Hiring a Portaloo

It's June 2014

It's my first time as a hirer of a portaloo!

There are several portaloo hire companies out there and most of them are set up for commercial use, either at festivals or for builders. You can get ones without a wash basin, just a cleanser dispenser but the asbestos removers need the water. Thankfully they don't want a full shower which would have been a reasonable request. I'm hoping to only need it for a couple of weeks but most hire companies have a minimum fee or time.

Working out the overall costs, most were similar but the lady on the phone at Space Mobiles was the most understanding and helpful so they got the business. The deliver, service & pick-up on Tuesdays in our area - you have to pay extra to get a different day which makes sense.

It turned up on the back of a truck with just one guy and I start thinking that I really don't want to be helping haul a loo around but it soon becomes apparent that it's really light! If you look in the photo, there are wooden runners on the bottom to protect it and make it easier to manoeuvre around a building site. The flush/basin water tank is filled from a reservoir on the truck after it's in situ and then it's good to go. Space Mobiles return each week to "service" it and I just ring when it's no longer needed.

There's no lock on the outside! I'm thinking anyone could use it! And then I remember, it's a portaloo. Who would want to go in it unless they were desperate and then I'd rather they used it and not the garden! There is, of course, a lock on the inside.

Daylight comes through the overhead white plastic and I realise that night-time use would be interesting but hopefully, not necessary.



Nick the plumber comes and removes the WC, basin & bath, the radiators on the asbestos walls plus the ones in the bathroom as they need relocating anyway. The supply pipes are capped off.

This photo shows the lovely plasticised tile-effect wallpaper. It's not what I'd use, but you can still buy stuff like this!






The WC is gone, leaving the waste pipe in the floor. Most modern connections are through a wall so the floor waste will limit our options when we get a new WC but it's still possible. Neither the builder nor the plumber really want to move the waste pipe. This is one of those times that we miss P's dad. He'd have turned up at 8am the next Saturday (while we were still in bed) and sorted it out.

The boiler is disconnected. The heating won't be an issue as it's June. The kettle will have to provide any hot water, mainly needed for washing up mugs.



I have to use the portaloo before I leave.

I am strangely shy about any of the neighbours seeing me go in which is ridiculous! Everyone uses a loo and I wouldn't have one there if there was one inside. Clearly I will be using it. Still, I make sure no-one is around before I go in and use the facillities. It is not a pleasant experience but better than I anticipated.

Everything is ready for the asbestos removers the next week.

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Meeting the Neighbours

It's still March 2014
and our first real visit to the property as owners.

The photos have been taken - see my last post The Before Photos.

Onto the more physical stuff and you have to start somewhere...we peer at the walls and don't touch them.  The spectre of asbestosis is not to be trifled with so, until the asbestos survey is done, it's strictly hands-off.  The whole house could be made of it for all we know.  The outer brick layer will be safe and the front and back extensions are probably OK but the rest is all a potential risk.

The hedge - before & gone

First things first, we chop back the front middle hedge to make access to the drive easier.
Although the address is on a well-used road, Sunny Acre is on the corner of a bridleway and that's where the drive is.  Backing onto the main road is asking for trouble so it's best to back onto the drive.  The hedges have got overgrown while it's been empty although not as bad as expected.  But still, the limits of my car reversing skills require a wider entrance.  Besides which, the central hedge is that horrible shrubby lonicera that always has loads of spiders so it has to go.





Of course working in the front garden has the extra benefit of meeting some of the neighbours, a very helpful thing to do, especially while Paul is with me as he's the extrovert in our marriage! They've been keeping the hedges under control.  It was in their own interest but it's an indication of how neighbourly people are around here:

• One gives us the contact details of a local plumber - we'll need one sooner than we're planning;
• One drops round a business card - he's a builder and his wife thinks we might need his services - I think she's right;
• Another neighbour is a gardener and designer - we'll need his help too but not for some time;
• Our immediate neighbour is the guy who built Sunny Acre!

Everyone knows about the asbestos...

So, a good start.  Lots to do but very much excited rather than daunted.  As we're getting ready to leave, we notice it's a bit wet by the boiler. Hmm! I'd better come back the next day to see what's going on...