Can Treehouses Have Bathrooms?

When you hear of the word treehouse, many of us would have childhood flashbacks of the great times we’ve spent in a secret hideout built on a tree in our yards. Today, modern treehouses have become more of a luxury escape.

Although treehouses are still commonly built in the backyard of many family homes, these treehouses of today can feature more amenities and conveniences for people who wish to escape on an adventure. Unlike traditional treehouses, these modern treehouses will often have simple additions like plumbing and electricity.

Despite this, many first-time builders may then question, can treehouses have bathrooms? After all, there must be a reason why the advancement in plumbing for treehouses was made, right?

Thanks to a variety of modern-day changes, larger treehouses can now feature bathrooms with flushes and handle a variety of water waste issues that will make your hideout a more comfortable place to be.

Let’s look into how you can add a bathroom to a treehouse.

How Do You Get Plumbing for a Treehouse?

Gone are the days when treehouses were just structures made for children to build secret hideouts. Today, treehouses are becoming increasingly popular and have even been made into holiday homes in selected vacation spots worldwide.

Aside from being a unique place to live in, treehouses also add a touch of secrecy as you’ll get to hide away from the usual bustles of a home or hotel. For many first-time builders, however, you may wonder how you’ll get proper plumbing to work in a treehouse. Well, let’s see how it’s done.

With proper planning, getting running water to a treehouse is always possible. For starters, you may have to speak with the authorities so you could run your plumbing to the closest well or municipal water supply. Having the right permits will save you from getting in trouble with the law, an important point to keeping your treehouse legal.

Subsequently, you will then have to conceal the pipes in your treehouse, so the plumbing looks more well incorporated into your structure. Unless you are looking to have an exposed architecture to your treehouse – a look that may not bond well with the natural touch of treehouses, concealing the pipes will help make your treehouse look cozier and more thought out.

Once you have set up the plumbing, you can then look at adding a bathroom to your treehouse. This plan, however, should be prepared from the first day you’ve thought of building a treehouse, as you will have to take space planning and the actual building of the bathroom into consideration.

When you’re looking to add a bathroom to your treehouse, it will be good to consider the height of your treehouse. If your treehouse has been built too high up, it might be too difficult for the water pressure to build up and reach your treehouse. It’s usually recommended to keep your treehouse not more than 10 feet off the ground for safety concerns.

Separately, the added weight of the bathroom and plumbing may also be a concern when you’re building a treehouse. Hence, it’s important that you only fit in a bathroom to your treehouse if you have a sturdy tree that can withstand the load of your treehouse and the subsequent work required to sustain it.

If you’re not confident in building a bathroom in the treehouse by yourself, you could always look for an expert treehouse architect, engineers, carpenters, or builders for help. You may also want to speak to a professional arborist who can give you advice on how to build your treehouse without harming the health of the tree.

Dealing with Water Waste from a Treehouse

Now that you know that having a bathroom in treehouses is possible, you may wonder how these owners would deal with the water waste. Below, we’ll discuss some of the possible methods that some owners may use to resolve their issues with water waste:

Using a Septic Tank

In case of a lack of plumbing, some treehouse owners may consider installing a septic tank to their treehouse. This will help resolve the initial woes of not having proper plumbing as they can clear out the tank periodically. Separately, some owners may also utilize bacteria to help break down the organic waste in the tank before throwing it out.

Adopting Natural Water Purifying Methods

A good way to keep water purified is by adopting some plants in your treehouse. Water lilies are great picks as they will help purify any wastewater. Other selections include watercress plants, water celery, and floating pond plants. After all, not only are these plants simple to look after, they will also help add a touch of personalization to your treehouse.

What to Look out for When Building a Modern Treehouse

Simply put, treehouses with additional features are sometimes known as a modern treehouse. While they can still sit up on trees in your yard, you may want to put these items into consideration so you won’t have an issue keeping the structure up:

Permits

When you’re building a modern treehouse, it may be a good idea to get the right permits from your local municipal. This is important if you’re looking to get additional amenities like plumbing or electricity in your treehouse. After all, the last thing you’ll want is to be instructed to tear down your treehouse due to the lack of a permit from the authorities.

If you’re unsure about the right permits to apply for, it’s recommended that you call the relevant authorities to ask about the requirements during your build. Professional treehouse architects may also be able to assist you with your permit application, so don’t be shy to reach out for help when you need it.

Your Neighbor’s Consent

Sometimes, your neighbors may feel uncomfortable with a treehouse popping up in your backyard. Granted, your structure won’t disrupt their side of their yard, but your neighbors may worry about if you could peer into their homes from your treehouse. As a mark of respect to your neighbor’s privacy, it’s always best to speak to them before you build your treehouse.

When building a treehouse, it’s recommended that you speak to your neighbor to receive their consent. This is a great way to forge a relationship with your neighbor as well, and you never know if they may have tips on how to improve your treehouse.

Safety

Finally, you’ll want to ensure that the treehouse is built safe and sturdy. You may add bolts to secure your structure on the tree, or if you’re building a suspending treehouse, you’ll want to reduce the weight load that is hanging off the tree’s branch. Having a bathroom with plumbing may add to your treehouse’s weight, so you may have to keep this into consideration during planning.

Treehouses should not generally be built more than 10 feet off the ground for safety, and where possible, you may want to add reinforcement beams and other supporting structures to help your treehouse withstand harsh weather conditions. Although using bolts is a great way to keep your treehouse safe, it may harm the tree in the long run, so do use them with care.