Outdoor events have gained a 26% increase in participation since 2020. Due to pandemic concerns, outdoor events became the preferred mode of gathering. Since then, many people have realized that outdoor events are simply more fun.
The only problem? When you’re planning an outdoor event, you can’t rely on the typical amenities that you’d get from an indoor venue. That includes bathrooms.
The good news is that with the right porta potty rental service, you can provide places to go to the bathroom and wash up with ease.
Today, we’re going to talk about how to find the right porta potty rentals and what to look for in a porta potty rental company. Read on to learn more.
Crunch the Numbers
First, you’re going to want to think about the number of porta potties you’ll need for your event. If you’re in need of more than five or six, securing your porta potty rental company early is the way to go. Otherwise, you may struggle to find a company that can fulfill your needs.
How many porta potties is enough based on event-goers? We typically suggest having at least one porta potty for every 20-40 guests and increasing the number of porta potties by 10-20% if you plan on serving alcohol. In other words, an alcohol-free event with 100 attendees may only need three to five porta potties, but you’ll want to tack on one or two more if you’re serving alcohol.
Do you need porta potties for a worksite? If so, you will need to check out OSHA’s guidelines for employee or contractor access to bathrooms.
Map Out Your Porta Potty Space
Once you know how many porta potties you want to rent for your event, it’s time to take a closer look at your event space. If it’s a small space, you can likely cluster the porta potties in one area. If it’s a large event space with many different focal points, like concert stages, you may want to create several bathroom areas for your guests.
A porta potty site should be:
- easy for delivery and pickup vehicles to access
- level
- secure and well-lit
Ideally, you will also want to place porta potties away from food and drink areas and, if possible, downwind. We recommend choosing porta potty sites that are off to the sides of your event space, rather than in the center, where they will be easy to find but won’t function as an eyesore.
Consider Your Budget
Planning an event can come with a big price tag. Ideally, you don’t want to have to cut corners on things like food and entertainment in order to afford porta potty rentals. That said, providing bathrooms is a must, and we recommend budgeting for porta potty rentals from the beginning of your event planning process.
The good news is that the best porta potty rental companies are happy to offer free quotes. Once you know how many porta potties you need (and what kinds of porta potties you’d like to rent, which we will discuss below) you can get an estimate of how much it will cost depending on the company you hire.
Find Out About Delivery and Setup
What day(s) of the week is your event? When do you plan on setting up your event space and when do you need to clean up and pack everything out?
Because porta potties require large work vehicles to transport them, most porta potty rental companies will offer delivery and pickup services. Make sure that you find out when they can do this and pick the company whose schedule works best for your needs.
You should also enquire about setup. Will the company prepare the porta potties for use by providing toilet paper, soap or sanitizer, and paper towels, or do they expect you to do that on your own? Because event planning is such a busy process, we recommend choosing a porta potty rental company that will take care of the setup for you.
Think About Porta Potty Rental Needs
Believe it or not, there are different types of porta potties that you can rent, though not all porta potty rental companies will offer the variety you desire. Different options may include:
- single porta potties equipped toilets, urinals, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer dispensers
- multiple unit porta potties
- luxury flushable trailers equipped with toilets, urinals, sinks, mirrors, paper towels, lighting, and climate control
We often recommend single porta potties for smaller events and multiple unit porta potties for large events. Luxury flushable trailers are perfect for formal gatherings like weddings or corporate events. Consider what kinds of porta potties you’d like to provide for your guests to narrow down the companies you can rent from.
Ask About Hygiene
The truth is that porta potties tend to have a bad reputation because people think that they’re unsanitary. These days, there are porta potty rental companies that prioritize hygiene to offer a pleasant, clean experience for your guests.
Don’t hesitate to ask a porta potty rental company what their procedure is for cleaning holding tanks and surfaces as well as restocking porta potties before delivering them to a new location. If a company can’t explain its cleaning process or doesn’t appear to prioritize sanitation, keep looking.
Choose Rent-A-John for Your Columbus Porta Potty Rentals
Outdoor events are a great option and one that many event-goers prefer. However, an outdoor event isn’t complete without access to bathrooms, and that’s where porta potty rental companies come in handy. Rent-A-John is proud to offer some of the best porta potties and services in Columbus, and we hope that you’ll consider us for your next event.
Ready to request your free quote or learn more about our availability? Contact us today.
