Office Restroom Fit-Out: Standards & Tips

Running a business means creating conditions for staff to work effectively and for clients to feel at ease, which makes a quality office renovation especially important. Attention should go not only to a functional workspace design but also to the office restroom — a detail that is often overlooked, even though it shapes visitors’ impression of the company.

The good news: an office restroom doesn’t always require huge investment. A budget renovation can look no worse than an expensive one — provided it is done in line with the demands of aesthetics, convenience and practicality. In this guide we cover the standards, layout, choice of materials and plumbing, and the details that raise comfort.

Office restroom standards: how many fixtures you need

An office restroom fit-out is governed by state standards — primarily DBN V.2.2-28:2010 (“Buildings and structures. Administrative and household buildings”). They define how many sanitary fixtures are required depending on the number of staff.

An approximate calculation for administrative buildings:

• one sanitary fixture per 50 people in men’s restrooms;
• one sanitary fixture per 30 people in women’s restrooms;
• in men’s restrooms the number of urinals is taken as equal to the number of toilets (or one more for an odd total);
• if there are 15 or fewer male staff, urinals may be omitted.

These are baseline benchmarks — the exact calculation depends on staff numbers, building type and layout, so it is done at the design stage. Before the work, it is worth checking against the current edition of the DBN, since standards are updated periodically.

Layout: men’s and women’s zones

When fitting out a restroom, it is important to look after visitor comfort. Budget permitting, it is worth arranging separate sanitary zones for men and women. This also affects the equipment set: besides toilets, it makes sense to provide urinals and, where possible, bidets.

The layout is convenient to plan as early as the design stage, when cubicles, sinks and connection points can be placed optimally relative to the risers. This is where the water routing and drainage are set — and they determine how convenient and reliable the restroom will be in use.

Finishing materials: practicality first

A restroom is a public-use space, so the risk of damage here is higher. Finishing materials should be chosen on the principle of practicality:

• Repairability. Choose floor, wall, ceiling and partition finishes that can be quickly washed, repaired or replaced.
• Load resistance. Colours and materials must withstand a high level of operational load.
• Non-marking colours. It is best to choose a palette of shades that hide traces of dirt — streaks, shoe marks and so on. This matters especially given the high traffic and possible delays in the cleaning schedule.

Practical finishing doesn’t mean dull: even in a budget restroom, a combination of tidy, non-marking materials and thoughtful design looks decent.

Plumbing and ventilation

Plumbing for an office restroom should be chosen with reliability, convenience and simplicity in mind. Visitors shouldn’t feel confused trying to work out how a particular sink or toilet operates — everything should be intuitive.

A separate important requirement is a quality ventilation system. A public-use space must not accumulate unpleasant odours: they create discomfort and leave a poor impression on visitors. That is why restroom ventilation is laid at the design stage, together with the other engineering networks.

Details that create comfort

Small touches in a restroom are noticed immediately, and it is these that show the company’s care for visitors:

• A mirror is an important part of the restroom interior. It should be of a suitable size, clean and understated; additional lighting in the mirror area is a nice touch.
• Housekeeping details — soap dispensers, paper towels, a hand dryer and so on. Their presence noticeably raises comfort and shows attention to people.

These elements cost little, but it is they that turn a functional restroom into a space that is pleasant to be in.

Restroom renovation: what to consider at the design stage

A restroom fit-out is best planned comprehensively and in advance — at the stage of preparing the design and the estimate. That is when the fixture-count standards, water routing, drainage and ventilation are accounted for, along with the choice of practical materials to fit the budget.

A restroom is a point where several engineering systems converge, so it makes sense to do it as part of a single complex of works. Partner Create delivers the full cycle — from design to completion — under general contracting. Examples of completed spaces are gathered in the office spaces portfolio.

Office restroom fit-out in brief

• The office restroom is governed by DBN V.2.2-28:2010; the benchmark is 1 fixture per 50 men and per 30 women.
• Separate men’s and women’s zones; toilets, urinals and bidets as needed.
• Materials should be practical, repairable and in non-marking colours that hide dirt.
• Plumbing should be reliable and simple to use; quality ventilation against odours is essential.
• Comfort is added by a mirror with lighting, soap dispensers, paper towels and a hand dryer.
• The restroom is planned comprehensively at the design stage, alongside the engineering networks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fit out your office restroom with Partner Create

A well-executed restroom fit-out combines standards, practical materials, reliable plumbing and attention to detail. Partner Create will design and deliver the restroom together with the water supply, sewerage and ventilation, and take responsibility for the result.

Explore our work in the portfolio, read useful materials on the blog, or get in touch to discuss your project. Call +38 050 388 24 49.

We also recommend Office Water Supply: Design & Installation and Office Sewerage: Design & Installation — these are what a reliable restroom rests on.