How to Start a Portable Toilet Business

It may not be the most glamorous of industries, but the portable toilet business can be a lucrative enterprise. It is a service industry that will require staff to deliver, retrieve and empty the systems that are leased by the clients. It will require an education on the industry, financing, obtaining equipment, a disposal site, and proper training for the employees to prevent possible health hazards.

Instructions

1. Educate yourself on the portable toilet business. There are potable toilet associations and publications. Utilizing these will help you make more informed decisions on managing your business and contacting vendors. Links in resources.

2. Locate an industrial storage area for your portable toilet business. You will need a large area to store your portable toilets and other equipment. Not all commercial areas will have the adequate zoning. Contact a commercial real estate agent to assist you in your search.

3. Arrange for your sewage disposal. Contact your local health department and investigate local zoning departments. You will need to be licensed for the proper treatment and disposal of the waste you collect. State licensing may be required.

4. Define your target market. Portable toilets are marketed towards construction sites, and are basic no-frills portable toilets. Others resemble a public, portable restroom, suitable for using at wedding sites or other formal events. Knowing what type of clients you will be serving will help you order the necessary systems.

5. Obtain inventory for the portable toilet business. You will need enough portable toilets to meet your clients' needs, yet you do not want to over extend yourself in portable toilets that sit in storage and deteriorate. Maintaining the ideal inventory will be one key to your success.

6. Purchase or lease vehicles and appropriate trailers to haul the toilets to the clients of your portable toilet business.

7. Obtain a business license, insurance, workers compensation insurance, contact an accountant for advise on payroll procedures, meet with an attorney to discuss incorporation to limit your liability and order business cards. Place an ad in the local phone directory.

8. Market your business. Identify who will be using your portable toilet business and target those potential clients. This would include event planners, the construction industry, local municipalities and the general public.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Sanitation Journal
• Portable Sanitation Association International