On a District rowhouse lot a construction toilet usually goes in a side gap, a rear yard or an alley space on the owner's consent, or at the curb under the DDOT public space permit for that frontage. The spot is chosen from a plan of the lot, with the truck route, the gate, the hydrant and the neighbours' access all checked before the booking.
Key takeaways
- The side gap is the most private option but often too narrow for the door swing.
- A rear alley or yard needs the owner's consent and a gate and route the truck can use.
- A curb unit needs the DDOT public space permit with a site plan showing its location and dimensions.
- Keep the hydrant, the tree box and the walk to the front door clear.
- Plan a second unit when the crew grows, and place it near the new work area.
- Agree the spot in writing with the site lead before delivery.
What does a rowhouse lot look like to a planner?
A narrow front on the street, a shared alley behind, a side gap or two, and little room for a truck to stop. The planner measures each of those before choosing a spot.
Capitol Hill, Shaw, Columbia Heights and Dupont Circle are built on rowhouse blocks with narrow fronts and long shared alleys. A plan of the lot shows the frontage, the alley, the gates, the trees and the hydrants, and it marks the places a unit could stand.
Each option has a cost in access. A side gap is quiet but tight, the alley is wider but shared, and the curb is simple but needs the permit.
When is the side gap the right choice?
When the gap takes the unit's width, the door swing and a person beside the unit, and when the crew can reach it without crossing the neighbour's land.
The door must open outward without striking the wall, and the unit must stand level. A gap that is one foot too narrow fails at the first use, and the provider measures the gap before the booking.
A side gap is on the owner's land, so the owner's consent covers it. The neighbour's wall is not used to support the unit.
How does a rear alley work?
A rear alley is used when the truck can stop at its mouth and the gate opens fully. The unit is carried in on a dolly or rolled, and it stands against the back wall or in a yard space.
An alley is shared with neighbours, so their bins, their parking and their access are kept clear. The unit is set so that they can still reach their own gates.
A gate blocked by a bin or a parked car needs to be cleared before the delivery, and the site lead is asked to confirm the route.
When does the curb need a permit?
Whenever the unit stands on the public curb or sidewalk, the DDOT public space permit is needed, and the site plan goes with it.
The permit is filed through the District Department of Transportation's online system, TOPS, at least 30 days before the event. For a construction unit, the filing is made before the delivery, and the unit is placed only at the spot the plan shows.
A curb unit beside a rowhouse is shown with the hydrant, the tree box, the meter and the building line, so the reviewer can see the clear walk.
What about the neighbours?
The neighbours' access to their doors, gates and bins is kept clear, and the neighbours are told when the unit is coming.
A unit on a shared alley affects the neighbours even when it is on the owner's lot. The site lead tells the neighbours before the delivery, and the plan notes the access they keep.
A complaint from a neighbour is passed to the site lead, and the unit is moved only with agreement and a permit update where one applies.
How does the crew affect the count?
A larger crew needs more units or a second unit placed nearer the work, and a crew that changes size through the job changes the count with it.
A crew of four on a renovation may be served by one unit on a rowhouse lot. A crew of eight on the same lot may need a second unit placed on the other side, so that the walk from the work area is short.
The count is written into the plan with the crew size for each phase, and it is reviewed when the crew changes.
What if the construction moves?
A unit can be moved as the work moves, with the site lead's agreement and an update to the permit for any public space.
When the structure is up and the fit-out starts, the unit may need to move to a spot nearer the new work or away from the crane. The move is agreed in writing, and the permit is updated before the unit is placed on the new spot.
A move without the permit being updated can leave the unit outside the permit for the new space.
How is the unit kept in use on a busy lot?
Servicing is set for the crew's working days, with a site contact who can call for a visit when the unit is full.
A busy construction unit fills quickly, and the visits are set to match the crew's use. The site contact can call for an extra visit, and the provider tries to add it the same day where the route allows.
A unit that is damaged or out of order is taken out of use until it is repaired, and the site lead is told when it is back.
What should the plan show before the delivery?
The spot on a marked photo, the route for the truck, the gate width, the hydrant and the permit status, and the site contact's name and phone.
A short plan like this lets the provider check the spot before the truck is sent. A plan with the permit reference and a marked photo prevents most of the problems that come up on a delivery day.
Call (888) 351-0294 with the plan and the spot details. The provider confirms the placement and the delivery window before the truck is booked.
What happens when the job ends?
The unit is removed after the final servicing visit on a date agreed with the site lead, and the spot is left as the permit and the owner require.
The removal is booked in advance, and the access for the truck is confirmed. The spot is checked for ground damage before the truck leaves, and any permit for public space is closed out.
The final servicing is done before pickup, so the unit is clean when it is collected.
What does a site survey on a rowhouse lot check?
A survey checks the frontage, the side gaps, the alley, the gate, the trees, the hydrants and the drive, and it notes where the truck can stop.
A survey takes a few minutes with a photo and a tape. The width and depth of each gap are measured, the gate width is noted, and the hydrant and the tree box are marked on the frontage. The truck's stop is marked on the street.
The survey is sent to the provider with the photo, so the spot can be checked before the truck is sent.
How do trees and utilities limit a spot?
Tree roots and utility boxes take space that a unit would otherwise use, and the spot is kept clear of both.
A tree box at the curb is part of the public space, and a unit placed against it can damage the tree. A utility box or a meter needs room for access, and the unit is not placed where a utility worker needs to stand.
The provider does not place a unit on a root zone or in front of a utility access point.
What should the crew do on the first day?
The crew checks the unit's level, its door and its lock, confirms the route to it from the work area and tells the site lead where the servicing contact is.
On the first day, the crew walks from the work area to the unit and back, checks that the path is clear and that the door closes and latches, and reads the servicing contact on the unit or the site sheet. A unit that does not sit level is reported at once, so the provider can reset it.
The site lead keeps the provider's number and the permit reference on the site board, so anyone on the crew can call about the unit without waiting for the lead.
What about a lot with no alley at all?
A lot with no alley and no side gap leaves the curb as the only option, and the curb needs the public space permit before the unit can be placed.
Some rowhouse lots have a narrow front and no alley, so the only place for a unit is the curb. The unit then stands on public space, and the District public space permit is needed with the site plan showing it. The truck stop is the same as the curb spot, and the crew carries the unit from the truck to the spot.
A curb spot can be shared with the neighbours' parking and the delivery of materials, so the site lead agrees the time window for the unit's placement with the neighbours where possible.
How do you plan for a multi-house block?
A block of connected houses renovated together is planned as one site, with the unit count and the placement set across the whole block rather than house by house.
When several houses on one block are renovated together, a single unit at the curb may serve several crews, but the count must reflect the total crew. The placement is shared out so that each crew has a route to the unit that does not cross another crew's work area.
The permit covers the curb for the whole block, and the site plan shows every unit on it with its dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
Where can a construction toilet go on a rowhouse lot?
In a side gap, a rear yard or an alley space on the owner's consent, or at the curb under the public space permit.
Is a side gap always the best choice?
No. It is private, but it is often too narrow for the door to open. The measurement decides.
Does a curb unit need a permit?
Yes. The DDOT public space permit is needed, with a site plan showing the unit.
Can the crew get a second unit?
Yes, and it is placed near the new work area when the crew grows.
What if the neighbours are affected?
The site lead tells them before the delivery, and the unit is moved only by agreement.
When is the unit removed?
After the final servicing visit, on a date agreed with the site lead.
Sources
- District Department of Transportation, public space permits
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, 2026 MSETG Special Events Planning Guide
- DC Water, Pretreatment Program
This guide is general information for District of Columbia homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.