All About Portable Restroom Trailers

All About Portable Restroom Trailers

Until a few years ago I never thought too much about restroom trailers, they’re expensive, they usually only rent out for the weekend and we never really got calls for them.   In recent years that has started to change as more people’s expectations and standards increase these restrooms are in high demand.    In this article I’ll discus tips on purchasing restroom trailers, why they’re getting more popular and the different versions from the basic level to the executive levels.

In the course of doing business I like to get chatty with my customers in an attempt to pick their brain.  What I found is that there’s a stigma attached to renting a porta-potty.  In most people’s minds a porta-potty is dirty, disgusting and embarrassing.  When people enter a porta-potty and see the waste inside the holding tank it really freaks them out too.  Of course most manufacturers of porta-potties also make flushing units, this is fine for some of our customers, however that embarrassment & stigma attached to any kind of plastic boxed bathroom at their wedding or event is too much for some.  This ever growing perception on portable toilets is the reason that bathroom trailers are getting much more popular.

So you’ve decided on buying a restroom trailer and have many options, let’s talk about which options are must haves and why. 

• Waste tank: Don’t cheap out and get “the mains” version that directly connects to sewer, you’ll severely limit your customer base
• Water Tank:  This also limits your customer base, yes you can lug around a water tank for an extra fee but it’s a lot of hassle, it’s ugly and you won’t be able to compete with those with integrated water tanks
• Porcelain Sink: Don’t get the metal sinks, they’re horrible to clean, they leave soap stains all over and require extra clean time, Porcelain is easy to clean and looks nicer too.
  
•  AC/Heat:  This addon is not very expensive and opens up a larger client base, you can also charge extra because of this feature and upcharge for generator rental to power it if so desired. 
  

Options that are not worth the money.

• Stairs with built in landing:  They’re the stairs that have a “porch” in front of the door before you get to the steps, these make the stairs extra-long and are not curb friendly, we’ve had several customers ask if we DIDN’T have this feature.  The cons outweigh the benefits in my opinion.
  
• Basic Trim:  These are your “construction grade” trailers, they have rubber coin floors/diamond tread plate etc.  These are great for oil fields and long term public places but not for the general clientele that want to rent these trailers.  I’d only get them if you have a customer already on the line for one.
  

Different levels of trailers.

Some rental agencies have different styles and trim levels for their restroom trailers.  Generally a VIP restroom trailer is the most basic and cheap type of trailer.  Most use NuConcepts for their VIP toilets in my area.  They’ll generally have 2-4 mounted on a trailer and rent them out as a basic restroom trailer.  Next you’ll have a mid-range trailer, this will be like the bathroom at your home, it’ll have climate control, be a bit larger inside, and may have a couple decorative features like pictures and flowers.  The high end trailers often called executive restrooms are the most ornate and fancy of them all.  They’ll have premium counters, faucets, some have TV’s, or music, they’ll have hot running water and just about every bell and whistle you can think of. 

Roman Schmidt, Co-Owner
Fancy Flush
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
www.fancyflush.net