choosing vault toilets doesn’t completely remove the need for site planning. The construction requires adequate ground conditions, access to servicing equipment safely with adequate ventilation and conformity with environmental regulations.
Romtec creates vault toilets that are water-free and feature Sweet-Smelling Technology (SST), which is designed to control the odors by allowing ventilation. For properties that are located in remote locations, selecting the sanitation system at an early stage can help prevent costly changes to the structure later.
Construction Coordination Begins Before Delivery
One of the most frequently-held misconceptions about prefabricated structures is that the vast majority of projects are designed by the manufacturer. In actuality, preparation of the site the foundation, requirements for foundations, utility connections accessibility, local approvals still need coordination. Romtec’s approach to these types of projects is to use customized building kits and design support, rather than relying solely on fixed structures.
The company works closely with landscaping architects, project managers, and contractors to match specifications for building to the requirements of the site. This is especially useful when a restroom must fit in with an existing architectural style or meet the unique requirements of a property.
The most important questions are the ones that result in more successful projects
Owners must first determine the location of the bathroom and the method by which construction equipment will access the building, and also the required approvals.
They must also determine if the chosen sanitation system is appropriate for the expected amount of guests and if it can be installed without major modifications to the surrounding infrastructure.
The questions are not as thrilling than the exterior finishes and architectural aspects, but can influence more on the project’s price and schedule.
It’s not enough to deliver an building on time. It’s one where the design infrastructure, site infrastructure, construction process, and intended use have been considered together. If those decisions are made in the early stages, the final bathroom has a stronger foundation for providing the community with a high-quality service.
