Forget about rinsing off with the garden hose. After a long day spent working outdoors under a hot sun, nothing beats an outdoor shower.

There are several different types of outdoor showers, but the most practical is an enclosed design attached to a house. It’s convenient, private, and the least expensive way to run hot water outdoors.

The minimum space that you need for an outdoor shower is 3 ft. sq., but go larger if you can. A shower enclosure measuring 4 ft. sq. offers a generous amount of elbow room. If an attached dressing area is in your plans, you’ll need a 7-ft.-long by 4-ft. wide area for the entire enclosure.

Creating a structure with roomy dimensions is, of course, just the first step. Smart design also requires paying attention to privacy, drainage, and weatherproofing. If you’re thinking about building an attached shower in your own backyard, follow these guidelines to ensure that you have a smart design.

Scout the right spot

Exterior walls directly outside kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are prime locations for an outdoor shower. Having a clear path to interior hot- and cold-water lines means less work for the plumber and a less expensive price tag for you. Plan to have an access panel, similar to those used for tub decks, on the interior wall behind the outdoor-shower fixture. This removable panel allows you to maintain the shower’s plumbing easily and to drain its water lines annually to prevent frozen pipes. If you’re unable to tie into interior water lines, there is a second option. To access water lines in the basement, a licensed plumber can drill two side-by-side, 1-in.-dia. holes through the house’s foundation and feed hot- and cold-water lines outside.

Create privacy

Design your shower’s enclosure with the most demure bather in mind. Before breaking ground, stand in the spot where you’ve decided to build the shower and take note of all sightlines, including nearby decks, treehouses, and upper-story windows. There are clever ways to block all these views without sacrificing the breezy feeling of showering in the great outdoors.