Portable Restrooms Renter's Guide

A Portable Restroom Solution Renter's Guide

When it comes to planning an event or working in a remote location, there’s one common solution when it comes to restrooms for guests or employees: Portable Restrooms (aka. Porta Potties). These solutions are perfect for temporary needs and offer a lot of value for the price. 

Portable restroom: A movable bathroom that can be used for different events and is at least outfitted with a toilet. They are often constructed out of hard plastic and are made to withstand frequent use and outdoor weather. 

What are Portable Restrooms Used For?

Potable restrooms are used every day for common things like:

• Construction Sites
• Festivals
• Farms and Agriculture
• Disaster Relief
• Concerts
• Outdoor Sports Events
• Beach Areas
• Camping Site and Nature Sites
• Film and Television Sites
• Fairs
• Weddings
• And more!

Portable restrooms are used in these situations because otherwise, no bathroom would be available. For jobs like construction, restrooms are required for the job site. They are a cost-effective solution and are adaptable to different situations.

Benefits of Portable Restrooms

Portable restrooms are an essential choice for a wide variety of situations due to their numerous advantages. Here are some of the top benefits you should understand if you are considering portable restrooms.

Cost-Effectiveness

Most portable restrooms cost a couple hundred dollars to rent and service each month. A provider will install the restroom and service it periodically for you. You can rent for months at a time as well as just for the day if you need to. This is much cheaper than trying to get a mobile office with an installed bathroom, and you can have more bathrooms for the price.  

Flexibility and Convenience

One of the biggest benefits for most businesses besides cost is the convenience factor of using these units. These restrooms can be deployed on the same day and can be placed in many different locations. This makes them ideal for both a construction site and a festival in the desert.

Reduced Burden on Existing Facilities

The restroom facilities at large events or during significant gatherings can become overcrowded. As a result, portable restrooms alleviate this burden, prevent overcrowding, and provide a better experience for customers or patrons.

Improved Sanitation

In remote or temporary locations, portable restrooms are crucial for maintaining hygiene. Proper sanitation facilities prevent the spread of bacteria and diseases. A regularly maintained portable restroom ensures a clean and hygienic environment.

Improve Customer Experience

While it is true that portable restrooms are not the height of luxury, they beat the alternative of not having bathrooms or subpar facilities. If you want to spend the money, you can even have features like air conditioning, heating, lighting, running water, mirrors, and more. Just because you use a portable restroom doesn’t mean you have to skip essentials.

Accessibility Features

Not all portable restrooms have accessibility features, however, they can be outfitted to be accessible to those with disabilities, this may cost you an extra fee but you can still provide bathrooms for those who need them at a fraction of the price.

Types of Portable Restrooms

There are a few common types of portable restrooms that you should be familiar with as these are provided by most suppliers. Understanding the different options in the market can help you make the best decision for your event or job site.

Standard Portable Restrooms

The toilets are constructed out of plastic and contain essentially a toilet and maybe a faucet of some kind (although they are often not hooked up to water). According to Purchasing.com, sizing is around 88”x44”x48”, and can hold one person and have a holding tank attached. They are equipped with a door that locks from the inside, ventilation, and may contain hand sanitizer if they do not have running water.

Deluxe Portable Restrooms

These models are slightly larger and contain more features like running water sinks, lighting, AC/Heating, and more. Essentially, these units offer more features commonly found in a regular bathroom. These can be better options for nicer outdoor events or job sites where handwashing is a must like agriculture. 

Most portable restrooms are a combination of features are one of these versions. Not all porta potties need to be deluxe in order to flush. You’ll often find mix like at United Rentals:

ADA-Compliant Portable Restrooms

The units are designed with accessibility in mind in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to being larger than standard units, these units have wheelchair-accessible doors and more spacious interiors.

Rolling Portable Restrooms

[see the above screenshot for example]

These units are virtually the same as a standard model or deluxe version (dependent on the provider) however, they come with the ability to be rolled. They are equipped with wheels and are maneuverable from place to place.

Portable Restroom Trailers

Restroom trailers are larger and more elaborate than standalone portable toilets. They resemble conventional bathrooms, with stalls/urinals, and sinks, and often have climate control.

You’ll also find portable restrooms that are attached to a trailer or could have a high rise or crane hook to be lifted, and other such features. These are geared towards more remote work sites instead of events.

Rent Vs. Buying a Portable Restroom

Most companies opt to rent their portable restroom because it is often cheaper and easier to rent a porta-potty. You don’t have to worry about the setup and waste management when you rent. Even companies that do buy a porta-potty oftentimes still have to contract out part of the waste management of the restroom, so you don’t end up saving that much money in the long run. Not only that, but you also don’t have to worry about upkeeping the restroom and making sure it is in proper working order. Most portable restrooms can be rented for a couple of hundred dollars a month per device and purchasing one can cost $700+ for a new unit. You can also only rent a porta-potty for a day or two at a time, which is much more cost-efficient than paying outright for a unit.

Factors to Consider When Renting Portable Restrooms

There are some critical elements to consider when choosing a portable restroom. These include things like:

Maintenance and Servicing

There are specific requirements mandated by OSHA, the USDA, and others on maintaining and servicing portable restrooms on job sites. Most of the time, portable restrooms need to be serviced at least once a week. For large events, a service provider may need to come out multiple times a day and make sure those portable restrooms are in working order. This should also include things like delivery, setup, maintenance, and removal of the portable restrooms.

Number of Units Needed

The larger the event or job site, the more units you will need. For instance, an event that lasts 3 hours and only 50 people are attending can probably get away with 2 porta-potty. A job site with 100 workers will most likely need 10 porta-potty. There isn’t some formula for this solution that will work perfectly every time. However, there is a general guide that United Rentals offers that you can check out here.

Regulations and Compliance

Before hosting an event or implementing portable restrooms you’ll want to check your local laws and regulations first. This is especially true for job site usage, as you’ll want to make sure you have the proper number of units. Some areas may have specific requirements regarding the placement, servicing, and accessibility of these units. They may also have certain requirements about waste management.

Choosing the Right Provider

The right provider will be forthcoming with their fees and costs for setup and delivery. Make sure to review your contract before signing and look at reviews of providers in your area. They should also be able to provide you with a wide variety of portable restroom choices. You don’t want your event to be hampered by a careless provider.

Looking for a Provider? 

360Connect can help you! Just fill out our 1–2-minute form and we’ll contact you to verify your information and needs. From there, you’ll be able to receive up to 5 quotes from qualified suppliers for free! It’s that easy!