A Los Angeles journalist faced a dilemma. After purchasing a home in 2007, he realized it needed a new bathroom. While contemplating how he wanted the bathroom to look and what materials and fixtures he wanted to install, it occurred to him that one of his dreams had always been to have a urinal in his master bath.
The contractor was more than happy to install one. However, a very successful real estate broker next door said that installing a home urinal was “absolutely” the wrong thing to do. It seems that for most people, urinals conjure up all kinds of unsanitary images. Ultimately, the journalist decided to let this dream go unfulfilled.
At about the same time, a woman in Ontario, Canada, told her designer that she wanted a home urinal installed in her new master bedroom, believing it would help keep the bathroom cleaner and more sanitary. “My husband’s aim isn’t that good,” she said. “So, it seems like a good solution.”
Overcoming Home Urinal Barriers
It’s true that many people, men as well as women, find the thought of installing a home urinal a bit grungy. It is not uncommon to find unsightly and unsanitary urinals in truck stops, gas stations, schools, sports arenas, and scores of other locations.
However, builders of high-end homes and apartments have found that today's consumers are more receptive to home urinals, often because they have seen elegant versions in luxury and boutique hotels.
Further, architects and designers report that in recent years, clients have been requesting home urinals more frequently. For example, Fenwick Bonnell (of Powell & Bonnell, a design firm in Toronto) reports that his company completed a recent renovation that included his-and-her bathrooms with a bidet for the lady and a urinal for the gentleman.
At another home, this one in Plano, Texas, a $3-million entertainment wing was added that included a urinal at the request of the homeowner. The addition’s designer, Ashley Astleford, said she was not surprised at the request because home urinals have become more common in recent years.
Cost and Installation Issues
Home urinals such as the upscale and stylish models described earlier typically range in price from $300 to $650 for waterless urinals. Water using urinals can range from $900 to $1,300 due to increased installation costs and flush mechanisms.
Waterless urinals tend to be less expensive to purchase and install because they have fewer plumbing requirements and do not need flush mechanisms, which can be costly.
Klaus Reichardt, CEO of Waterless Co., says that there are currently about 9 million urinals installed in the U.S., with about 260,000 new urinals installed annually. Although there are no exact figures, Reichardt's best guess would be that about 2 percent of U.S. homes currently have home urinals installed.
Go Ahead … Use My (Home) Urinal
Although no designer or home urinal manufacturer is predicting that home urinals will soon be found in all new homes or renovations, most agree that they will be increasingly in demand.
Some designers even recommend a home urinal for families with several boys, indicating it just makes sense to have one. Either way, homeowners considering the installation of a home urinal should do their homework and investigate the options, models, makes, and costs involved in such a decision, including any ongoing costs for traps/cylinders in the case of a no-water urinal. Some people may be surprised to find that a home urinal is just what they are looking for.
Home urinals are one of our specialties. To learn more about them, contact us here.
