What restroom setup does a film crew actually need?
Depends on crew size and how long you're on location. A day player shoot with 15 people can run on a couple of standard porta potty rentals, while a multi-week New Bedford shoot with 80 crew, extras and a base camp needs something closer to a 4 stall restroom trailer or 8 stall restroom trailer. OSHA 1926.51(c)(1) sets the baseline most productions follow even off a construction site: one toilet for 20 workers or fewer, then one toilet and one urinal per 40 workers as the crew grows past that. Line producers use that ratio to size the order before they even call us.
Talent and department heads usually want something nicer than a job-site unit. That's where the deluxe flushable porta potty or a luxury restroom trailer comes in, both running hand sinks and real flush action instead of a holding tank alone. If the production has any mobility considerations for cast or crew, ADA Standards section 213.2 requires at least 5 percent of a cluster of single-user units be accessible, never fewer than one, and we spec that in from the first call rather than adding it after a location scout complains. An ADA accessible porta potty also gives you the 60 inch turning space under ADA 304.3.1, which matters more than people expect once a wheelchair and a wardrobe rack are both trying to use the same tent.
Base camp also usually wants a handwashing station rental or a portable sink rental near catering, separate from the honey wagon queue. If your art department is doing any painting, staining or aerosol effects work on set, OSHA 1926.51(f)(1) requires washing facilities specifically because of those coatings, and that's a different unit than general crew sanitation.
Do you provide power for restroom trailers on remote locations?
We coordinate portable generator rental film crews already have on order, or we can point you toward a temporary power pole if the location has grid access nearby. Restroom trailers with climate control and interior lighting need continuous power, and most New Bedford locations far from a permanent hookup end up running a generator anyway for lighting and monitors, so folding restroom power into that same plan usually saves a truck roll. If your gaffer is already speccing a generator for HMIs and a video village, tell them to size in the trailer's draw too. We'll also drop a light tower rental for night exteriors if base camp needs it lit past wrap.
Locations outside town aren't a problem. We regularly run to Fairhaven, about 4.9 miles southeast, and out to Dartmouth, roughly 10.7 miles south, for waterfront and rural exteriors respectively. Productions shooting further out toward Fall River, 15.2 miles northwest, still fall inside our standard delivery radius, though weekend and rush delivery carries its own fee separate from the unit rental. If your locations manager is juggling multiple sites across a shoot week, our service areas page covers the full New Bedford radius we run.
How does billing work for a multi-day shoot?
Productions almost always rent by the week or the shoot length rather than day by day once you're past 3 days on location, since a single day rental costs more per day than a weekly block. Here's how the standard unit pricing breaks down against a restroom trailer, which most productions request for principal cast:
| unit | day | week | month |
|---|---|---|---|
| standard porta potty | 100-350 | 130-500 | 125-325 |
| restroom trailer | 175-2500 | 150-1650 | not typical for film |
| dumpster (wrap cleanup) | 51-112 | 426-778 | 91-500 |
A short single-day pickup shoot can also book a weekend rate instead of a full week, which runs separate from the table above and gets quoted directly for your dates. Delivery itself is billed apart from the unit, and our porta potty rental cost and restroom trailer rental cost pages break down what drives that number up or down. Wrap day almost always means a roll-off dumpster rental too, since set strike generates more debris than crafty ever does, and OSHA 1926.25 housekeeping rules are as relevant to a production lot as they are to a job site.
For fencing off equipment trucks or keeping background talent out of a live shot, we also stock temporary fence rental and crowd control barrier rental, both quoted through our request a quote form alongside your restroom order.
Frequently asked questions
How many restrooms does a 50 person crew need?
Under OSHA 1926.51(c)(1), 50 workers need at least two toilet facilities with a urinal in the mix once you're past 20 people. Most productions round up and add one deluxe unit for cast, so a realistic order lands around three to four units total for a crew that size.
Can you deliver to a remote or rural film location?
Yes. We've delivered as far as Dartmouth, 10.7 miles south of New Bedford, and Fall River, 15.2 miles northwest. Confirm truck access on the scout, since roll-off and trailer deliveries need clearance similar to a standard job-site delivery.
Do you offer quiet units for sound-sensitive scenes?
Deluxe and trailer units run quieter than a standard flush-tank unit, and we can schedule servicing outside your shoot windows entirely. Tell us your sound rolling times when you book and we'll route the truck around them.
What if our shoot dates change last minute?
Call us directly. Productions shift dates constantly, and we hold flexibility for confirmed bookings better than a same-day request. Our emergency porta potty rental service covers genuine last-minute scrambles.
Do you provide handwashing stations separate from the restrooms?
Yes, standalone units are common for catering and crafty tables. A hand sanitizer station rental works for quick touch points, while a full portable sink rental with soap and towels satisfies 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2) for actual handwashing.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.