I think our long-delayed construction of a new kind of bathroom is the figure for many people in old and smaller houses. Dan Rogers, a skilled carpenter and good friend, showed up this morning with $300 worth of shiplap wood and went to work.

We went out shopping to get some breakfast, and the structure was almost finished by the time we got home.

This kind of toilet has been around, but it is being discovered by people who live in old and tiny houses, where tearing up the plumbing is expensive and complicated. The toilet, which is standard size, is odorless and doesn’t need water.

Compost toilets range from $900 to $1,200.

The human waste goes into a closed compartment that absorbs the waste and the smell. We are putting in ventilation that will suck any oder out of the attic window. We’re getting absorbents that turn the waste into fertilizer. This option becomes increasingly popular as the world loses much of its water.

We expect this small bathroom in the corner of our sizeable upstairs bedroom will make life easy, safe, and respectful of the troubled environment.

Although peat moss is much easier to find and easy to use, some people prefer coco coir for their composting toilets.

Coco Coir absorbs both order and liquid. This is especially important when you have a newly potty-trained toddler.

Compost toilets have been used in camps, trucks, and recreational campers for years.   They have been steadily refined, most are odor-free, and new sprays keep the toilets clean. The reviews all say it is easy to care for the toilets, and they work efficiently and without trouble.

It’s a perfect setup for us, and working with Dan is a pleasure. He comes when he says he will, is as inexpensive as he can manage to be, and is a pleasure to know and talk to.

He has excellent and practical ideas, and he and Maria have straightforward conversations about his work. When I first moved here, most male workers were uncomfortable dealing with Mara; they were used to dealing with men. They ignored her at first, then got religion fast.

No sane carpenter wants to talk to me after just a few minutes of conversation. Dan says I am the kind of blank looks.

Dan was happy to talk to her from the beginning. They talk about carpenters and options. Old houses are often tricky, and a dozen problems always pop up. We’ll get through them.

Even a small bathroom like this raises questions about wood, electricity, ventilation, power, and light. Dan has figured it all out. They work efficiently together.

There is plenty of head and body room in this small enclosure, and we are putting an ancient outhouse door on the front. Dan has to build around it to make it fit, but we love it. We found it in the barn attic.

Dan is a joy to work with. I’m paying him for the materials; he can tell me when he needs more money. We’ll do it in chunks.

We expect Dan to get the structure up today and the ventilation and lighting next week. I need to paint it as well. Maria and I will do that.