Blog · Published July 14, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026
The 28-day porta potty billing cycle, explained with real dates
Long-term porta potty rentals bill every 28 days, not every month. That adds a 13th cycle each year and moves your end date. Here is the math.
Fast answers
- Delivery areaJobsites across Salinas and four counties. Check your ZIP.
- ArrivalBook 2+ business days ahead. Day 1 of the cycle is the delivery day.
- Which unitA standard unit for most crews; add a handwash station if needed. Size your crew.
- Cleaning4 weekly services in every 28-day cycle; every other week for sporadic sites.
- Full costCycle 1 includes delivery and pickup; later cycles are unit plus service. Itemized up front.
Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. · Most callers get an itemized quote in under 10 minutes.
The basics
What is a 28-day porta potty billing cycle?
A 28-day porta potty billing cycle is 4 weeks of rental with 4 weekly services included. The cycle renews automatically every 28 days until you call for pickup. Day 1 is the delivery day, so day 28 always lands on the weekday just before your delivery weekday.
Construction sites, remodels and other long-term placements use the 28-day cycle. Event rentals of 1–4 days do not.
On our rental line, 16 of 78 recorded calls from 2025–2026 involved the 28-day cycle. That is 21% of calls. Many of those callers were confused about when a cycle starts and how to stop the next one.
“Even if I take it for three days, you're charging me for the full month?”
Contractor, short job
“I called before the 28th to have it picked up. Why was I charged a second time?”
Long-term renter
The math
How is a 28-day cycle different from a calendar month?
A year holds 13 porta potty billing cycles of 28 days but only 12 calendar months. 52 weeks divided by 4 weeks equals 13 cycles. So a unit kept for a full year is billed 13 times, not 12, and each cycle ends on a different date of the month.
| 28-day cycle | Calendar month | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Always 28 days (4 weeks) | 28–31 days |
| Periods in a year | 13 (364 days) | 12 (365 days) |
| End date | Moves earlier each month | Same date every month |
| Services included | 4 weekly services, every cycle | Varies by company |
| Ends on the same weekday? | Yes, every time | No |
The upside of a 28-day cycle is that every cycle holds exactly 4 services. The catch is the moving end date. If you set a monthly reminder on the 1st, it will drift out of step.
Counting days
How do you count the days in a 28-day porta potty cycle?
Count the porta potty delivery day as day 1, so day 28 is 27 days later and day 29 starts the next cycle. Because 28 days is exactly 4 weeks, a Tuesday delivery always ends on a Monday. Pickups run Monday–Friday only.
| Delivered on a… | Day 28 falls on a… | Last weekday for pickup | Call for pickup by (2 business days before) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Sunday | Friday before | Wednesday |
| Tuesday | Monday | Monday (day 28) | Thursday before |
| Wednesday | Tuesday | Tuesday (day 28) | Friday before |
| Thursday | Wednesday | Wednesday (day 28) | Monday |
| Friday | Thursday | Thursday (day 28) | Tuesday |
Monday deliveries are the trap. Day 28 is a Sunday, and no truck runs on Sunday. So the pickup has to happen by Friday, and the call has to come by Wednesday.
Worked examples
What do real 28-day billing examples look like?
Three worked examples show the 28-day porta potty math. A unit delivered Tuesday, October 13, 2026 ends cycle 1 on Monday, November 9. A unit delivered Monday, January 11, 2027 ends cycle 1 on Sunday, February 7, so its pickup must happen by Friday, February 5.
| Delivered | Day 28 (cycle 1 ends) | Call for pickup by | Cycle 2 starts if not picked up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Oct 13, 2026 | Mon, Nov 9, 2026 | Thu, Nov 5, 2026 | Tue, Nov 10, 2026 |
| Mon, Jan 11, 2027 | Sun, Feb 7, 2027 | Wed, Feb 3, 2027 (pickup by Fri, Feb 5) | Mon, Feb 8, 2027 |
| Wed, Feb 3, 2027 | Tue, Mar 2, 2027 | Fri, Feb 26, 2027 | Wed, Mar 3, 2027 |
Example: a “6-month” remodel
A unit delivered Monday, January 11, 2027 for a job ending Saturday, July 10, 2027 is on site 181 days. Six cycles end Sunday, June 27.
The job runs past that date, so a 7th cycle starts Monday, June 28. A six-month job is 7 cycles, not 6.
Example: a full year
The same January 11 unit finishes 13 cycles on Sunday, January 9, 2028. If it is still standing on Monday, January 10, a 14th cycle begins. To stop at 13, call by Wednesday, January 5, 2028 for a Friday pickup.
Stop the next cycle
How do you avoid paying for a second 28-day cycle?
Call at least 2 business days before day 28 to schedule pickup, and the next 28-day cycle will not start. We also text a reminder before every renewal. Write down the date you called and your quote number, so there is a record if anything goes wrong.
- 1
Write day 28 on the calendar on delivery day
Use the lookup table above. If day 28 is a weekend, use the Friday before.
- 2
Set a reminder 4 business days before day 28
That leaves two days of cushion before the 2-business-day cutoff.
- 3
Watch for our renewal text
We text before each cycle renews. Reply or call if the job is wrapping up.
- 4
Call to schedule pickup
Call (831) 260-5800. Give your quote number and the last day you need the unit.
- 5
Clear the path
Leave the unit where the truck can reach it, with the gate open or the code on file.
Why the cutoff exists: A cycle is billed when it begins. Calling on day 27 for a day-28 pickup may not leave room on the route, so the 2-business-day rule matters.
Planning
How many 28-day cycles will my project need?
Divide your project length in days by 28 and round up to find the number of porta potty cycles. A 6-week remodel needs 2 cycles, and a 10-week build needs 3. A 26-week project needs 7 cycles, because 6 cycles only cover 168 days.
| Project length | Days | Cycles | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 week (bath remodel) | 7 | 1 | Fits in one cycle |
| 4 weeks | 28 | 1 | Exactly one cycle |
| 6 weeks | 42 | 2 | Runs 14 days past cycle 1 |
| 10 weeks | 70 | 3 | 2 cycles cover only 56 days |
| About 2 months | 56–62 | 2–3 | Over 56 days starts cycle 3 |
| 6 months | 181–184 | 7 | 6 cycles cover only 168 days |
| 1 year | 364 | 13 | 13 × 28 = 364 |
Jobs of 1–4 days, such as a one-day crew visit, can use an event-style short-term rental instead.
What's included
What does each 28-day porta potty cycle include?
Each 28-day porta potty cycle includes the unit and 4 weekly services. The first cycle also includes the one-time delivery and pickup, so cycle 1 costs more than later cycles. Cycles 2, 3 and beyond are the unit plus service only.
- Waste tank pumped and recharged with deodorizer every week
- Seat, walls, floor and urinal scrubbed and sanitized
- 2 rolls of toilet paper restocked and hand sanitizer refilled
- One-time delivery and pickup billed in the first cycle only
- Every-other-week service available on request for sporadic sites
Need a sink on site? A toilet-and-handwashing station combo also bills on the same 28-day cycle. For jobsite rules and counts, see construction site toilets.
A Salinas dispatcher answers
Do you know your day 28 before the unit arrives?
Call and we will give you the delivery date, day 28 and your quote number in one call.
Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. · Most callers get an itemized quote in under 10 minutes.
What does a long-term porta potty cost per 28 days?
On recent quotes, a long-term construction unit ran about $185–$295 per 28-day cycle with weekly service, plus a one-time delivery and pickup charge of about $59–$144 in the first cycle. A toilet plus handwash combo ran about $495 per 28 days. Your itemized quote is the final price.
Even if I take it for three days, am I charged for the full cycle?
A long-term rental bills by the 28-day cycle. For a job of 1–4 days, ask for a short-term event-style rental instead, which covers the drop-off through pickup window.
Do I have to call for pickup, or does it end on its own?
You have to call. A 28-day rental renews automatically until you schedule pickup. Call at least 2 business days before day 28, and watch for our reminder text.
Why is the first cycle more than the next ones?
The first cycle includes the one-time delivery and pickup. Cycles 2 and later are the unit plus weekly service only.
My site is only worked a few days a week. Do I need weekly cleaning?
Not always. Customers with sporadic sites can ask for every-other-week service. Tell dispatch how often the crew is on site.
What day does my 28-day cycle start?
Day 1 is the delivery day. Day 28 falls 27 days later, on the weekday just before your delivery weekday.
Fastest: call (831) 260-5800
How do I get an itemized porta potty quote?
Calling is faster — a dispatcher can check the route and your ZIP while you are on the line. Prefer to type? Send these six details and we text or call back with every line item: unit, delivery and pickup, servicing, any rush fee, and tax.
- No phone tree — a person in Salinas answers
- Every fee named before you pay
- Weekend events: we drop Friday, pick up Monday at no extra charge
- Long-term units serviced weekly on a 28-day cycle
Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Form replies within 1 business hour during open hours.