Finally made the site rental feel a bit more like home

During my 18-month overhaul of an 1890s Victorian, the blue box out front was my best friend and worst enemy. I did exactly what you’re doing because trekking thru the subfloor every time I needed to go was a recipe for disaster. I actually bolted a solar-powered motion light above the door. It made those late nights finishing drywall much safer since I wasn't fumbling with a phone flashlight in the dark.

I also threw down a heavy rubber Scraper mat from Home Depot and used a couple of concrete pavers to create a solid landing. Before that, the area around the base would turn into a mud pit after every rainstorm, and we’d end up dragging that sludge back onto the job site. Adding a battery-operated fan inside for those 90-degree July days was the only thing that kept the heat from becoming unbearable.

My neighbors thought I was crazy for decorating a rental unit, but it kept the crew from treating it like a dumpster. When things look cared for, people tend to respect the space more. It’s the little things, like having actual Poo-Pourri on the shelf instead of just industrial chemicals, that make a brutal renovation feel a bit more human.

I went a diffrent route when I was doing my ground-up build in the valley last summer. Instead of focusing on the flowers, I had to deal with the heat inside that plastic sauna. Once the temp hits 90 degrees, those units become unbearable. I actually mounted a battery-operated O2COOL fan to the vent pipe with some heavy-duty zip ties. It didn't make it look prettier, but it meant I didn't melt during my mid-day break.

I also learned the hard way that the rental companies usually provide the cheapest 1-ply paper. I built a small wooden shelf using some scrap 2x4s and 3/4 inch plywood to hold a supply of Cottonelle and a canister of Clorox wipes. Having a level surface for your phone or a roll of decent paper makes a massive difference when you're living on-site for months. One thing I’d suggest is checking the level of the ground under the skids every few weeks. My unit started to tilt after a heavy rainstorm in October, and a leaning porta-potty is a disaster waiting to happen. I had to use a pry bar and some composite shims to get it stable again.

I seriously need to try the flowers becasue my site looks like a disaster zone right now! I'm just getting started on my first project and I'm obsessed with making it look less like a dump. Since you guys are experts, do any of you know if the rental companies actualy care if you move those units with a skid steer? I realy want to tuck mine behind the garage so the neighbors stop staring, but I’m terrified of a spill or getting fined by the port-a-potty guys!