A porta potty for a bathroom remodel or septic failure
When your only bathroom is torn out or the septic system quits, a porta potty in the driveway keeps the house livable. Short jobs use the 7-day rate, from $145 with one cleaning. Longer remodels use 28-day cycles with weekly cleaning. A septic emergency can get a unit the same day in the Erie core zone.
Do I need a porta potty during a bathroom remodel?
You need a porta potty during a bathroom remodel if it is the only bathroom in the house, or if the crew is told not to use yours. Contractors often ask for one so workers are not walking through your home with dusty boots. A second bathroom may be enough for your family, but not always for a crew.
Ask your contractor before the job starts. Some include a unit in the bid. Many expect the homeowner to rent it.
A unit in the driveway also helps when the water is shut off for a day or two of plumbing work. That happens on most bathroom jobs, even when there is a second bathroom.
Older Erie homes with a single bathroom are the classic case. The family and the crew share one unit outside for a few weeks.
How fast can I get a porta potty when my septic fails?
You can get a porta potty the same day when your septic fails, if you order by 11 a.m., Monday to Saturday. That covers the City of Erie, Millcreek, Harborcreek, Fairview, Summit, Lawrence Park and Wesleyville with no rush fee. The rest of Erie County gets same-day when the route allows, with a $50 rush fee.
Call (814) 245-2757 and say it is a septic emergency. Shawn answers live during business hours and plans the route himself, so you get a straight answer on timing.
After 11 a.m., most orders go out first thing the next morning. Crawford and Warren counties are usually next day.
Septic jobs often happen in rural parts of the county, like Waterford, Franklin Township or out past Edinboro. Check your town on the Erie County delivery page.
Should I rent a porta potty for 7 days or 28 days?
Rent a porta potty on the 7-day rate when the job will be done within a week, and on the 28-day rate when it will run longer. The 7-day rate starts at $145 and includes one cleaning. The 28-day rate starts at $185 and includes weekly cleaning. Both are before 6% PA sales tax.
| Option | Covers | Unit + $49 delivery | With 6% tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short job, 7 days | Up to 7 days, 1 cleaning | $194.00 | $205.64 |
| Event rate | Up to 4 days, no cleaning | $214.00 | $226.84 |
| Monthly, first 28 days | 28 days, weekly cleaning | $234.00 | $248.04 |
| Monthly, each later 28 days | 28 days, weekly cleaning | $185.00 | $196.10 |
Standard unit, starting prices. Delivery and pickup is charged once per order. Full details on short-term rentals and monthly rentals.
For a home project, the 7-day rate beats the event rate. It is lower and it includes a cleaning.
If you are not sure the job will finish in a week, ask when you book. We can talk through which rate fits before the truck rolls.
How long does a bathroom remodel really take?
A full bathroom remodel usually takes longer than the first estimate. Demolition, plumbing, inspections, drywall, tile and fixtures each take days, and a backordered vanity or a failed inspection adds a week fast. Plan the porta potty for the realistic finish date, not the best case. A 5-week job needs two 28-day cycles.
A simple swap, like a new toilet and vanity, can be done in a few days. That is a 7-day rental.
A gut job with new plumbing and tile is a different animal. Ask your contractor for the date the toilet will be set and working, then add a week.
A 5-week remodel on monthly billing comes to $248.04 for the first 28 days and $196.10 for the second, or $444.14 total with tax. Call 1 business day before you want the unit gone, and billing stops with that cycle.
How long does a septic repair take?
A septic repair can take one day or several weeks. A pump-out or a broken baffle is often fixed in a day or two. A new drain field or a full system replacement needs design, a permit and an inspection before anyone digs. Rent the porta potty for the whole time the system is off.
Your township can tell you who handles septic permits where you live. The permit step is often the longest part of a replacement.
For a quick fix, the 7-day rate is right. For a replacement, start on monthly billing and call for pickup the day the system is approved.
Where should the porta potty go at my house?
The porta potty should go near the door your family or crew uses, on the driveway or firm, level ground. For a septic job, keep it well away from the tank, the lines and the drain field, because that is where the excavator will dig. The truck needs to reach it every week for cleaning.
A spot at the side of the driveway, by the garage, is the most common choice. It is close, flat and easy to service.
At night, a short walk matters. Put a solar path light next to the door, or a motion light on the garage that reaches it.
For more on spacing, see where to place a porta potty.
What about the neighbors?
Most neighbors do not mind a porta potty for a remodel or septic repair if it is clean and placed with care. Face the door away from their windows and the street. Keep it off the property line. Weekly cleaning keeps smell down, and a quick heads-up before delivery goes a long way.
A unit on a city street or sidewalk usually needs a City of Erie right-of-way permit. Keep it on your own driveway and you usually need no permit.
If you live in a homeowners association, check the rules before a long rental. A short project rarely draws a complaint.
A free lock hasp keeps passersby out if the unit is visible from the street.
Septic just failed?
Call by 11 a.m. for a unit today in the Erie core zone. No rush fee in the core zone.
Home project porta potty questions
These home project porta potty questions cover winter, showers, insurance, the contractor's role and what happens if the job ends early. Each answer starts with the short version. If your situation is unusual, like a whole-house renovation with people still living in it, call Shawn and talk it through.
Can my family use the same porta potty as the crew?
Your family and the crew can share one unit for a small crew. Once 4 or 5 workers are on site plus the family, add a second unit or ask about twice-weekly cleaning.
Do you rent portable showers?
We rent toilets, handwashing stations and restroom trailers, not showers. A handwashing station next to the unit gives you soap and running water for hands.
Will homeowners insurance pay for the porta potty?
Some policies cover extra living costs after a covered septic or water loss. Ask your agent, and keep our itemized invoice for the claim.
What if the job ends early?
Call or text 1 business day before you want the unit picked up. A monthly rental bills by the 28-day cycle, so ending early in a cycle does not lower that cycle's charge.
Does the porta potty work in winter?
Every unit gets a non-freezing brine charge from November through March. Keep a shoveled path to the door. See our winter porta potty tips.
Get your itemized quote
Fastest way: call Shawn. You get the price, the delivery day and the total on one call.
(814) 245-2757Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Calls are answered in Erie, not a call center.
On a jobsite? Text the address and a photo of the spot to (814) 245-2757.
Prefer a form? Send it here. We reply within 1 business hour during open hours.