ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Is it a bathroom?

My customer wants to do a remodel, and "bring it up to code".

There is one small room on the first floor (2 stories) that has a toilet and an overhead pull-chain light. No vanity, no sink, no outlets.

Question is, do I need to run a dedicated, 20A GFI outlet circuit to this room?

Thanks for replies - this question is more philosophical than reality - AHJ is very loose out here in rural Maine!

Nope.

That is a water closet. A "bathroom" requires a basin.

Just don't shake hands with anyone who may emerge from said room!

This gets confusing when there is a water closet and a vanity in the next room without a tub or shower (like a pool cabana). At that point all you can do is call it a wet bar and get your GFCI but you still can't get the 20a circuit.

If you have a water closet and a vanity in the next room, in my opinion you have a bathroom. Notice that bathroom is defined as an area, not as a room.

I agree but I have seen it go the other way.

Next room is the kitchen - real bath is upstairs.....

Nearest place to wash hands is the kitchen sink! - no other facility on that floor!

I'm going to call it a water closet, no outlet, and proceed.......

Thanks for comments gang!

Off topic, but that sounds bad, someone could use toilet and cook without washing hands, or why would you want food washed in sink or dishes washed in sink where one washes hands after using toilet?