If you need a temporary restroom facility, a portable, prefabricated bathroom is a great choice. The restroom is constructed in a factory, and then shipped to your site, pre-assembled. All you need to do is place it and hook it up to water and sewer. Depending on what you’ve paid for, the delivery workers may be able to help you with the setup.

This guide will go over the advantages of portable prefab bathrooms, common use cases, and features. We will also answer some frequently asked questions.

Why Use Prefab Restroom Buildings?

Here area few reasons to think about installing prefabricated portable bathrooms.

• Quick and easy: Prefabrication is a rapid process that ensures that even if you buy a new custom restroom and have it built for you, it will be done quickly. Since it arrives as a turnkey unit, installation on-site is fast, and doesn’t cause a lot of disruption.

• Cost-effective: Compared to traditional building techniques, prefab construction is very affordable. You can decide whether to rent or buy based on your needs.

• Customizable: You can choose the dimensions of the portable restroom, how many toilets it will have in it, as well as other specific features.

• Eco-friendly: The prefab construction process produces less waste than a lot of other building techniques, making it a good choice for companies that are trying to operate in an eco-friendly way.

Common Uses for Portable Bathrooms

Portable bathrooms are used in a wide range of industries. Here are some examples of locations and events where portable prefab restrooms might be necessary.

Those are just a few examples. You might have an entirely different use in mind.

Key Features for Modular Restrooms

One of the key benefits of modular prefab restroom buildings is that you can customize them. Here are some features to look for.

• Layout: Along with choosing dimensions that are right for your needs, you will have your choice between different layouts of modular restrooms. Try to picture the peak number of people likely to want to use the restroom at once. Make sure they will have sufficient space inside so you can prevent a line at the door, but also ensure occupants have sufficient elbow room.

• Number and types of toilets: Decide how many toilets you will need, and ensure you get sufficient stalls. You can also opt to include some urinals.

• Sinks: Choose how many sinks you will have, and whether they will feature hot water. There could be various sink designs to choose from. You can also sometimes ask for certain supplies to be included, such as paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers, mirrors, hand dryers, and so forth. There may be different countertop designs and materials to choose from as well.

• Lighting options: You may be able to specify the number and types of lights, and where they will be installed. Ensure they are bright enough to illuminate the stalls, and energy-efficient enough to keep your bills low.

• Showers: For some locations or events, it may make sense to get portable restrooms that feature showers. These can be helpful if you are setting up at the beach, for example, or a worksite that has a lot of dust and debris, like a construction site. That way, people can wash sand, dirt, dust and grime off without leaving.

• Ventilation: One of the most important features for portable restrooms is ventilation. Ensure that the ventilation system in your restroom trailer will do a good job removing odors from the air.

• Climate control: If you are going to set up your portable bathrooms somewhere especially hot or cold, you may want to invest in climate control. Air conditioning and heating can ensure that the interior remains temperate even when outdoor conditions are harsh.

• Sanitation: Check the holding tank capacity when you are browsing listings for portable bathroom buildings for rent or sale. You will need to do some math to calculate whether they will be sufficient based on your expected usage.

• Materials and ease of cleaning: You will have to clean and maintain the portable bathrooms, probably multiple times a day. Some materials are easier to clean than others. Make sure that wiping down surfaces such as countertops, the floor, and the walls will be quick and easy.

• ADA accessibility: If you want your portable bathrooms to be accessible to people with disabilities, you can get ADA accessibility features. Examples include wide doorways and stalls, ramps, grab bars, and lower sinks. These features help people to safely use the bathroom, which in turn helps to protect your business or organization.

• Security: When your restroom is closed, you need to be able to lock it. It is also important to have secure locks on the stall doors. Some bathrooms might include camera systems to monitor the exteriors of the buildings as well.

• Appearance: There may be multiple options for the interior and exterior finishes for your portable bathroom. Choose finishes that have a pleasant, professional look, and which coordinate well with other buildings on-site (the latter is only important if you’ll be using the bathrooms over the long term, or if it’s for an event where everything needs to look cohesive).

Portable Bathroom FAQ

Q: Is it better to buy or rent a portable bathroom?

A: You should rent a portable bathroom building if you do not expect to need it for very long. But you should consider buying one if you intend to use it for a long enough time period that purchasing it outright ends up being a better deal.

Q: How much do portable bathrooms cost to rent?

A: The cost to rent a portable restroom can range anywhere from $1,000 up to $3,000 per day. The price depends on the company you rent from, your location, and the features you choose.

On the other hand, if you want to buy a portable restroom, you can get a small one with just one or two toilets for under $10,000. Larger restrooms with more toilets cost more, but may still quickly pay for themselves if you plan to use them for weeks or months.

Q: Do portable toilets flush and have sinks?

A: They can, if you choose those features.

Q: Is a portable restroom the same as a porta potty?

A: No. A porta potty, also called a “mobile toilet,” is a one-toilet plastic unit that generally does not flush or include heating, AC, or lighting. A portable restroom may have multiple stalls. It looks and feels more like a regular restroom, and includes flushing toilets, sinks, possibly lighting and climate control.

Note that there are single-stall portable restrooms. On the outside, these may closely resemble porta potties, though they generally are made out of more durable materials. But on the inside, they tend to look much nicer.

Get Portable Bathrooms for Your Site

If you are ready to get the portable prefab bathroom pods you need for your site, click any of the links below to visit our recommended portable restroom companies.