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Portable Restroom Business?

Posted on 5/28/12 at 4:42 pm
Posted by ForeverMike06
Walker
Member since Oct 2007
45 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 4:42 pm
A friend of mine has an opportunity to buy a vacuum truck and about 100 port-a-cans for a really good price. He would like me to invest with him, but neither one of us know anything about the business. The guy that owns the business now is retiring, and he is also signing over all his accounts. Do any of you guys have any knowledge of this kind of venture? Seems pretty easy to run... Minus the smell of poo all day!
This post was edited on 5/28/12 at 4:48 pm
Posted by RedStickBR
Member since Sep 2009
14577 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 4:59 pm to
Sounds like a shitty business.

shite jokes aside, I'm assuming these things are rented out. Is it flat fee or by the hour? How much are those rental fees? Where are you located? What does the investment cost? Are there any regulatory issues you need to look into (i.e. re: sanitation)? How will you transport the port-a-cans? Will that require investing in a truck? etc. etc.
This post was edited on 5/28/12 at 5:00 pm
Posted by 4LSU2
Member since Dec 2009
37926 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 6:04 pm to
I am in commercial construction and rent them for all of our jobsites. The cost is right at $100/ month. This includes servicing once a week on each unit.

OSHA regs dictate the number of portable toilets on a commercial jobsite based on the number of workers on-site at a given time. During the peak of construction, it is nothing to have 4 to 8 portable toilets on one site at a time.

I have no clue how much the operating costs are however.
Posted by Cold Pizza
Member since Sep 2011
7639 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 6:23 pm to
Make sure he gets all his hepatitis vaccinations.

My understanding is the shitty business sectors can be very profitably because nobody wants to do them/
Posted by ForeverMike06
Walker
Member since Oct 2007
45 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 6:41 pm to
Thanks for the info. The guy currently has 14 revolving accounts with area construction businesses. I was my hope to get into some of the festivals around New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
Posted by CalcuttaTigah
Member since Jul 2009
971 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 7:24 pm to
I knew a guy who's mom was part-owner of BFI back in the day. They were loaded and eventually sold out. Soon after, they got into this business. I would imagine that it is a good investment considering the expected growth/construction that will be going on in the BR area over the next few decades. Construction workers will always need to take shits...you need to also get into the food truck business and conveniently sell mexican lunches at these job sites...I can hear the cash registers already.

Also, we new more details. Are you going to be actively participating in this biz or just a limited partner? I would have your CPA run through the last few years' tax returns and see what you are really getting yourself into.
This post was edited on 5/28/12 at 7:30 pm
Posted by foshizzle
Washington DC metro
Member since Mar 2008
40599 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 7:52 pm to
It probably depends a lot on how well the economy is doing generally. If there's lots of construction sites, outdoor events, etc. you can do really well.

Jobs involving getting rid of yucky stuff generally pay nicely and don't require a college degree either. For example, there was a story in the Wall Street Journal awhile back about a husband/wife team who according to the story cleared a million per year cleaning up homicide/suicide scenes.

They made a killing. :rimshot:
Posted by RedStickBR
Member since Sep 2009
14577 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 8:10 pm to
Very witty anecdote there.

I'm really surprised people haven't run with the shite jokes more. I was guessing Russian would be having a field day by now.
Posted by TypoKnig
Member since Aug 2011
8928 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 8:46 pm to
Sounds like that couple really cleaned up...

To the OP, what type of environmental red tape is involved in running a shite collection company? I would be curious to find out about the disposal of all the waste and associated costs.
Posted by notiger1997
Metairie
Member since May 2009
61268 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 9:16 pm to
quote:

I would be curious to find out about the disposal of all the waste and associated costs.


Yes, this would be a concern with me too.
Posted by Cold Pizza
Member since Sep 2011
7639 posts
Posted on 5/28/12 at 10:21 pm to
quote:

? I would be curious to find out about the disposal of all the waste and associated costs.


Road ditches in LP. Problem solved.
This post was edited on 5/28/12 at 10:28 pm
Posted by ForeverMike06
Walker
Member since Oct 2007
45 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 5:44 am to
The disposal cost is fairly cheap. Its about .10 a gallon. We have to get certification from the DEQ and Licensed. Once the equipment is paid for, fuel will be the biggest expense.
Posted by nogoodjr
Member since Feb 2006
852 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 7:48 am to
Check the books closely for the last few years. Take the net profits and divide that by the percentage of ownership you would have. If you are not making at least 20-25% return on investment yearly, its not worth the headache and risk(in my opinion).
Posted by TheIndulger
Member since Sep 2011
19308 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 9:11 am to
Would you hire someone to clean the toilets? This will probably need to be done on the job site, and definitely when they are between rentals.
Posted by ForeverMike06
Walker
Member since Oct 2007
45 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 9:16 am to
We were going to do it ourselves. We both work shift work, so we can adjust our schedules as we need to.
Posted by kennypowers816
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2010
2449 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 9:21 am to
quote:

We were going to do it ourselves. We both work shift work, so we can adjust our schedules as we need to.


Yikes... There is no way I could do that... Good luck!
Posted by I Love Bama
Alabama
Member since Nov 2007
38421 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 9:51 am to
I hope you keep us updated. This is an interesting business to me. I worked construction in Destin one summer while I was in college and met a girl whos parents owned one of these businesses.

She was living in a $1,500,000 house on the beach and was driving a 7 series. She seemed to be rich as shite.

Not that it matters but she never gave it up.
Posted by lnomm34
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2009
12702 posts
Posted on 5/29/12 at 10:26 am to
quote:

She seemed to be rich as shite.


This thread is promising.
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