Outdoor Shower Installation in Charleston, SC
Outdoor Showers Rinse Off Before You Get in the Door
An outdoor shower is one of those things people put off and then wonder why they waited. Sand from Folly or the Isle of Palms stays outside. The dog gets rinsed before the rug does. After a day in the yard you are clean before you reach the back door.
We build the enclosure, run the hot and cold water and handle the drainage ourselves. The plumbing is done in-house by our own crew, the same as the gas and electrical on our kitchens and pavilions, so there is no waiting on a second trade to show up and finish someone else’s work.
Doug and Zach Cramer look at every shower themselves before quoting it, across Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach and Summerville.
What an Outdoor Shower Costs
Outdoor showers run from $6,000 to $15,000. Where a given shower falls depends on three things: how big it is, what the enclosure is built from, and what you stand on.
| Outdoor shower, installed | $6,000 – $15,000 |
|---|---|
| Pressure-treated enclosure | the budget end of that range |
| Sapele hardwood enclosure | the top of the range |
Ranges come from our own completed showers. The hardscape you stand on and the shower fixture you choose also move the number. Every quote comes after we see the spot.
The fixture is worth spending a little on. It is outside in salt air, it gets used wet and it is the one part of the shower you touch every single time.
A Daniel Island Shower We Built
We built this shower on Daniel Island in pressure-treated lumber and ran hot and cold water to it. The floor is travertine, set to match the pool deck. We also repositioned the gate.
The HOA had two conditions for approving it: the shower had to be painted Charleston green, and a plant had to go on the street side to screen it. While we were there, the client had us fix a section of the fence too.
Pressure-Treated or Sapele
We build enclosures from pressure-treated lumber or from sapele. Pressure-treated is the affordable option and it works. Sapele is a dense hardwood that costs considerably more and holds up better than anything else we use out here.
The honest answer on materials: any of them survive with proper maintenance, and none of them survive neglect. If you want the longest life with the least fuss, that is sapele. It is the same wood we used for the foot rail on the Summerville outdoor kitchen.
Hot and Cold, Not Cold Only
We plumb outdoor showers with hot and cold water. A cold-only shower gets used in August and then sits unused for eight months of the year. With hot water it stays useful in March and October, and it is a far better rinse after the beach.
Where the Water Goes
Most of our outdoor showers drain into a dry well. The water soaks away below grade instead of running across the yard, pooling against the house or killing the grass beside the slab. Getting that right matters more here than most places, since our water table is high and a shower that drains badly turns into a permanent wet spot.
Permits and HOA Approval
An outdoor shower does not require a permit. What it does sometimes require is HOA approval, particularly when the shower will be visible from the street. If your neighborhood has an architectural review, we will prepare and submit that application for you, the same as we do for pavilions and kitchens.
How We Build Yours
- We look at the spot. Consultation at your home. The consultation at your home is free around Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville. For Kiawah, Seabrook, Wadmalaw and Awendaw, or anywhere else more than an hour from Charleston or Summerville, there is a charge for the proposal trip. It comes off the price if you go ahead with the build, and it is not refundable if you do not. Where the water line runs, where the sun hits, what the neighbors can see, and where the water will go.
- You pick the materials. Pressure-treated or sapele for the enclosure, the hardscape underfoot and the fixture.
- HOA paperwork, if you need it. We prepare and submit the application.
- We plumb it. Hot and cold, run by our own crew, with the dry well set for drainage.
- We build the enclosure and finish the surface you stand on.
Outdoor showers pair naturally with the rest of a backyard project. Ours most often go in alongside a pool pavilion, a paver patio or a pool deck.
Serving Charleston & Coastal Communities
Cramers Landscaping proudly provides custom outdoor shower installation services throughout Charleston and the Lowcountry, including:
We understand the specific needs of coastal properties and deliver outdoor shower installations built to withstand salt air, humidity, and frequent use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an outdoor shower cost in Charleston?
Ours run from $6,000 to $15,000 installed. Size and material drive the number: a pressure-treated enclosure sits at the affordable end and sapele hardwood at the top. The hardscape underfoot and the shower fixture also move it.
Should an outdoor shower have hot water?
Yes. We plumb hot and cold rather than cold only. A cold-only shower gets used in high summer and ignored the rest of the year, while hot water keeps it useful in spring and fall and makes it a much better rinse after the beach.
How does an outdoor shower drain?
Most of our outdoor showers drain to a dry well, so the water soaks away below grade instead of running across the yard or pooling against the house. That matters here, where the water table is high.
Do you need a permit for an outdoor shower in Charleston?
No permit is required. Some HOAs do want approval, especially if the shower is visible from the street, and we will prepare and submit that application for you.
What is the best wood for an outdoor shower on the coast?
Any material lasts with proper maintenance, but hardwoods hold up best. We build enclosures from pressure-treated lumber or sapele, and sapele offers the best longevity of anything we use.
Request Outdoor Shower Consultation
Ready to add an outdoor shower? Tell us where it would go and what you want it built from. We build the enclosure, run the hot and cold water and handle the drainage with our own crew.
Call or text Doug at (843) 614-9773, or request a consultation.
The consultation at your home is free around Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville. For Kiawah, Seabrook, Wadmalaw and Awendaw, or anywhere else more than an hour from Charleston or Summerville, there’s a charge for the proposal trip. It comes off the price if you go ahead with the build, and it is not refundable if you do not.