Tips for Placing Units

No wedding guest in heels wants to trek through a muddy path to the portable toilet, and PROs don’t want truck tires buried in mud. Portable restroom operators consider good placement of their portable toilets a top priority. However, many customers planning an event offer little information, except that they want the porta-potties out of sight. Ensuring proper placement satisfies your customer’s needs and meets guest expectations. At the same time, preparing for unexpected weather, taking measures to prevent tip-overs, and placing units for easy servicing is crucial.

Work with Your Customer and Event Planner

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the layout. For large projects with multiple units, it’s helpful to have a site map showing the entrance, food and beverage areas and so forth. Knowing the location of truck entrances and ongoing construction work is essential for job site placement.

• Listen to your client. Let them offer opinions, even if you disagree. Listening is part of excellent customer service and creates a better experience. Your clients know the area and may have used portable toilets in the past.
• Ask questions. Ask if you have your customer’s permission to stake the unit down or if any enclosures are available.
• Work the upsell. Several industry experts recommend charging for stake tie-downs as an extra measure of insurance. Other PROs offer add-ons like walkways to units or additional lighting. If you’re working under unsure weather conditions or your client desires a higher level of security against problems, use this area to upsell.

Consider the Physical Aspects of Placement

Choose level ground. Ideally, a paved surface is your best option. However, consider other types of installation and how location affects your guests, workers, and assets.

1. Consider servicing accessibility. Getting your truck stuck in mud during or before an event is a worst-case scenario because it eats up time and creates a mess. Choose your site carefully by looking at ways your workers and vehicles access the area.
2. Place against structures. Using a building wall is almost always your best choice as you’re able to line up and secure several portable toilets against the wall. Guests appreciate the added privacy, and it lends wind protection to one side of the unit.
3. Stake down the unit. PROs prefer to stake down units as an added security measure. They know it’s not guaranteed to prevent all issues, but it’s one step that makes the unit harder to move. Eliminating trip hazards is essential, so you must be able to hammer stakes into the ground.
4. Use ratchet straps. Operators who can’t use stakes, whether due to customer preference or from placement on a solid surface, use straps to keep their unit in place. This method requires a sturdy structure, like a fence or tree.
5. Create a bank of units. Help prevent side-to-side tipping and make servicing units simple by grouping restrooms.
6. Place inside an enclosure. Always a preferred method as it offers maximum protection against the weather.

Special Considerations

• Entrances. Many guests want restrooms located near entrances and exits. These also tend to get the heaviest use. Be careful to spread these units out so that guests aren’t blocking the main entrance and exits.
• Rough terrain. Keep your units away from low, unpaved land, because rain could make the ground muddy. In turn, this creates messier than normal units and negative customer experience. Plus, your truck may not be able to get to the unit because it could get stuck.
• Prevent tip-overs. No PRO or customer wants to deal with problems stemming from tip-overs. Take special measures to avoid tip-overs by surveying your terrain and looking at which options best fit your needs.

Portable restroom operators know that placing units in the best spot is critical. Listen to your customer and use your previous experience to guide your decision. A prime location protects your asset, delivers a fantastic guest experience, and meets client expectations.

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