Starting a portable sanitation business can be a lucrative venture. There is a constant need for clean and accessible restrooms in multiple places, for example, at events, construction sites, and other locations.
However, success in the portable sanitation industry depends on having the right equipment. The right tools allow you to provide high-quality service to your customers. Here is a list of the crucial pieces of equipment that you need for your portable sanitation startup.
Restrooms
The most apparent gear you’ll need are the portable restrooms themselves. You can purchase them new from manufacturers and suppliers, or you can purchase them used from other PROs. They come in various colors, sizes and styles to suit different needs and preferences. You will have to decide on the color, style and number of restrooms needed. You will want to offer both standard and handicap-accessible bathrooms. Successful portable sanitation operations also provide extra features like handwash sinks, mirrors, lighting and ventilation. Make sure to invest in high-quality restrooms that are easy to clean and low-cost to maintain. Clean, well-built restrooms reflect positively on your business and attract repeat customers. When you purchase high-quality portable restrooms from Satellite Industries, you are investing in the lifetime value of a unit that will have lower replacement costs and less out of service time. This means that you can save money in the long run and provide a better service to your customers or guests.
Cleaning Supplies
To keep your units sanitary, you must stock cleaning supplies that are tailored to cleaning the tough build-up in portable restrooms. An industrial-strength all-purpose cleaner is an excellent place to start and will take care of most messes as well as maintain a brand-new unit’s clean look and smell. If your restroom is located at an industrial site where paints and adhesives make their way onto your unit or if there is a graffiti artist in your area, you can use a formula specifically for chemical-resistant paint or adhesive coatings. Investing in a good quality disinfectant regimen that kills germs and bacteria is always a good idea to keep users returning and feeling good. Finally, you will also need brushes to help scrub away dirt and grime from the walls and floors of portable toilets. Other cleaning supplies include cleaning cloths, gloves, and trash bags. All these items can be purchased through Satellite Industries’ new consumables division.
Vacuum Tank
Vacuum tanks are an expensive but necessary investment for a portable sanitation startup. They collect waste from portable restrooms and hold fresh water that can be used to refill the restroom tanks and for cleaning. Vacuum tanks come in a variety of capacities, so it is important to choose one that is the right size for your operation.
Vacuum Pump
To efficiently draw waste from toilets, you will need an excellent-quality vacuum pump. When choosing a vacuum pump, consider the amount of liquid it can draw out each minute. This speed is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The higher the CFM, the more expensive the vacuum pump.
People tend to treat restrooms as trash receptacles so it’s not uncommon to find cans, bottles, diapers, needles and even organic waste in them. That is where a commercial-grade vacuum pump comes in. It allows you to pump out the larger organic trash leaving behind the bottles and cans, etc.
Maintenance Supplies
You need maintenance supplies at the ready to keep your portable restrooms in good working order. They include items such as lubricants, sealants, and replacement parts. It is good to have an inventory of high-use replacement parts because you don’t want to have downtime while waiting for a replacement part to ship from the warehouse.
Transport Vehicle
You will need a vehicle to transport your restrooms to and from your customers’ locations. Depending on the size of your operation, you can use a small truck, a vacuum truck with a trailer, or a fenced truck designed for maximum transport capacity. You may also invest in a combo Pickup and Delivery (P&D) truck that allows you to haul units and your vacuum tank all in one. Your vehicle should be large enough to accommodate all your equipment and restrooms. It should also be well-maintained to ensure that it can withstand the demands of regular use.
Tracking System
All businesses need an organized method of conducting day-to-day activities. Your portable sanitation startup is no different. You will need a system for tracking and managing your rentals. The system should help with scheduling, billing, and monitoring customer service. You can start with a simple spreadsheet to help with tracking. Alternatively, you can use specialized software specifically designed for your industry, for example, software that will help you keep track of your restrooms and also ensure that you provide timely and efficient customer service. You may have just started your business and don’t have many portable restrooms. In such a case, you may not need software. However, as you grow your sanitation business, the system can be helpful. It will help you stay organized even as you gain more clients.
Get the Right Equipment for Your Sanitation Startup
Launching a portable sanitation startup requires a significant investment in equipment. Carefully choose your equipment and maintain them properly. That will ensure you have clean, reliable, and convenient portable restrooms in your thriving and profitable portable sanitation service. At Satellite Industries, we know how crucial the right equipment is to your portable sanitation business, so reach out to our professionals today to get your startup up and running.
That wraps up our Getting Into the Portable Sanitation Industry, Top Things to Know blog series. You can catch up on the previous installments by clicking the links to read Buyer Beware: A Used Equipment Checklist, and How Many Portable Restrooms Do You Need to Start a Rental Business.
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