What Does a Film Set Restroom Package Actually Include?
A working set needs more than a toilet behind base camp. Crew sanitation on a Dearborn production usually pairs a portable restroom rental block for grip and electric with a nicer unit near talent trailers, something closer to a deluxe flushable porta potty or an actual restroom trailer rental if the schedule runs multiple days. OSHA 1926.51(c) sets the baseline: one toilet facility for 20 workers or fewer on a construction-style crew count, moving to a seat and urinal per 40 as headcount climbs past that. Film crews get treated the same as any other jobsite crew for this purpose, so a 35-person unit base means you are not squeaking by on a single unit. We also stage handwashing separately from the toilets. A handwashing station rental satisfies 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2), which requires soap and towels or a drying device at the wash point, not just hand sanitizer sitting on a table. If the art department is running paint, aerosol coatings, or any solvent-based finish on set dressing, that triggers OSHA 1926.51(f)(1) washing requirements specifically for paints and coatings, separate from general crew sanitation. Add a portable sink rental near the makeup and hair stations too. Producers coordinating multi-location shoots around Dearborn often bundle this with construction site services if the set involves any build or strike work.
How Many Units Does a Dearborn Shoot Need?
Crew size drives the count more than anything else. A tight 15-person documentary crew can run on one porta john rental plus a handwash station, while a 60-person union call sheet needs several standard units split between departments, plus one ADA accessible porta potty per ADA Standards 213.2, which requires at least 5 percent of clustered units be accessible with a minimum of one. That accessible unit needs a 60 inch turning circle inside per ADA Standards 304.3.1, and the approach path has to hold a 36 inch clear width under ADA Standards 403.5.1. Our how many porta potties do i need guide walks through the math by headcount if you want to run it yourself before calling. Below is a rough sense of what a day rate looks like against a longer hold, since most productions book units as a package rather than piecing it together unit by unit.
| unit type | day | week |
|---|---|---|
| standard porta potty | $100 - $350 | $130 - $500 |
| ADA accessible unit | $200 - $400 | $240 - $400 |
| deluxe flushable unit | $85 - $1,200 | $150 - $290 |
Multi-day episodic work usually lands in the week column, and a single pickup day for a commercial shoot lands in the day column. See porta potty rental cost and porta potty rental per day for the full breakdown, or monthly porta potty rental if the production is a longer episodic build near Dearborn.
Can We Get Power and Restrooms Delivered Together?
Yes, and most productions ask for exactly that. A basecamp package near Dearborn typically pairs restroom units with a light tower rental for early call times and a temporary power pole if the set needs a 200 amp drop for trucks and video village rather than relying on generator cart alone. Portable generator rental film packages usually run alongside our trailer deliveries rather than through us directly, so coordinate that with your grip department while we handle the plumbing side. Delivery trucks need roughly 60 feet of straight clearance behind the unit to spot a roll-off dumpster rental or restroom trailer, which matters on tight residential streets common around Dearborn neighborhoods standing in for other locations. If the shoot is scattered across a few blocks, a temporary fence rental keeps foot traffic and gawkers off the set perimeter, and OSHA 1926.202 governs the barricade standard our crews follow when we stage it near an active roadway. Productions filming within 10 miles of Dearborn, including base camps set up in Allen Park about 5.4 miles south or Lincoln Park at 7.6 miles south, run on the same delivery windows since our trucks are already routed through that corridor. Westland, roughly 10.5 miles west, and Redford at 9.6 miles northwest fall into the same standard delivery radius too. If your shoot needs holding tank service for a house rented as a location rather than connected to city sewer, ask about holding tank rental options, and see service areas for the full coverage map.
How far in advance should we book restrooms for a film shoot?
Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable for a standard package; a week out works for smaller crews. Trailer units and ADA-compliant clusters have less availability, so lock those first if your call sheet tops 40 people or requires accessible facilities on day one.
Do you deliver to closed sets and controlled locations?
Yes. Our drivers coordinate arrival times with your locations manager and can hold delivery until a gate opens or a scout signs off. Give us the exact spot and any access code ahead of time so the crew is not standing around.
What if the shoot location has no sewer hookup?
That is common on Dearborn residential locations. We run standard units on self-contained tanks, which hold 60 to 70 gallons, so no hookup is needed. For working sinks or kitchen scenes, a septic pumping service or holding tank keeps graywater off the ground.
Can we upgrade just the talent restroom and keep crew units basic?
Yes, that is the most common setup. Crew runs on standard porta potty rental units while talent and producers get a deluxe or trailer unit closer to base camp. Mixed orders are normal and priced per unit, not as one bundle.
Does the crew size affect what we're required to provide?
Yes, per OSHA 1926.51(c). Crews of 20 or fewer need one toilet facility; above that the ratio shifts to one seat and one urinal per 40 workers. We size the order to your actual call sheet, not a guess.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.