Standard porta potty
$125 to $250 a weekend
What Is a Temporary Power Pole?
It's a standalone post, usually wood, with a meter socket and breaker panel bolted to it, set before the building has its own service. The utility connects to the pole, and your electrician runs sub-feeds to saws, lights and trailers from there. On most Rochester jobs it pairs with a light tower rental so night crews aren't running cords across the site. It also has to sit somewhere that does not block the path a delivery truck needs, and a roll-off drop alone needs about 60 feet of straight clearance behind the truck, so the pole location gets planned alongside your construction dumpster rental layout, not after. Sites that also need washing facilities because crews are applying paints, coatings or other contaminants fall under OSHA 1926.51(f)(1), and that washing station often shares the same power drop as the pole.
How Is a Temporary Power Pole Installed?
Installing a temporary power pole starts with a call to the utility to confirm service size, then a licensed electrician sets the post, mounts the panel, and the utility makes the final tie-in. Construction temporary power pole installation cost varies by service size, trenching and utility fees, and it's worth pricing alongside your other site rentals before the pole goes in the ground. A 200 amp temporary power pole covers most mid-size commercial builds; smaller residential jobs sometimes run on 100 amp. The pole has to be grounded and GFCI-protected under OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(ii), which applies to construction electrical work generally, not just temporary poles. Rochester Porta Pros doesn't run the electrical, but we place portable toilet rental units, handwashing station rental sinks and fencing around the pole footprint so nothing crowds the meter or blocks inspector access. Site housekeeping matters here too. OSHA 1926.25 requires scrap and debris cleared from work areas, and a pole surrounded by offcuts and packaging fails inspection fast. We coordinate delivery timing so your roll-off dumpster rental and pole installation don't compete for the same laydown space.
Where Should the Pole Go on a Construction Site?
Set it near the point of future permanent service, on stable ground, with clear truck access and enough distance from excavation to avoid a second move. A pole placed wrong gets relocated at cost, which is the most common and most avoidable expense on a Rochester job site. Ask your electrician for a temporary power pole diagram before digging; it shows clearances, grounding rod placement and panel height so nobody guesses on site. Illumination around the pole and panel matters at night; OSHA 1926.56(a) sets minimum lighting intensities for active construction areas, and a poorly lit panel is a hazard during a breaker trip at 2 a.m. Keep the approach clear too: if the site borders a public sidewalk, ADA Standards section 403.5.1 calls for a 36 inch clear route, and pole guy-wires or panel doors swinging into that path create a liability nobody wants. We site-plan pole placement the same way we plan temporary fence rental and storage container rental drops, so nothing has to move twice. For jobs stretching into cold months, check our porta potty in winter notes, since frozen ground changes what "stable" means for post-setting. Crews working 9.3 miles south in Henrietta and 10.9 miles southwest in Chili run the same setup; distance from our Rochester yard doesn't change the process, just the drive.
How much does a temporary power pole cost?
Cost depends on service size, utility fees and electrician labor, none of which fall under our sanitation and site-services pricing. Ask your electrician for a quote on the pole and panel; ask us about everything sanitation and site-equipment related, from porta potty rental cost to dumpster and fencing rates.
Do I need a permit for a temporary power pole?
Almost always, yes, but permit rules vary by jurisdiction and aren't something we quote from memory. Temporary power pole requirements, including permit steps and utility sign-off, need confirming with the City of Rochester before setting the pole. For sanitation-side permit questions, see our porta potty permit requirements page.
How many portable toilets does my crew need alongside the power pole?
Under OSHA 1926.51(c)(1), sites with 20 or fewer workers need one toilet facility; the ratio increases above that. Use our how many porta potties do I need guide to size it against your actual headcount.
Can I rent the pole and the toilets from the same company?
No, Rochester Porta Pros handles portable toilets, restroom trailers, dumpsters, fencing and handwashing stations, not electrical poles. We do coordinate placement so your portable restroom rental and pole don't conflict on site.
What else does a construction site need besides power and sanitation?
Most Rochester jobs also need a dumpster, temporary fencing and sometimes storage. Check dumpster sizes and dimensions and chain link temporary fence to plan the rest of the footprint early.
What we rent
Four units cover almost every job
Typical Rochester ranges, not a quote. Delivery is $50 to $150 and a weekly service visit $30 to $60. See the full cost breakdown.
Deluxe flushing
$200 to $350 a weekend
ADA accessible
$199 to $300 a weekend
Restroom trailer
Quoted by stall count
The rest of the yard
One mobilisation, not three
Roll off dumpsters10, 20, 30 and 40 yardTemporary fencingPanels 6 feet by 12 feetStorage containers20 foot and 40 footHandwashing stationsSinks and sanitiser standsSeptic and grease trapsPumping, cleaning, emergenciesSite power and lightLight towers, temporary poles
We deliver across Monroe County and the surrounding metro:
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.