Portable Toilet Rental : FAQ for First-Time Construction Customers
The average person will need to visit a restroom about once every four hours under regular circumstances. If people drink lots of fluids, bathroom visits can increase by 30 to 40 percent. If you are the owner of a construction business, the law mandates that you have restroom facilities available for your employees. Portable toilets have simplified the lives of business owners, event planners, and homeowners undergoing construction for a long time. These convenient facilities have actually been around since World War II when people first used them on ships. If you plan to rent portable toilets for the first time as a construction business owner, learn the basics of what you need to know.
What type of training and certifications do you have? This is a very important Q&A to have available. In addition to having it on your “About” page or even a dedicated “Certifications” page, you need a straightforward FAQ that explains exactly what training and certification you and your construction crew have, the kind of work that you've done in the past, and how much experience you have in the field of work that you do. The more professional certifications or training that you have under your belt, the more favorably most people will look upon you when considering someone for a new construction project. Bear in mind that not all fields require certifications, but people still like to see them because to them, it's proof that you're actually trained and experienced in what you do. As a bonus, if you're limited on professional certifications or even just want to bolster them a bit, this is a great place to pitch your customer reviews or client testimonials that talk about your previous jobs from firsthand experience. Is your company licensed and/or insured? Licensing, bonding, and insurance are all important for several different areas of construction, from general contracting to more niche areas of the field. There are all kinds of requirements that vary by state and industry, but ultimately every company needs to be properly insured and licensed to do business. Not only should you tell people that you are, but you should explain what all that entails. Licensed and insured can mean one thing to one person and something different to another. Spell it out. Remember, transparency is your friend and it's what will set your brand apart when people are looking to do business with someone they can trust.
How Many Portable Toilets Do You Need? Place one portable restroom facility per ten employees to keep everyone served and comfortable on your construction job site. During the summer months when employees drink more to stay cool and hydrated, you may want to increase the numbers of rented facilities because your employees will need a bathroom more often. If you bring in more crewmembers as the job progresses, make sure you order more toilets to accommodate the added employees. Where Should You Put the Portable Toilets? You may have specific zoning regulations where your planned project takes place. Therefore, check with the local zoning and permit organizations to find out where specifically you are and are not allowed to place a portable sanitation facility at a construction site. However, you need to follow some general rules for portable toilet placement at a work site, including: Place the facilities in an easily accessible location for all employees. Place the facilities in a more confined area away from public view (i.e. not directly beside a busy sidewalk). Place the facilities on a clean, level surface so the unit will not be in danger of tipping. Place the facilities in a safe area free from potential hazards like moving traffic. As far as accessibility, OSHA states that the restroom facilities on a job site must be no more than 10 minutes away, which they consider as nearby and compliant with their employee safety guidelines. If you have a rather large site, you may need to place the portable toilets in a few different areas to meet this guideline.
Who Empties the Portable Toilets? If you will need the portable toilets for a while, the company you rent the facilities from will come to the site and empty the toilets. This is more feasible for them instead of them retrieving the toilets, emptying them, and then replacing them as they fill. The company will send out a pumping truck that connects a hose to the portable toilets' outlet line and pumps the waste out of the hidden receptacle. Once the company removes the waste, they will add a blue chemical solution to help fight odors and combat bacterial growth. Because the company brings equipment to the work site to empty the toilets, make the rented facilities accessible to the pumping truck driver. During the emptying process, the company may clean the facility and restock it with toilet paper. Overall, renting portable toilets is the easiest way to ensure you stay within mandated guidelines to keep employees safe in an outdoor working environment. If you need help with renting portable toilets for the first time, reach out to us at Porta John of Tulsa for professional guidance you can trust. We are happy to answer any of your questions and concerns about portable toilets for your construction site. We are also happy to guide you through the entire process of what to expect.
What kind of construction do you specialize in? If you're a general contractor, this is your place to boast about the variety of work that you've done and how versatile your skills are. Or, talk about your one favorite area of work. For specialized construction teams, such as roofers or commercial remodeling construction companies, this is where you can talk all about the projects that you have undertaken in the past and the work that you are capable of doing. It's also a good place to welcome people to come to you with new ideas if you're open to that. If not, that's fine, you can stick to telling them about what you do offer. However, for those who are looking to expand their audience and have the skills, feel free to offer up more services or suggest new areas of expertise to explore here. How long does a typical construction project take? This is one of those”million-dollar questions” that no one ever really has an answer to. Everyone wants a timeline but there's not really a way to pin one down until a project is bid on, budgeted, planned, and ready to go to the final approval before work starts. You can find ballpark estimates online if you want to offer them, but it's best to use this space to tell people that you'll be able to discuss what they want and figure out a timeline that works for everyone. You could tell people how long previous jobs took, but make sure you factor in all the details and any considerations that came along with the timeline so that you don't set unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, it's best to tell people you'll be better able to provide a timeline once you know more about their specific project.
You're in the business of construction, not customer service. And yet, your customers are the backbone of what you do. Finding the balance used to be a challenge, but today, there's a better solution. Thanks to the dedicated virtual receptionists at Smith.ai, you can ensure that all your calls, chats, and other messages are taken care of even when you're not the one fielding the lines. Our 24/7 team knows what it takes to deliver a higher level of service for your clients and potential leads, and can even handle things like intake, scheduling, qualification, and so much more. Whatever you need, we'll take care of it all, and even help you come up with the perfect strategy to manage everything so that you can get back to focusing on your construction projects.