Need a downstairs toilet, en suite or bathroom in a loft, basement or garden room, but the nearest soil stack is too far away?
In many cases, a Saniflo can make it possible to add a bathroom anywhere conventional gravity drainage would be difficult or expensive.
Instead of relying on a large gravity soil pipe, a macerating pump moves waste through smaller discharge pipework to an existing drain or soil stack. This can mean less excavation, less structural work and more flexibility over where the bathroom goes.
Why Adding a Bathroom Anywhere Can Be Difficult
Traditionally, installing a bathroom in a non-plumbed area meant:
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Breaking through floors and slabs
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Running large gravity waste pipes
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Structural disruption and high labour costs
For many conversions or renovations, this made additional bathrooms impractical or uneconomical.
This is where a Saniflo macerating pump can provide a practical alternative.
A Smarter Alternative: The Saniflo Macerator System
A Saniflo macerating pump breaks down toilet waste and pumps it through small-diameter discharge pipework to the existing drainage system.
Depending on the model, the unit may also accept wastewater from a basin, shower, bath or bidet.
This can make it possible to add a bathroom below the main drain level, on an upper floor or in an internal room located away from the existing soil stack.
How the Macerator Works
The process is straightforward:
- 1 Wastewater enters Waste from the connected toilet and bathroom fittings enters the unit.
- 2 The macerator activates Pressure inside the unit automatically activates the motor and blades.
- 3 Waste is reduced The waste is broken down into a fine slurry that can travel through smaller pipework.
- 4 Waste is pumped away The pump discharges the waste through narrow pipework to the existing drainage system.
Where Can You Add a Bathroom with a Saniflo?
Saniflo systems can provide a practical solution for:
- Basement bathrooms
- Loft conversions
- Downstairs toilets
- Bedrooms and en suites
- Garages and garden rooms
- Office-to-residential conversions
- Commercial refurbishments
What Else Does the Room Need?
A Saniflo gives you more flexibility over where a bathroom can be positioned, but the room will still need a suitable water supply, electrical connection, ventilation and a route for the discharge pipe. The unit must also remain accessible for servicing and repairs.
The correct model will depend on the fittings being connected, the discharge distance and the available installation space, so suitability should be confirmed before installation begins.
Commercial Applications: Sanispeed+
Not every commercial application involves toilet waste. In cafés, offices, bars and dental surgeries, the Sanispeed+ provides a practical way to remove wastewater from sinks, basins, showers or appliances where conventional gravity drainage is difficult.
It can pump wastewater vertically up to 7 metres or horizontally up to 70 metres through 32 mm pipework. Its compact design allows it to be concealed beneath a counter or inside a cupboard, keeping the installation discreet and accessible for maintenance.
The Sanispeed+ handles grey water only, so a separate macerator or lifting station would be required where toilet waste is involved.
SaniAlarm: Early Warning Protection
A SaniAlarm provides an audible warning if the water level inside a compatible Saniflo unit rises unexpectedly. This can alert the user to a blockage or fault and help reduce the risk of an overflow.
Certain SaniAlarm models can also be connected to shut off an appliance or water supply, making them particularly useful in commercial or higher-risk installations.
Is a Saniflo Right for Your Project?
A Saniflo cannot make every location suitable for a bathroom, but it can overcome one of the biggest restrictions: access to conventional gravity drainage.
The right model will depend on the bathroom fittings, the proposed discharge route and the space available for installation and future servicing.
Explore the full Saniflo range to compare the available options.