Warriewood resident Jo Hunt is in the process of renovating her bathroom. She estimates she has about a week to go until completion but in the meantime she and her family have to contend with living in a house with no bathroom facilities.

"When all is said and done our new bathroom will cost $20,000, which is pretty good, but we really didn't want to increase the cost by having to rent somewhere else while the work was being done," said Jo.
"And with four of us, we couldn't possibly impose on our neighbours for a month and expect to use their bathroom all that time."

To ensure they could live in the house throughout the renovation period, Jo investigated a number of portable bathroom options including chemical toilets and camp showers.

"I didn't like the fact that we would have to empty the chemical toilet ourselves and I definitely didn't want to shower from a bag hanging for a tree out the back." she said.
"So, not being particularly keen on the camping alternatives I then searched the internet in the hope of finding at least a portaloo."

In fact, Jo struck gold. " I found the most incredible invention from a Sydney company called Sydney Bathroom Hire that is a complete bathroom on wheels including a shower, basin, light, fan heater and best of all, a flushing toilet," Jo said.

Describing the unit as a "horse float" due to it's elongated appearance, Jo said it easily fits in her driveway and is connected to all the necessary services.

"it's connected to our sewer, electricity and water via the garden hose". she said. "In fact, compared to our old bathroom, it's a palace."

Meanwhile, the hunt's new bathroom is starting to take shape. With a week to go before B-day, Jo said her design has been beautifully reproduced by local builder David Whitemore.

"David's a local bathroom renovator and he gets all his work through word of mouth. "I knew what I wanted so I designed it all myself because I thought, it's only a small bathroom so there can't be much to decide on. "I was wrong. A plug is not just a plug, and toilets just ain't toilets anymore. "in the end, we went to Hardware & General (in Brookvale) and they helped us choose all our fittings and fixtures.
"they've got this fabulous set-up in the tap shop, with a shallow pool over which sits an array of showerheads. You can put your hand under each showerhead when its running to choose the one that suits."

Jo said her former bathroom was only 17 years old but already the tiles were lifting, the bath was chopped and the shower screen was so "off track" that she was continually getting locked in.

She is hoping her new, all white "executive" bathroom will last the distance.

Article by Amanda Davey.
Photos by Virginia Young
Article courtesy of The Manly Daily, Thursday March 4, 2010. Page 18