To pay to hire portaloo for workmen when they could just use the toilet in our house?

[CandidAzureReader]

I'm planning on having some renovation work done in my home which will take about a week to complete. I'm aware that the tradesmen will need to use the toilet while performing the work. I simply can't bear the thought of letting them use our toilet. We have no downstairs toilet, just the one upstairs. I wouldn't want them using a downstairs one even if I had one.

My reluctance in allowing it is due in part to the stories I've read on MN over the years about workmen "shitting nuclear waste" and stinking out the whole house. DH thinks I'm mad to want to hire a portaloo. It would cost around £50 to hire one for a week and around £60 for delivery and removal of the loo. That to me seems a fair price to not have to deal with them using the toilet in the house. What are your thoughts MN?

Using a public loo, a hotel bathroom (that’s been cleaned for you and is then only used by you), a restaurant loo, a plane loo … is not at all the same as sharing your family upstairs bathroom with multiple tradespeople for a week.

Is your name Hyacinth Bucket?

Yes it is. Other people use toilets that you use.
Tradesmen have frequently used my toilet, with no ill effects.
I've come across worse in restaurants and trains, though.

That ‘you use’ - not your home bathroom.

I recommend none of these people should ever holiday outside of specific areas! Certain countries do not have the same kind of toilets that we enjoy! 😀

My neighbour is mid way through a three month building project, she said, the best decision they made was having a portaloo!!

Big project, one upstairs toilet.

We are mid renovation. Initially they all used the downstairs loo and then it got ripped out so I hired a portaloo. Honestly I’d go Portaloo because the nature of building work is dirt and dust and the loo ( paintwork etc) did get grubby, not through them being careless but just because they’d have dirt/ dust on their hands/ boots etc. portaloos are weirdly cheap and the price includes them emptying it weekly.

If I had a downstairs toilet, I would let them use it, but if i didn't I would do the same as you.

I genuinely don't see the difference and I cannot for the life of me fathom what exactly the problem is.
Maybe I've just been lucky in 35+ years of house renovations that workmen have used my toilet with no ill effects.

I used a trough toilet while backpacking in Africa which had other people’s poo floating down past you. I have used long drops backpacking in Australia in the desert. The worst toilets you’ve ever seen in your life on various other travels. Not the same thing, as I keep saying.

Recently had both and upstairs and downstairs bathroom done one after the other.

When they were doing the upstairs bathroom was happy for them to use the downstairs - which was the “old” one, stairs carpet was protected because they were up & down anyway and downstairs is all hard floors.

When they moved to the downstairs I got a portaloo.

This was partly to avoid mess & dirt being traipsed up and down the stairs, partly because the upstairs bathroom was now brand new, and partly because the upstairs bathroom belonged to our teenage girls and didn’t want lots of people in & out of their personal space.

Obviously depends what you’re having done but the cost is pretty negligible if you’re having eg a bathroom or kitchen done.

Lots of people getting very touchy about others being “judgy” about tradespeople but imo a lack of respect and damage / mess is the rule not the exception. We’ve had extensive & prolonged renovation work done over the last few years with loads of trades in and out and it’s not the case for all of them - our regular electrician is a delight for example - but more of them than not for sure.

@CandidAzureReader 100% hire the portaloo! Do not under any circumstances allow those tradesmen anywhere near your toilet! Also get a very long extension lead and hose pipe to them with a tea tray and kettle with a big box of biscuits.

Aren’t you pleasant

For a few days work (decorating, boiler service etc) I’d have them use the inside loo. Just stock up with antibacterial wipes/loo brush (yes mn, I know) and room spray left visibly within easy reach for use! Most trades seem to time their loo breaks wit visits to the local cafe/supermarket tbh, so doesn’t often get used. The times it has been “memorable” are very few and far between.

However if you have your reasons, just get the portaloo. Explain you’d prefer them to use the outside loo and if you need to, blame the plumbing/cistern requiring a knack/ awaiting a plumber.

I would rather they used a portaloo OP but if it's an indoor job there's a good chance they will use your loo anyway if you're not home all the time.

We're planning work soon and we don't currently have a downstairs loo and I've thought about the same.

If you'd seen the state my builders left my toilet in when I took pity on them and let them use the indoor toilet you wouldn't be so quick to disagree. Excrement not even contained to the toilet itself.

I've also had a number of tradesmen use the loo with variable outcomes. The toilet brush is there sitting right next to the toilet. Why they can't use it I don't know.

@CatrionaBalfour I admire your dedication to the cause of allowing workmen to use your toilet! I wouldn't let them use mine in a month of Sundays. 😂

Nobody likes using thunderboxes sorry portaloos. They are horrible.

Assuming you have a downstairs loo I'd happily let them use it.
If you only have upstairs I'd think different but thats more to do with boots on the stairs than using the toilet.

When we had our extension built the builders included a portaloo as standard. It made sense as they were working outside and had carefully planned the work to maintain a private and secure home for us that was as separate from their construction site as possible.

Every other piece of work we've had done, I haven't even considered a portaloo. Very occasionally - like twice ever - a "workman" (some of the people who've done work for us have even been women, shock horror!) has asked if it's okay to use the downstairs loo. Otherwise I'm not sure if they've used the loo at all.

If they were working in the house when I popped out I suppose they might have used the loo and left everything as they found it. Possibly some men working in the garden might have had a quick wee in a secluded corner behind the shed, but if they did I wasn't aware.

Overall I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill, OP.

Clutching your pearls at the thought of working class arses touching your loo?! I suppose your turds smell like lavender do they?
Get a grip you raging snob.

Unfortunately it doesn't.
And as PP said, I don't want to clean a stranger's poo and piss.

I'm not judgemental - just experienced! Happy to provide plenty of tea, coffee, biscuits. Plenty of laughs and banter. Will get a portaloo whenever possible though.

Well. The op has not been back

The portaloo is so cheap it’s a no brainer.

Increasingly work people hire a loo as part of any long term job, just to save taking their boots off

My wife missed ours when it eventually went as she used at the weekends when gardening to safe taking her boots off

But your attitude stinks op, the builders will be clean and respectful...unlike you

I’d pay it. If you had a downstairs loo that was easy to access then I’d suck it up for a week - but would be giving polite feedback if the nuclear thing happened!!!

but as it’s upstairs I prob would just pay for the portaloo. I also wonder if they’d prefer it?