When considering the management of waste in your tiny house, one almost immediately thinks of the toilet. Perhaps the most daunting waste to manage and the least pleasant to entertain thoughts on. If you have the ability to connect to a septic system (meaning where you’re parking your tiny house is hooked up to a sewer system or has a septic tank you can splice into) you can install a flushing toilet.
However if you are unable to access or install a septic, then you may want to consider using a black water tank. When the black tank is full, it will need to be dumped in a specified locations. Often chemicals are recommended to keep odors down. If you are going off grid your options are fairly tricky. This is why many who boondock or live off-grid use alternative toilets.
The expense of the toilet unit with using a septic or tank is the same ranging from around $100+ for a Dometic plastic RV commode, all the way up to a very high-end Toto Neorest . Here at Tiny SMART House we offer a standard option of a porcelain home toilet.
The great thing about flushable toilets is the ability to retrofit the tank with a sink, like Sink Positives. The cost for black tanks themselves will depend upon capacity, typically around $250. Septic systems vary immensely for cost of installation. Variations can depend on location and if they are often compatible with the differing types of terrain.
Have more questions about pottys? Check out Potty Questions – Composting Toilets or Potty Questions – Incinerating Toilets
Guest blog by Shana Hirst.