Running water in the bar sounds like the ultimate upgrade: rinse glasses, wash hands, fill an ice bucket without walking back to the kitchen. It is also the fit-out job with the most moving parts, because water has to arrive, stay unfrozen and leave somewhere sensible.
Ask whether you need it
Many garden bars work perfectly with a crate of glasses carried back to the kitchen dishwasher. A sink makes sense when the bar is used often, is a long way from the house or will serve food. If it will be used a few times a summer, a water container with a tap and a bowl may be enough.
Getting water there
A permanent supply means running a pipe from the house supply to the bar, usually buried. Points to plan:
- Frost: pipes need to be laid deep enough or insulated so they do not freeze. Exposed pipework in an unheated building is vulnerable.
- Isolation: an isolating valve in the house lets you shut off and drain the bar supply for winter.
- Backflow: the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 set requirements to protect the public supply. Your water supplier can tell you what applies and whether notification is needed.
- Trenches: share trenches with the electrical supply only where the installers agree it is appropriate and the required separation is kept.
Getting water away
Waste water from a sink needs a proper route. Options include connecting to the house drains, a suitable soakaway or a sealed container you empty. Connecting to drains is drainage work covered by Building Regulations in England, and Approved Document H is the guidance. Don't simply let sink water run onto a lawn or into a surface-water drain, as it can carry detergents and food residue.
Hot water
Small under-sink or instantaneous electric heaters exist, but they add to the electrical load and need proper installation. Plan this with the electrician from the start. See power to a garden bar.
Winterising
If the bar is unheated, drain the supply before frosts arrive. Turn off the isolating valve, open the tap and leave it open. A split pipe in a timber building can soak the floor and contents before anyone notices. Our maintenance calendar has a reminder.
Simpler options
- A freestanding sink unit with a water container and a waste container.
- An outdoor tap at the house end and a hose to fill a container.
- A glass rinser on a tray, emptied after each evening.
Price the trenching, plumbing and drainage before deciding. If the sink costs more than the counter, a well-organised crate run to the kitchen may be the better answer.
Sources
Primary guidance checked 10 November 2026.