I have heard this question asked a million times by contractors of various trades. But the other day I had to laugh when the electrician asked if he could and decided to back up the toilet. It was a horrible mess and the water came into the panel room. I just wanted to see what everyone else point of view on the subject is. I personally think you should be prepared and professional enough to handle your business outside the home. We started this policy and so far so good.

Sorry, but I like to leave a deuce in a 5 million dollar home and I even left one in a gold plated toilet in Florida. I spend too much time in a home to take 30 to 45 minutes to leave and find a shitter.

A lot of the homes we work in have 5+ Baths. If they can't pick one for me to use they're gonna have a problem. I find it ridiculous for any one to think im gonna go drive god knows how far to some disgusting gas station any time nature calls. I bet they'll want me to discount them that time too. Get over yourself. If im good enough to work for you im good enough to use your toilet.

If the home owners aren't home I'll drop a deuce, otherwise I'll hold it. I WILL not use a porta-jon to drop the kids off at the pool, just too dirty, and always courtesy flush. Why risk plugging up the toilet while taking the browns to the superbowl.

I'll 2nd that.

You have to try and be professional, but sometimes you just have to go. To pack up and leave to find a restroom is just not practical in most of our cases. We have techs spend weeks at homes so we become family... :)

ROFLMAO!!!

Yeah, I usually won't stock the "Brown Trout Pond" if the owners are home either... but sometimes when the baby's head starts to crown, ya gotta take care of it.

That electrician should have reached down and shut off the valve before the flood.

Poor guy. It happened to me a long time ago & it IS horrible... I didn't let it flood though.

Or when you have a turtle head poking through, beat it back with a stick.

Sometimes holding it isn't an option. Always ask first but flush early and flush often if you have to. Everybody does it, if they didn't they wouldn't spend the extra money on a thrown and stink pipe.

I have to ask those of you who won't use a customer's restroom how you handle billing.
Unless there is a gas station next door it's going to take a minimum of 20 minutes to take care of business. Do you take that as a lunch, a break or do you just keep the clock running? I mean if your charging $150.00 an hour I wouldn't want to pay $50.00 for you to take a dump.

funny thread.

i am having my basement finished and came home one day to find all the toliet paper gone and the plunger sitting next to the crapper. when i left in the morning there was plenty of TP for my bunghole and the plunger was tucked away in a hall closet.

it happens. :)

later.

My policy with my guys is that if there is a port-o-john on the street somewhere (that has been cleaned in the past 48 hours) that is where the "kids" go. If it's "doing the dew" then you can, with owners permission, use the least used bathroom. Usually a hallway or pool bathroom. BUT, no messes, or overspray. And you must leave it the way it was when you came in (seat, towels, etc).

If home owner is not home and no port-o-john then you can in the house but fans must be on propeller speed.

"Hazardous Materials Disposal Fee". $200

I've seen a very embarrassed electrician unbolt a toilet and hose it out on the street.
The plumber hadn't connected the mains yet.

Golden rule in new constructions; check the address before making the delivery!

yup...... flush first

Here are my rules:

1. always ask first
2. never #2 in a client home
3. i'll never use a porta-potty (a restaurant/bar is always close by)
4. flush first - you never know who was in there before you doing god knows what