How Much Do Composting Toilets Cost?
When pricing a toilet composting system, you should keep in mind what the costs would be both long term and in comparison to a septic of sewage system. For example, most composting toilet systems will be between 25% to 75% less expensive than installing a septic system on your property. And that is just for the upfront costs. Composting toilets will continue to save money over the years on water costs, while also producing a valuable soil additive (humus).
If you are flexible and handy with tools, you can build a compost toilet yourself for under $50. The popular “Five Gallon Bucket” compost toilet can be put together in a matter of hours and be ready to use the same day you build it (to see instructions and plans, read “How to Build a Compost Toilet“). However, do not expect these models to pass building code requirements, and also be aware that they require quite a bit more labor and maintenance than their manufactured cousins. These models may not be well suited to many households, especially those with regular use by multiple persons.
The next step up in composting toilets are the portable composting toilet models that are popular with boaters, RV’s and even campers. Some models are suitable for home use as well, while others are meant for outdoor applications. The self-contained “mobile” models produced by the popular composting toilet manufacturer Sun-Mar starts at about $1300 USD.
The most affordable self-contained composting toilet models tend to be just a bit more. These models are built for home use, although the cheaper models tend to be sized for only a couple of users and occasional use. (For more help in sizing your composting toilet to your needs, please read the “Guide to Purchasing a Composting Toilet“). For example, the BioLet 10 (the smallest model produced by BioLet) starts at about $1700, and Sun-Mar has a “Compact” self-contained model that runs about $1400 USD.
For an average family of four, however, these smaller models would not suffice. Most likely they would need a “remote” composting system (see “Types of Composting Systems” for a complete explanation of the differences between these systems). These models run quite a bit more. Sun-Mar’s Centrex 2000 AF which is built for regular use by four to six individuals costs about $1800 USD. This does not include installation costs, however, which may be considerable depending on where you are choosing to locate the reactor chamber. If you are not interested in a remote system, you should consider the BioLet 60XL, a large self-contained model meant for constant use by four individuals and costing around $2200.
None of these prices include shipping or installation costs, so that will need to be included in the budgeting for a composting toilet.
Although when you are initially shopping for a composting toilet the price may seem high compared to a flush toilet, once you factor in the costs of sewage or septic system construction, fees and maintenance, water costs, and also consider the environmental and social costs of using a flush toilet (For more on these costs, read “What is Wrong with a Flush Toilet” and “What are the Environmental Benefits of Composting Toilets“) you will see that a composting toilet is actually a very sound investment for your family.
For more information about composting toilets, please visit the Toilet Composting Home Page.
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