If you don’t want to pay for a portable toilet or have workers leave the job site, you should find ways to provide access to your bathroom
Your bathroom is one of the most personal places in your house, so it makes sense that you may have reservations about who uses it. However, it’s good etiquette to allow contractors to use your bathroom while they’re working. If you have concerns about contractors using your facilities, provide them with alternative options, such as access to a guest bathroom or a portable toilet.
Below we’ll talk about what options are available to contractors and you to keep everyone happy and get along together.
Allowing your contractor and their team to use your bathroom has a few benefits for them and you.
Turning away a contractor or work crew from using your restroom can feel a little harsh, especially since you’re working together on a project.
You may have good reasons for doing so, such as only having one bathroom or being concerned about your water bill. However, you should figure out how to accommodate the workers’ needs by designating times during which they can use it or giving them a route to the bathroom that doesn’t send them through your living room.
Obviously, you won’t have to rent a portable toilet, but it may save you even more on labor. Chances are, you’re paying for labor by the hour, and if workers have to depart the job site for a public restroom, that’s only adding to the overall cost of your project.
By letting them pop into your bathroom, you get them back on the job right away so they can finish as soon as possible.
If you’re kind to everyone you work with, you’re more likely to get better deals and quick service from that contractor should you need their help in the future. The contractor also may be more likely to call you back and give you a hand next time because they know you’ll be accommodating.
People like to go the extra mile for folks who are nice to them; it’s just human nature. In fact, it may go even further than tipping your contractor.
At the end of the day, there isn’t usually much to worry about with a worker using your restroom. They’re going to use it for the same purpose you do, and they’re only going to be doing this job temporarily. Setting your contractor up for success will help you get the project done quickly and provide all the accommodations you need so the workers can do the best job possible.
How does the contractor typically deal with restroom breaks for their workers? Do they rent their own portable toilets? Do they expect you to provide access to your bathroom? All of these are things you should discuss with your contractor first before you hire them. It’s something that many homeowners don’t think to do until it’s too late, so keep this good general tip for hiring contractors in mind during your conversations.
With questions in hand, contact a contractor near you and talk it out over the phone.
Besides letting a contractor use a bathroom in your home, there are basically two options:
Before hiring the contractor, you could offer to rent a portable toilet to sit at the job site for the duration of the project. Most construction sites already have them, but homeowners contracting workers for smaller jobs may not typically think of it.
The average cost to rent a portable toilet is $130 per week, so it's fairly affordable. This could be a good solution if it’s within your budget.
If you’re not willing to rent a portable toilet or let them use your bathroom, workers will have to find a public restroom somewhere off-site. These can be few and far between and may involve workers having to make a purchase in order to use a business’s restrooms.
Either way, it may take some time for the worker to locate a bathroom and drive there. They may have to go to multiple locations to find a restroom they can use, wasting your time and theirs.
