I Gotta Take A Dump!!!

[Tim_B.]

O.K., I'm one of the new guys, so sue me for asking a really dumb question. And really, I'm not even one of the guys, as I don't do arb work for a living.

The elephant in the room for me with regard to this issue, is why does no one consider the use of a rental port-a-potty at every job, to have it available for use by every member of the crew as the need arises? I would bet that a company that sold such a service would provide a pretty decent price on it if they knew that they had a really steady customer on their hands.

I looked online for pricing information regarding this stuff after I started reading this thread. The businesses that provide the service don't publish their prices out in the open. They want you to give up information and be put into a closing situation in order to find out the cost. Other web pages indicated that it might range from $100 to $250 a day for one, but I don't know how accurate that is. They even rent some that come on their own tow-behind trailer, so that you can move it yourself if you are changing locations frequently.

These businesses cater to customers that often have events that only last for a single day, which is how I'd imagine most tree jobs are. The need to use the restroom every once in awhile is a basic condition of being human. To force men to basically humiliate themselves in order to take care of that need just seems wrong on the face of it. Every construction site provides an adequate number of portable restrooms for the number of men on the job, if the job is being run properly. Tree work should be no different. The cost of providing this service should just be one of the costs that gets added into every job, as a necessity, no less than the maintenance costs for the chippers or the chainsaws.

In my mind, it is just one more detail of the job that needs to be planned for, and the companies that provide the service probably only need an address and someone at the site to direct the placement of the unit.

One more small thing. I saw on one company's website where they would sell a used porta-potty for about $300. It might be possible to make a one time purchase of a unit like that, have it on a small trailer, and only pay to get it serviced by the company that sold it to you as the need arises. Though that is probably more trouble than it's worth, it is a possibility.

The men that work for you would understand just how good they have it working for you, and such treatment would inspire great loyalty and hard work, in my opinion. Especially if they talk to guys from other companies that fail to provide for this basic need.

Thanks for listening.

Tim

 

[Mick!]

It's a non starter Tim. If push comes to shove and a guy really has to go, he gets in the pick up and heads to the Macdonalds or similar or the woods.
Butch is right, taking a dump in a clients house is a big no no, a guy who worked for me had to do it once but we were working in central London, no chance of a wild crap.
On the other hand some clients often have a "garage toilet" for tradesmen, they make a point of telling you about it and tell you that you're to use it! ie. No pissing behind the hedge.

 

[Fiddler]

Tim, most of the cost is in the placement and removal. Many days one might hit two or three job sites. You might be talking about nearly doubling the price of some smaller jobs. Plus there is a whole new scheduling hassle.

Hauling one around yourself would entail another truck and driver. Quite a bit to ask of a small tree co. And then you have to find a legal place to dump it

I have yet to run into a guy who was "humiliated" by hiding in the chip truck or the woods; or running to a public restroom if close enough. just goes with the territory sometimes.

 

[Tucker943]

Sounds funky.

It's not a lie my friend. I stand to gain nothing by admitting amongst other professionals that I shit myself as an adult in front of a potential customer. Really, it happened. I remember it clear as day. What I don't recall is what it was that made me so sick to my stomach so quickly. I have a pretty average stomach and seldom get sick from food.

 

[Tucker943]

That was a good one,Tuck

Why all the haters for dumping in the house if someone has to go? Do plumbers, appliance repair guys, painters, carpenters go in the back woods or drive to a gas station when they have to poop? No, they poop in the house.

Why would a tree guy not do the same?

I see your point. It makes perfect sense. I always figured the plumber and electrician were already in the house. They've already been in and breached the walls of comfort that exist with strangers in your home. The customer likely had advance plans for someone to be inside and was able to put away certain personal effects, clean up, kennel the dog, maybe remove certain prescriptions from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Any number of things. When the tree worker knocks on the door spur the moment, they may not have been anticipating a stranger to come in and go in a room and close the door behind them. I find many people offer us to use their bathroom and sinks, but I've always assumed there's folks out there crawling in their skin at this strange blue collar man asking to come into their home unexpectedly.

 

[cory]

I I've always assumed there's folks out there crawling in their skin at this strange blue collar man asking to come into their home unexpectedly.

They may well be. But I have to go to the bathroom.

Several posts, including yours mentioning hiding prescriptions, suggest that tree guys in the house might result in stealing etc, but I would never have a person on the crew who isn't completely trustworthy in that respect.

Btw, I'm 4-1 when I poop in the house during the appointment

 

[Tucker943]

I try and hire quality men also. But you and I know those men, and have evaluated their quality of character. A random customer never had that opportunity with each of our men. I'm not saying tree rats clean out people's medicine cabinets habitually, but I'm saying, people of all walks of life aren't automatically trusted to pop in a persons house spur the moment.

I have used customers bathrooms and don't turn my nose up at someone who does. For me and my guys, I prefer they not ask. An offer from the custy paves the way though.

 

[Tucker943]

I'd also have to be fair in saying I take certain things on a customer by customer basis. I get the snotty new money brats that want me to come, do my job, and go, and on the opposite end, I have some super awesome down to earth customers that are begging us to stay for burgers and a beer. I try and take into account the type of person we are working for when I make certain decisions. The uppity type, well, I just keep it pure business and interact with them only as needed.

 

[vharrison]

Several posts, including yours mentioning hiding prescriptions, suggest that tree guys in the house might result in stealing etc, but I would never have a person on the crew who isn't completely trustworthy in that respect.

That is a joke, right?

 

[cory]

No. My guys are polite and trustworthy.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

It's an unavoidable mess, small or large. Saw chips, dust, needless, leaves.

I dropped a duece once or twice. Prefer not to go in people's homes in general. At a bid, where I am clean, going in just talked more time.

I definitely have been in for lunch and whiskey, mid day and end, respectively.

Nobody going in the house means no concern of immediate theft, or dirty-ing up the sink and towels. No accidentally knocked over case, etc.

A long time back something was stolen when our window washing crew and another contractor were in the house. Diamond ring or something.

While sorta out in left field of an offer, my boss immediately called back after being told, offering we would all take polygraphs, no concern at all. Not something that would have happened, but the sentiment is there.




How many people get real background checks on employees? A CYA.

 

[mistahbenn]

The only time I went for one in a custys house, it stank so bad it was embarrassing! Now I am more regular, but a while back in my unhealthy 'watery' days, back of the truck, or just find a private area, and do what you gotta do. What other choice is there?

Good story Chris BTW LOL

 

[stig]

No. My guys are polite and trustworthy.

Of course.
So are mine. I would have it no other way.
Non-smoking, in clean company clothing with no visible tattoos.

Except when we are logging. I don't care what people wear in the woods, there are only the gnomes and elfs to take offence.

 

[Tucker943]

Our men may be princes of the highest caliber but they are still a stranger to the elderly lady whose house they are asking to enter. I'm starting to think there's no right or wrong answer here. I've heard good points from both sides. I guess it all boils down to how bad do you have to go? Usually I'm no more then 5 minutes from a gas station of some variety. I've left the job a time or two. Sure, it costs me 20 minutes but its so infrequent that my accountant is hardly on my back about it. Plus, who doesn't mind a little break from work for a few minutes? If leaving the job for 20 minutes a few times a year hurts my company, I've got bigger issues to address then whether or not to shit in the wood chips.

 

[Fiddler]

 

[stig]

Oh, I didn't mean to emply that we use clients bathrooms. We don't.
Our no visible tats rule is exactly because of the little old ladies.

 

[sawman]

So butch couldn't work for you?(visible tat rule)???

 

[cory]

I aint poopin in no gas station no matter what. Either the woods, the house, or the chip truck (where we gotta bag it cuz the recycle place wouldn't appreciate excrement). Public restrooms are gross. My guys prefer to poop there though. They go there so often that when they go thru the front door, the clerk see who it is and just hands them the key

 

[Mick!]

I aint poopin in no gas station no matter what. Either the woods, the house, or the chip truck (where we gotta bag it cuz the recycle place wouldn't appreciate excrement). Public restrooms are gross. My guys prefer to poop there though. They go there so often that when they go thru the front door, the clerk see who it is and just hands them the key

Me too, can't bear them. Feel like puking just walking in them. Probably like the people who might step in what I leave in the woods!

 

[Tucker943]

Public restrooms are grossing me out more and more with time. I've taken to wading up TP and pumping the hand sanitizer on it and wiping the seat down before using it. My days of public toilet use are numbered.

 

[cory]

Me too, can't bear them. Feel like puking just walking in them. Probably like the people who might step in what I leave in the woods!

You don't dig a hole?

 

[Tucker943]

A hole? Drop those logs and kick a few leaves over them. You really stand firm on the pooping debate Cory. I'm half tempted to get on your program just because I admire how firm you've stood your ground.

 

[Mick!]

Nah, put a old log on top or something.
Reminds me of a story an old mate told me (who lives in LA now, was the drummer for an English rock band call Bush)
Anyway he worked on the railways, maintaining the lines, there was an older guy who worked with them, they were in the middle of nowhere strimming or something and the old guy went and took a crap on the bank as usual, he had to unzip and lower his overalls, unfortunately he crapped in his overalls and when he pulled them back up he covered his back in it.
He had to spend the rest of the day smelling of it.

 

[cory]

Cmon man, digging a hole is just basic proper etiquette. OTJ, with a shovel, it's cake to dig a proper hole. Without a shovel, I do the best I can with a stick, then cover it back up with leaves etc. If I saw where somebody dumped on the ground and cleaned up with toilet paper and then just walked, well that's cause for a whipping. This aint a third world country.

My guys get all happy when we work where there's a portapotty. They drink coffee then gotta go. We worked at a bank a few months ago, the restroom was like something from the Ritz- spacious, clean, well lit, nice art on the wall even. We were all quite impressed.

 

[Mick!]

Can't help myself, it's my secret shame, that and not being able to repair a pull cord properly. I don't know which I hate myself more for.