Prefabricated bathroom assembly and methods of its manufacture and installation

Abstract

A prefabricated bathroom assembly and methods for its manufacture and installation are disclosed. The prefabricated bathroom assembly preferably includes at least some of the same or similar building materials (e.g., stud construction, tile finishing, wallpaper, and floor-mounted toilets) traditionally used for on-site construction, in order to provide maximal aesthetic quality and comfort as well as the ability for a purchaser to customize the design. The bathroom assembly is preferably pre-fabricated substantially in its entirety off-site for delivery to the site in a single piece, and needing only fastening into place and connection to utilities at the site in order to complete the installation. In an embodiment, a prefabricated bathroom with a low-profile floor is provided that complies with applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). In another embodiment, Computer Aided Design (“CAD”) technology is used in the design of the prefabricated bathroom assembly.

1 . A prefabricated bathroom assembly, comprising:
 a frame comprising a plurality of studs, said frame housing at least one of a toilet, shower, bathtub, and vanity; and   a floor fixed to said frame, said floor comprising a honeycomb composite and a floor finishing material, said floor finishing material fixed to a top of said honeycomb composite,   wherein said prefabricated bathroom assembly is substantially entirely fabricated off site for delivery to a construction site.   
     
     
         2 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein said honeycomb composite comprises polypropylene honeycomb. 
     
     
         3 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 2  wherein said polypropylene honeycomb has a height of about 0.5 to 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 2  wherein said floor finishing material comprises tile. 
     
     
         5 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 4  further comprising an adhesive for fixing said tile to said polypropylene honeycomb. 
     
     
         6 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein said floor comprises a height no more than ½ inch higher than a floor in an adjacent room. 
     
     
         7 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said studs is pre-formed with at least one hole for making a connection to another stud or fixture or for forming a pathway for a plumbing or electrical line. 
     
     
         8 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said studs only includes pre-drilled hole(s) that are actually used in said prefabricated bathroom assembly once said prefabricated bathroom assembly is assembled, installed, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein said frame comprises at least one pre-engineered wall assembly that is fixed to said floor with an adhesive or fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  wherein said floor comprises at least one cutout for plumbing, said at least one cutout selected from the group consisting of a cutout for a plumbing line connected to toilet, a cutout for a plumbing line connected to a vanity, and a cutout for a plumbing line connected to a shower. 
     
     
         11 . The prefabricated bathroom assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an integral roller mechanism and mechanical lift for facilitating transportation to and final placement of said prefabricated bathroom assembly at said construction site. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a bathroom assembly, said method comprising:
 substantially entirely fabricating said bathroom assembly off site relative to a construction site for delivery to said construction site, said substantially entirely fabricating said bathroom assembly comprising:
 assembling a frame comprising a plurality of studs, said frame for housing at least one of a toilet, shower, bathtub, and vanity; and 
 fixing a floor to said frame, said floor comprising a honeycomb composite and a floor finishing material, said floor finishing material fixed to a top of said honeycomb composite. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said fixing a floor to said frame comprises fixing a floor comprising polypropylene honeycomb to said frame. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said fixing a floor comprising polypropylene honeycomb to said frame comprises fixing a floor comprising polypropylene honeycomb with a height of about 0.5 to 1.5 inches to said frame. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said fixing a floor to said frame comprises fixing a floor comprising polypropylene honeycomb and tile to said frame. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising fixing said tile to said polypropylene honeycomb with an adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising exposing said tile, said polypropylene honeycomb, and said adhesive to ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising pre-forming at least one of said studs with at least one hole for making a connection to another stud or fixture or for forming a pathway for a plumbing or electrical line. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said assembling said frame comprises pre-engineering at least one wall assembly and wherein fixing said floor to said frame comprises fixing said wall assembly to said floor with an adhesive or fastener. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said pre-engineering said at least one wall assembly comprises cutting a wall panel of said wall assembly with a computer-controlled cutter. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising forming in said floor at least one cutout for plumbing, said at least one cutout selected from the group consisting of a cutout for plumbing line connected to toilet, a cutout for plumbing line connected to a vanity, and a cutout for a plumbing line connected to a shower. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising fixing at least one roller mechanism and mechanical lift to said prefabricated bathroom assembly in order to facilitate transportation to and final placement of said prefabricated bathroom assembly at said construction site. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising designing said bathroom assembly through the use of Computer Aided Design (“CAD”) technology.