# Restaurant: Urinal + WC in Men's Single Accommodation Restroom



## garrett (Jun 15, 2011)

I am in CA,

We use CPC CH. 4, Table A to determine occupant load,

Then look at Table 4-1 to determine fixture requirements.

A small 2000 SF Restaurant, total (Table A) occupant load = 44.

Divide by 2, = 22 men, 22 women.

This means I must have separate facilities for each sex (don't qualify for exceptions in 412.3)

So, Table 4-1 find "Restaurants, pubs, and lounges" and you see:

Water Closets: Need 1:1-50 Male, & 1:1-50 Female.

But _ALSO_, says Urinal: 1:1-50 Male.

*Finally my question:*

If it is a single accommodation restroom, you go in and lock the door,

why do I need both a toilet and a urinal? Can't I just use the toilet?

This has a few implications:

1). The mens restroom is larger in space to fit the urinal in there.

2). The mens restroom has two fixtures but the women only one (why do we need more).

3). Now the mens restroom requires the addition of a floor drain w/ trap primer per 411.2

4). Now the floor in the men's room must slope toward the floor drain per 411.4.

5). I can't keep all the plumbing fixtures in a nice clean line along the back wall due to space clearance issues.

6). Why can't I pee in the toilet if I am the only person in the restroom?

Do the inspectors/building officials have a stance on this issue?

Would you waive the requirement for a urinal in this instance?

Thanks.

g


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## mark handler (Jun 15, 2011)

1). The mens restroom is larger in space to fit the urinal in there.

*Yes*

 2). The mens restroom has two fixtures but the women only one (why do we need more).

*"potty parity, womans fixtures count must equal mens fixtures count *

 3). Now the mens restroom requires the addition of a floor drain w/ trap primer per 411.2

*Yes*

 4). Now the floor in the men's room must slope toward the floor drain per 411.4.

*Yes*

 5). I can't keep all the plumbing fixtures in a nice clean line along the back wall due to space clearance issues.

*Okay, and ?*

 6). Why can't I pee in the toilet if I am the only person in the restroom?

*You can, but you need the urinals for the men*

Do the inspectors/building officials have a stance on this issue?

*Some do, some don't, Some disregard the code, others enforce it*


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## garrett (Jun 15, 2011)

On the Potty Parity thing...

CPC Table 4-1, Footnote 14 does say:

"The total number of water closets for females shall be equal to the total number of water closets and urinals required for males. This requirement shall not apply to Retail or Wholesale Stores."

But what the hell?

If the single-accomodation men's room is required to have both a toilet & urinal as I outlined above,

then Footnote 14 requires that the women's restroom needs 2 toilets!

But the Table itself says I need just one women's toilet.

This is one of those Code issues that definitely makes no sense. Non-sense.


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## JBI (Jun 15, 2011)

Not being a 'left-coaster' I can only guess, but it may have to do with water consumption.

PS - they do make womens' urinals... just saying.

EDIT: We don't have the same req's... urinals are optional here. JBI


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## jeharrarch (Jun 16, 2011)

I think that JBI is right - it seems to be a water consumption thing. I wonder if a dual flush toilet would satisfy the intent...


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## mark handler (Jun 16, 2011)

There are other issues we do not know, one is, do they have beer and wine sales?

If so, Alcohol beverage control, in CA, requires the urinal.


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## mtlogcabin (Jun 16, 2011)

We have the same requirement in Mt. for reastaurants and places serving alcohol for consumtion on premises. Not sure why, it is over 20 years old so I doubt it has to do with water conservation for Mt.

The urinal and floor drain add about $450.00 to the impact fees charged by Public Works.


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## Examiner (Jun 16, 2011)

Watch out for the floor slopes to the floor drains.  No more than 2% otherwise you will have issues with accessibility as well as means of egress cross slope in both Codes.

The 2006 IPC as I recall does not require floor drains in restrooms as did the SPC.  If the AHJ requires one then we make the floors no more than 2% slope for the side with the shortest distance to the drain.  If you make one of the longer distances the 2% then a shorter distance to the drain will exceed 2%.

Yep, did a Civil case on this due to a fall and the plaintiff won.  I was hired by the plaintiff.


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## peach (Jun 22, 2011)

silly footnotes... that's where you'll find the "answer" in many, many ICC tests... (part of the code).

Here, where I work, it is not lawful to designate single user toilet rooms as "mens" and "womens"; single user facility are all unisex.


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## steveray (Jun 29, 2011)

peach said:
			
		

> silly footnotes... that's where you'll find the "answer" in many, many ICC tests... (part of the code).Here, where I work, it is not lawful to designate single user toilet rooms as "mens" and "womens"; single user facility are all unisex.


Why is that Peach? Are not the "separate facilities" required?.....And if it only needs one fixture (W/C) for each???


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## RJJ (Jun 29, 2011)

Steeray: Good question!


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