Many homeowners go looking for ‘bathroom pods’ to get an extra bathroom in the backyard without building an extension to the primary residence, which can get very expensive if the house doesn’t already have a room under the main roofline that could be repurposed. In some locations, you can even build a bathroom pod in your backyard without needing approval (get professional advice first). You can also build a bathroom pod without needing a direct connection to the main sewer line (which could save you THOUSANDS, just ask us how you can build a bathroom pod with either the Saniflo system or Green Loo). We can also supply prefabricated bathroom pods or bathroom/laundry pods, delivered complete to your property, pre-wired and pre-plumbed, ready for on-site connections. Below, you can see some examples of Backyard Pods with bathrooms in them, and also just made for bathrooms, or combined bathrooms and laundries. Click below to start your enquiry or ask for a copy of our prefab buildings brochure.
FLATPACK BATHROOM PODS
Poolside studio pod with facilities 4m x 5m installed at Cranebrook NSW
Who wouldn’t like a poolside studio with bathroom and kitchenette in their backyard? At Cranebrook, in western Sydney NSW, this family squeezed an approved granny-flat style poolside studio into a tiny space with full approval and at very low cost. We’re not keen on ‘cream’ Colorbond but here it matches perfectly with the existing Colorbond fence.
Yoga studio with bathroom pod 3.6m x 7m installed Newtown NSW
Many people want a backyard studio with bathroom for some idea they have in mind. This customer with a terrace house in Newtown, Sydney NSW wanted a yoga studio with bathroom in the backyard. With Backyard Pods, they were able to build what they wanted in a small backyard despite the difficult access. Interested in a backyard studio with a bathroom? Look at this one.
Bedroom and ensuite home extension 2.5m x 5m + 4m x 7m L-shaped in Bonville cladding at Croydon, Sydney NSW
This approved bedroom and ensuite extension at Croydon in Sydney NSW was built more cost-effectively using Backyard Pod kits for the new structures, then fitting out the interior as normal. People wanting to extend their primary residence can also consider turning the pod into a home extension rather than creating a separate building.
Bathroom and laundry pod 3m x 3m with IKEA fit-out
Great IKEA bathroom and laundry pod for your backyard, DIY kits or full installation. Add an extra bathroom or provide separate facilities.
How much to build a bathroom pod?
The Backyard Pod kits for bathroom pods start from just a few thousand dollars. No slab is needed, and in some cases, you might not need approval (but ALWAYS check with a professional before making assumptions about your own property because in most areas building works are strictly controlled).
Most of the cost involved in building a bathroom pod is associated with the plumbing and electrical connections needed to make your bathroom pod functional. Modular bathrooms and bathroom fittings can be purchased from Bunnings, Mitre 10, IKEA, Highgrove, WHO, Reece, and many other suppliers but beware DIY, as any bathroom pod needs to be waterproofed just like any bathroom in your main house. Every property is different, so you really need to get individual quotes from plumbers and electricians. For example, the relevant tradespeople will need to consider the distance away from your main electrical wiring, and your main water supply and wastewater system (including perhaps a sewerage connection if you’re not using a Saniflow system). That’s why builders and tradespeople usually need to visit your site in person before quoting.
Are bathroom pod kits cheaper than home extensions?
The cheapest certifiable structure you can build on your land in Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Wollongong, or anywhere on the eastern side of Australia is by using a Backyard Pod flat-pack modular building kit as your starting point for a bathroom pod.
Do bathroom pods need approval?
Depending on the size of structure, in many areas it’s possible to build the backyard room big enough for a bathroom pod without needing approval. And because people are people, some people are building structures without approval (as a shed or storage room) but then getting a bathroom installed inside of it without asking anyone.
If you buy a Backyard Pod with the intention of turning it into a bathroom, maybe nobody knows and if nothing bad ever happens and nobody ever reports you to the authorities, there’s a chance you might even get away with it. BUT we would never advise anyone to build a bathroom pod without getting approval. Why? Because lots of things can go wrong in the bathroom. For example, what if someone slipped over in the bathroom pod and suffered an injury? The bathroom pod probably wouldn’t have any insurance coverage if the bathroom was never certified as safe for humans to use as a bathroom. This is just one of the MANY reasons why anyone thinking about putting an extra bathroom in their backyard at low cost needs to address building compliance.
Also, in most residential areas, the bathroom pod will need to be connected to the main water supply, wastewater, and sewerage system. So, even if the structure for your bathroom pod could be exempt from building approval (depending on location and specifications), the connection to services must be approved and certified. The cost of trench-digging and pipe-laying for sewerage connections can be reduced significantly by using a Saniflow unit in many instances.
If you need help, just ask us about backyard bathroom approvals.
