Keeping a long-term site running means solving problems before they slow you down.
Toilets are one of those things no one thinks about until they don’t work, get full, or don’t meet compliance. That’s when the real cost kicks in. If you’re running a project that’s months or years long, choosing between buying or hiring portable toilets isn’t a small call. It affects your budget, your workload, and how smooth things run on site.
Getting it right from the start means one less thing to chase up later.
Upfront Cost vs. Ongoing Rental
Buying: Pay More Now, Save Later
Buying portable toilets means a higher upfront cost, but it can make sense if you’re running long-term or continuous projects.
You own the asset, so there are no ongoing hire fees chewing into your budget. If you’ve got a steady pipeline of work or multiple sites that always need facilities, this is where long-term value starts to show. Once it’s paid off, it’s yours to use as often as needed.
Hiring: Lower Commitment, Built-In Flexibility
Hiring spreads the cost and keeps your cash flow in check. You’re not locked into a big spend up front, and you only pay for what you need, when you need it.
For shorter projects, trial sites, or jobs with moving deadlines, hiring gives you room to adjust. It also includes servicing and maintenance when you hire with us, so you’re not hit with surprise costs along the way.
Maintenance Responsibilities
Buying: You’re in Charge
When you buy, maintenance becomes your responsibility. That includes cleaning, pumping, restocking consumables, and keeping the units compliant with health and safety regulations. You’ll need to manage servicing schedules, deal with any issues, and make sure the units stay up to standard across the life of the project. For some operators, that’s not a big deal. For others, it’s one more job on an already full plate.
Luckily, if you do choose to buy, we’ve got your back. We offer scheduled site servicing—weekly, fortnightly, or tailored to your needs—to keep everything running smoothly and up to standard. You can stay compliant without having to bring it all in-house.
Hiring: It’s All Taken Care Of
With hire, maintenance is included. Cleaning, pumping, restocking, and regular servicing are handled by us. You don’t even need to think about it.
The toilets stay in top shape, and your crew stays focused on the job.
Flexibility: Upgrading and Relocating
Buying: Locked In Unless You Plan Ahead
When you buy, you’re working with what you’ve got. If your site changes or your crew grows, you’ll need to invest in more units or upgrade manually. Same goes if you suddenly need accessible toilets or handwashing stations. You’ll need to plan ahead or wear the cost when things shift.
Hiring: Built to Adjust with Your Site
Hiring gives you room to move. Need more toilets? We’ll drop them in.
Need to relocate to another part of the site? Easy.
Change in crew size or compliance requirements? Just update the hire.
It’s flexible by design, which makes it a solid option for dynamic sites or projects that evolve over time.
Storage When Not in Use
Buying: You’ll Need a Plan for Storage
Once the job’s done, those toilets still need a home. That means allocating yard space, securing the units, and keeping them clean and ready for the next project.
If you’ve got the space and team to manage it, no worries. But if not, it can become a hassle—especially between jobs or during seasonal downtime.
Hiring: No Storage, No Stress
With hire, there’s nothing to store. When the job wraps up, we take everything off-site.
No long-term overheads, no maintenance during off-seasons, and no wasted space. It’s perfect for crews that don’t have storage capacity or want to keep things lean between projects.
Customisation and Ownership Benefits
Buying: Built the Way You Want It
Ownership gives you full control. Depending on what unit you’re chasing, you can customise the layout, choose specific unit types, and even alter your toilets to match the rest of your fleet.
For companies running multiple long-term projects or managing remote sites, this can make operations smoother and more consistent. You’re investing in something that fits how you work, not just what’s available off the shelf.
Hiring: Standard, but Reliable
Hire units come ready to go, but you’re working with standard setups. That’s usually fine for most jobs, especially when speed and simplicity matter. You will get reliable, fully serviced units that meet all the basic site needs.
So, What’s Better for You?
Buying | Hiring | |
Upfront Cost | Higher initial spend | Pay-as-you-go |
Maintenance | You manage it (or we can) | Fully taken care of |
Flexibility | Fixed setup | Easy to scale or adjust |
Storage | Needs space when not in use | None needed |
Customisation | Full control | Standard units, fast turnaround |
The right call comes down to how your projects run, what resources you have in-house, and how often you’ll need these units on site.
Make the Right Call for Your Site
Hopefully, everything we’ve covered here gives you a clearer picture of what’s going to work best for your project. Buying and hiring both have their place — it just depends on your timeline, budget, and how hands-on you want to be.
Whether you’re weighing up the costs or just need straight answers, a quick chat with our team can point you in the right direction.
We sell portable toilets across Australia and hire portable toilets throughout Western Australia, so no matter what you’re after, we’ve got the right setup to match your project.
Talk to us today and get your portable toilets sorted properly from day one.

Managing Director at Instant Toilets & Showers
Scott Rawson is the Managing Director of Instant Products Group, a specialist group of companies that offer portable building solutions, including sea containers, transportable offices, and portable sanitation products. With more than 20 years of experience in various management positions and a finalist in the WA Business News 40 under 40 awards in 2013, Scott is a highly motivated entrepreneur that has a passion for designing products to suit the needs of individual markets. From the creation of Instant Products Group over 20 years ago, he has successfully grown the group into a multi-million dollar corporation and his success is widely recognised in Western Australia. Scott is dedicated to expanding Instant Products Group nationally and providing high-quality products to a range of sectors, including mining, engineering, property development, and government.