Blog · 2026-10-10 · 4-minute read
Why a Porta Potty Quote Changes Between the Phone Call and the Invoice
You were told $199. The invoice says $287. Here is where the $88 came from, and what an itemized quote from a local Bethlehem operator looks like instead.
Calls answered live during business hours. Quote requests get a callback within 30 minutes, Mon–Sat 7 AM–7 PM.
What gets added after the first number?
National booking lines quote the unit alone, then add a delivery fee ($35 to $135 depending on the hub distance), a fuel or convenience surcharge (often $20 to $35), a 3% card fee, a $29 removal fee billed at the end, a $50 to $150 rush fee for next-day delivery, and sometimes a 28-day minimum even for a one-night party. Each line is real; it just was not in the first number.
| Line | Typical range at booking lines | On our quote |
|---|---|---|
| Unit (weekend) | $199–$300 | $225 standard / $325 deluxe |
| Delivery + pickup | $35–$135 | Included within 15 mi; flat route fee beyond |
| Fuel / convenience | $20–$35 | $0 |
| Card fee | 3% | $0 |
| Removal fee | $29 | $0 |
| Rush / next-day | $50–$150 | $0 before noon in the Lehigh Valley |
| Tax | Varies | 6% PA, shown |
Why do booking lines need a ZIP and a date before any number?
Because they are marketplaces: the price comes from whichever partner hauler covers your ZIP that week, and the hauler's availability on your date sets it. That is also why the same call center answers under several local-sounding names, and why a quote cannot be held past the day. A local operator with its own yard and trucks can quote from a rate sheet on the first call.
What does an itemized Bethlehem quote look like?
Five lines: the unit and rental period, servicing (included weekly on 28-day rentals or priced per visit), delivery and pickup (included or one flat route fee), any option you chose such as a Sunday pickup, and 6% PA sales tax. The total on the quote is the total on the invoice. We put it in writing by text or email within minutes of the call.
Example. Standard unit, weekend, Bethlehem Township backyard: $225 unit + $0 delivery + $0 service + $13.50 tax = $238.50. The invoice says $238.50.
Related questions
Can you match a lower quote from a booking line?
We compare bottom lines, not first numbers. Send the full written quote with its fees and we will tell you in one minute whether ours is lower, and by how much. We do not match numbers we cannot see.
Quote request
Get an itemized quote
ZIP, dates, unit type, quantity, headcount, phone. That is all we need.