Written by the GigLoo team, luxury portable toilet and shower hire specialists and UK manufacturer serving Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London. Last updated October 2026.
Quick answer: can you hire temporary toilets while your toilet block is refurbished?
Yes. Mains-connected toilet hire means a toilet trailer or pod is delivered to your site and plumbed into your mains water and foul drainage, so it works like a permanent toilet block for as long as the refurbishment runs. It is used by shops, schools, offices, shopping centres, depots and secure sites that must keep staff and visitors in toilets while the old ones are closed. The usual conditions are a firm pitch, a power supply, a water supply, and a foul drain within about three metres of the unit. Where there is no drain in reach, the same units can run on a recirculating waste system with scheduled servicing. To plan yours, request a long-term toilet hire quote from GigLoo.
Quick answer list: the 8 things to decide before you hire
- How many people need toilets at the busiest time (staff, and customers or pupils separately).
- Whether you can connect to mains water and foul drainage, or need a recirculating system.
- How long the works will run, and whether that could overrun.
- Where the unit can physically go (access, ground, distance to a drain and a power point).
- Whether you need an accessible toilet as well as standard cubicles.
- Who services it, how often, and who you call when something goes wrong.
- What the site needs from the supplier (insurance, risk assessment, method statement, vetting).
- How the unit will cope with winter, if the works run from October to March.
What is mains-connected toilet hire?
Mains-connected toilet hire is the rental of a self-contained toilet trailer or pod that is connected to the site’s mains water supply and foul drain, instead of relying only on its own water and waste tanks. Because the water comes in and the waste goes out continuously, the unit does not need pumping out or refilling during normal use. That makes it the usual choice for long hires where the facilities are used all day, every day.
A standard chemical portable toilet is different: it is a single plastic cubicle with a waste tank and no running water. It suits short jobs and building sites. For an occupied building with customers or staff, most people want flushing toilets, hot and cold water and a proper hand wash, which is what a trailer provides. For the construction version of this question, see our site toilet hire guide.
Who hires temporary toilets during refurbishment works?
Facilities teams hire temporary toilets whenever a permanent block is closed for longer than people can reasonably be asked to cope. Typical situations:
- Retail and supermarkets: a store keeps trading while customer or staff toilets are rebuilt. A recent GigLoo example is a 4+2 toilet trailer sited outside a supermarket on a six month hire during a toilet block refurbishment.
- Shopping centres and leisure sites: public toilets closed for a refit, with footfall that does not stop.
- Schools, colleges and nurseries: a toilet block upgraded over a term or the summer break.
- Offices and industrial sites: washrooms refitted floor by floor, or failed drainage and plumbing repairs.
- Councils, utilities and secure sites: long programmes on controlled sites where access, security and uptime matter. GigLoo’s long-term hire work includes councils, Network Rail, Southern Water and the MOD.
Are you legally required to provide toilets while yours are closed?
For people at work, the duty to provide suitable toilets does not switch off because a building project has started. Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers must provide suitable and sufficient toilets and washing facilities at readily accessible places, with separate rooms for men and women unless each toilet is in its own lockable room. The HSE publishes minimum numbers for people at work:
| People at work at any one time | Minimum toilets | Minimum washbasins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 to 25 | 2 | 2 |
| 26 to 50 | 3 | 3 |
| 51 to 75 | 4 | 4 |
| 76 to 100 | 5 | 5 |
Source: HSE, How many toilets should a workplace have? (mixed use or women only table). Two cautions. First, these are minimums for staff, not a comfort target, so plan above them at busy sites. Second, customers, pupils and visitors are not counted in that table, so size their provision on footfall and speak to your health and safety adviser or the relevant authority. We are manufacturers, not legal advisers.
Which unit should you hire?
| Unit | Best for | Needs on site |
|---|---|---|
| Standard portable toilet | Short works, back-of-house, tight access | Nothing: no power, water or drain |
| Toilet trailer on recirculating waste (3+2) | Sites with no drain in reach | Power, firm pitch, scheduled servicing |
| Mains-connected toilet trailer (4+2, 14 bay) | Occupied buildings, 3 to 12 month works, high use | Power, water supply, foul drain within about 3 metres |
| Easy-access toilet pod | Step-free provision alongside any of the above | Power, firm level pitch |
| 4-bay shower pod | Depots, sites and shift workers needing showers | Power and water |
GigLoo’s trailers use a hybrid system that can run on recirculating waste or connect straight to a foul drain, and we visit the site to confirm which suits. For capacity, GigLoo rates a 2+1 trailer at around 150 people over eight hours and a 3+1 or 3+2 at around 300. Those are throughput figures for staggered use, so a retail or school break-time peak needs more cubicles than the headline number suggests.
How many toilets do you need for a temporary block?
Start with the HSE minimum for the maximum number of staff on site at once, then add capacity for anyone else who uses the facilities and for peaks such as school breaks or shift changes. A workforce of 40 has a legal minimum of three toilets. If 300 customers also use the block on a busy Saturday, three cubicles will queue. A practical rule: size to your worst ten minutes, not your average hour. Always include at least one accessible toilet, because the Equality Act 2010 expects reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
What does long-term mains-connected toilet hire cost?
Long hires are priced bespoke, after a site visit, and cost less per week than short hires. As a guide, GigLoo’s published indicative 2026 weekly bands for toilet trailers (before delivery, servicing, water and waste setup, and VAT) run from about £450 to £900 for a 2+1, £600 to £1,200 for a 3+1 or 3+2, and £750 to £1,500 for a 3+3 or 4+2. Treat these as a ceiling for a short rental, not a long-term quote.
What moves the price on a 3 to 12 month hire:
- Length of hire: the main lever; weekly cost falls as the term lengthens.
- Connection type: a clean mains and drain connection costs less to run than tanks that need regular emptying.
- Servicing: a tailored weekly service schedule is part of the package, and busier sites need more.
- Distance and access: delivery from our West Sussex base, plus any trackway or crane needs.
- Extras: an accessible pod, showers, screening, lighting or security.
For broader price context see our portaloo hire cost guide and the luxury toilet trailer guide.
What does your site need before delivery?
- A firm, level pitch wide enough for the trailer, with a clear route for the tow vehicle.
- Power for lighting, heating and pumps.
- A water supply and, for a mains connection, a foul drain within about three metres of the unit. Measure it; it is the most useful check you can make.
- Permissions: landlord, centre management or school governors, and in some cases the council if a unit goes near the highway.
- A safe, lit route from the building, with step-free access to the accessible pod.
How are temporary toilets serviced on a long hire?
A long-term package includes scheduled servicing: cleaning, restocking consumables such as paper and soap, and checks on water and waste. On a mains-connected unit there is less waste to remove, so visits focus on cleaning and stock. Hires also include installation, testing and final waste removal at the end. Our engineers are available on the phone from 7am to 7pm for technical support during a hire, outside normal office hours. Ask any supplier who you call at 7am when a tap fails, and what response time they commit to.
What should you ask about security, insurance and winter?
Secure and regulated sites (military, utilities, rail, government) often need paperwork before a vehicle is allowed on site. Ask for the supplier’s insurance certificate, risk assessment and method statement, and whether delivery staff can be vetted or escorted. From October to March, also ask about frost protection for the water supply and what happens if a line freezes overnight. Cold weather is the most common cause of avoidable downtime on temporary facilities.
Where does GigLoo deliver long-term toilet hire?
GigLoo manufactures its units in West Sussex and primarily serves Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London, with larger projects supported across the UK. We regularly serve town and city sites such as Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells. See our guides for Surrey and London access and delivery rules, and our guide to temporary bathroom hire for homes and rentals.
Why choose GigLoo for temporary facilities?
- We build what we hire. GigLoo grew out of John Dennis Coachbuilders, which has built specialist fire engine bodies since 1985, and we make our toilet and shower units in West Sussex.
- Built for heavy use. One-piece copolymer bodies resist water damage, rotting and delamination, are designed to last over 20 years and are 100% recyclable at end of life. See our sustainability page.
- Proven at scale. Our trailers have served events including Glastonbury and Boardmasters, and productions for the BBC and Netflix, so a busy shop or school is well within their range.
- Full service. Installation, testing, stocked consumables, servicing and final waste removal, with technical phone support from 7am to 7pm.
Ready to plan your temporary facilities? Tell us your postcode, headcount, drain and power locations, and how long the works will run, and we will recommend the units and arrange a site visit. Get your long-term toilet hire quote or call 0330 333 8777. Browse the full toilet hire range or our long-term hire service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire a toilet trailer that connects to mains water and drainage?
Yes. GigLoo toilet trailers can connect to mains water and a foul drain, usually where the drain is within about three metres of the unit. Where that is not possible they run on a recirculating waste system and are serviced during the hire. We confirm the best option at a site visit.
How many toilets must a workplace provide if its toilets are closed?
The HSE minimum for people at work is one toilet for up to five people, two for six to 25, three for 26 to 50, four for 51 to 75 and five for 76 to 100. Customers and visitors are not in that table, so size their provision on footfall and take advice.
How long can I hire temporary toilets for?
From a few days to many months. Long-term hire is priced bespoke and usually costs less per week than a short rental. Tell us the expected duration and any risk of overrun so the quote covers it.
What is the difference between mains-connected and self-contained toilets?
A mains-connected unit takes water from the site supply and sends waste straight to the foul drain. A self-contained unit uses its own water and waste tanks, which need refilling and emptying on a schedule. Mains connection suits long, high-use hires.
Do temporary toilets need power?
Yes. GigLoo trailers and pods need a power supply for lighting, heating and pumps. Standard plastic portable toilets are the exception and need no power, water or drain.
Can I get an accessible temporary toilet as well?
Yes. An easy-access toilet pod provides step-free provision alongside standard cubicles, and it should be part of any public-facing temporary block.
How much does long-term toilet hire cost?
It is quoted after a site visit. GigLoo’s indicative 2026 weekly bands for toilet trailers run from about £450 to £1,500 depending on size, before delivery, servicing and VAT, and long hires cost less per week. Ask for a project-length quote.
Do you cover Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London?
Yes. GigLoo is based in West Sussex and primarily serves the South East, including Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London, and supports larger projects across the UK.