Demountable GRP Bathroom Pods

Demand for factory-built bathrooms has continued to rise, as more contractors and developers recognise the speed and quality benefits of moving bathroom construction off site.

Bathroom pods have traditionally been limited to new build – the use of demountable bathroom pods has now extended the application of offsite to refurbishment projects.

Offsite Solutions’ demountable GRP pods are completely unique in the market. The award-winning sectional design allows its full range of GRP bathroom pods to be manufactured in a demountable format. No other pod manufacturer offers this level of design flexibility.

Site-built bathrooms on a typical residential scheme take 6-12 weeks to complete using multiple trades and a high level of site management and supervision. 10 demountable GRP pods can be delivered, sited and installed in just three days, with the superior quality of factory-built bathrooms and a single point of contact.

Around 1500 of Offsite Solutions’ demountable GRP pods are now in use so this is a proven product innovation.

This advancement in bathroom pod technology was also Highly Commended in the Product Innovation of the Year category at the Offsite Construction Awards.

Features include:

• A panelised construction comprising 5-7 sections for fast assembly
• The unique sectional design uses the shower tray to form part of the floor and the wall panels create the shower enclosure. Only the shower door is then installed on site
• Holes for sanitaryware pre-drilled to further reduce work on site
• Manufactured from GRP – very robust and used for projects where ease of maintenance and longevity are primary considerations
• Available in a wide variety of wall finishes – tile effect, matt or gloss and with feature recesses if required
• Specially-designed panel sizes – to ensure full access is achievable, such as via stairways or openings in the façade
• Completely vertical pod walls with 90° corners so integration is very simple, unlike pods created from complete GRP moulds which have tapered walls
• Available in the complete range of Offsite Solutions’ GRP bathroom pod designs. This level of design flexibility is unprecedented.

The Advantages

• Significant programme and quality advantages over site-based construction – demountable pods are delivered to site, positioned, reassembled and connected to M&E services
• Helping contractors to address skills shortages – bathroom pod manufacture uses highly skilled permanent staff working in a controlled factory environment and is not reliant on subcontracted labour
• Faster construction – 10 demountable pods can be delivered, sited and installed in just 3 days. Site-built bathrooms on a typical residential scheme take much longer to complete using multiple trades and requiring a high level of site management and supervision to maintain quality and health and safety
• Superior quality of factory-built bathrooms
• Greater certainty of completion on time and on budget – no reliance on multiple subcontractors to fit out the bathrooms
• Extending the use of off-site construction to refurbishment projects – as well as more challenging new build schemes with complex designs that can result in access constraints
• No compromise on design – the full range of GRP bathroom pods offered by Offsite Solutions is available in a demountable construction
• Cost reductions – on site preliminaries, waste removal and reduced snagging
• Improved health and safety on site – approx 80 hours for a site-constructed bathroom versus around 14 hours for a pod
• Improved technical performance
• Less impact on the environment – bathroom pods reduce on-site waste by up to 50% and generate less than 1% waste to landfill (source WRAP)
• A single point of contact for bathroom construction.

Applications

• Conversions from commercial to residential use
• Care homes
• Healthcare
• Social housing
• Military
• Student residences
• Hotels.

New Build Projects with Restricted Access

As well as refurbishment projects, demountable GRP pods are often used for new build schemes where pods may not have been considered at design inception. Some areas may not have access for siting an assembled pod, where there are beam locations, columns or a complex architectural design. The use of demountables for these areas, and pre-assembled pods for the rest of the building, means bathroom build quality is maintained across the whole project, with a single point of contact and significant programme savings

Managing Reassembly for a Seamless Service

Bathroom pods are installed by the main contractor but to maintain quality, Offsite Solutions offers an installation and reassembly service for its demountable bathroom pod solutions for a completely seamless service.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It!

Paul Miles, Head of Construction, Fusion Students:

“Building bathrooms on site for multi-occupancy buildings does not make sense in my view and I would always recommend a pod solution. The demountable pods are a clever way of overcoming any access issues to maximise offsite construction.”

“We think demountable pods are great. We have used them for office to student conversions where the bulk of pods are fully assembled but ceiling height restrictions in some areas make pods in a ‘kit form’ really beneficial. Demountables radically reduce work on site from 7-10 days for site-based bathroom construction to assembly in just 2-3 hours. In addition to the programme benefits, the quality control is much better and of factory standard. You cannot achieve this level of quality without off-site construction.”

Ian Packer, Senior Project Manager, ISG:

“If bathroom pods are procured at an early stage in the design, the build-up will allow access. But we have had isolated areas of a building where access is just not possible – and also where accessible pods have been too large for installation in a pre-assembled form. This is where demountable pods have been hugely beneficial.”

“Speed on site with a sectional form is still much faster because the number of operations, trades and drying periods are reduced to just one company and a single assembly operation. Why have up to 7 different trades and 10-15 operations on site when you can have just one? There is less risk of programme delay and quality control is far greater, mitigating defects and remedial works.”