Portable toilets have been in use since World War II. They were invented to use on ships so crews didn’t need to leave to use the restroom.
Porta potties have come a long way since those early wooden, foul-smelling designs. They’re a standard feature at events ranging from construction work to high-end outdoor weddings.
Despite porta potties appearing everywhere, most people don’t know the first thing about renting them. The primary thing people ask is, how much does it cost to rent a porta potty?
Luckily for you, we’ve got the answers you seek.
Things to Consider First
Renting a porta potty isn’t as straight forward as clicking on a company’s website and ordering a rental for the week.
Before you contact the rental company, you need to know a few things, first:
- What kind of event are you hosting?
- How many people will be in attendance? (Tip: Order one porta potty per 50 guests.)
- Are you expecting any disabled guests?
- How big is the event location?
- How far away is the nearest rental company?
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Porta Potty?
Once you know how many porta potties you’ll need, then you can start calculating the price.
Long-term vs. Short-term Rentals
Believe it or not, renting a standard porta potty for a day costs almost as much as renting one for a week.
Companies do this to ensure they cover the costs associated with prep time, loading, cleaning, delivery, and pick-up. If you’re hosting a weekend event, it’s usually cheaper, in the long run, to bring in the units early.
On average, it costs about $90 to rent short-term. If you rent a porta potty for up to six weeks? The price drops to an average of $30 per week.
Cleaning Fees
If you plan to rent the porta potties for a busy event that lasts over a week, you need to add cleaning fees to your rental costs.
Most companies include a weekly cleaning service with the rental fee. However, once a week cleaning will not suffice if the porta potties are heavily used. To keep your guests safe, porta potties need regular cleaning.
Delivery and Set-up
Rental companies typically include the delivery and set-up fees in the total cost of the weekly rental.
The only exception is when your event location is a long distance from the company’s home base. When this happens, rental companies will add on a long-distance fee or a price-by-mile fee to cover additional employee and gas costs.
Accessories
Modern porta potties can adapt to include sinks, trash bins, flush action, and soap dispensers. Depending on the rental company, there may be additional costs for these handy add-ons.
Ready to Find a Porta Potty Rental Service?
One last tip before you go: Check your local rental services, first.
Local companies generally have lower prices and are closer to your event location, saving on additional delivery fees.
How much does it cost to rent a porta potty? That depends entirely on why you need one in the first place. Make sure you have all the important information written down before you search for rental companies.