Groundhog Welfare Units vs the Planet Power Range
When a site manager says “get a Groundhog on site”, they usually mean a towable mobile welfare unit, not a particular brand. Groundhog is one manufacturer’s name for that type of unit.
We do not hire Groundhog units. We hire our own Planet Power fleet, which does the same job and in several areas does it differently. This page lays out the facts so you can compare the two and specify with confidence.
What Is a Groundhog Welfare Unit?
Groundhog is a brand of towable mobile welfare unit built in the UK and stocked by many of the national plant hire chains. Because those chains put so many of them on sites over the last two decades, the name has become shorthand for the whole category, much as people say Portaloo for any portable toilet. In practice, almost any tender or method statement that asks for a Groundhog is asking for a compliant towable welfare unit with hybrid power.
The current range centres on two sizes. The GP360 is a 12 foot single axle unit seating up to 6, with a canteen, warm water and a recirculating toilet, and manufacturer specifications describe it as solar ready rather than fitted with solar as standard. The GPO660 is a 22 foot twin axle unit seating up to 10 with a two person office, a full flush ceramic toilet and a roof mounted solar panel. Both run on the maker’s Fusion Pulse hybrid system, which pairs a 6kVA diesel generator with a 12V battery and starts the generator when battery levels drop.
They are capable units and this page is not here to run them down. It exists because contractors across the North West search for a Groundhog, land on our Planet Power pages, and want to know whether what we hire meets the same spec. In most cases it does, and the comparison below shows where the two differ.
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Been asked to get a Groundhog on site? Send us the spec and we will match it to the right Planet Power unit with a like for like quote.
How the Planet Power Range Compares
| Feature | Groundhog (published specs) | Planet Power (our fleet) |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes | GP360 for up to 6; GPO660 for up to 10 plus a 2 person office | 4 to 6, 8, 8 with office, 10 with office and twin toilet, 12, 14, premium twin toilet options and the self loading Smart Pick |
| Power | Fusion Pulse hybrid: 6kVA diesel generator plus 12V battery. GP360 solar ready; GPO660 roof panel fitted | Solar hybrid on every unit: roof panels charge a heavy duty battery bank, generator auto shuts off, HVO compatible, mains plug in option |
| Running cost | Driven by generator hours; lower where solar is fitted | Up to 75% cheaper to run than a generator only cabin |
| Toilet | Recirculating on the GP360, full flush ceramic on the GPO660 | Separate external entrance, 28 gallon holding tank, hot forearm wash, soluble towel system |
| Drying | Air blown 12V heating; drying provision varies by model | Dedicated drying room on every unit with hot drying shelf, wall heater, boot and glove rack |
| Towing and siting | Single axle GP360 or twin axle GPO660, lowered in around 3 minutes | Hydraulic raise and lower, kerb height doors, retractable drawbar on the 8RD, VCA type approval; Smart Pick self loads where a HIAB cannot reach |
| Who services it | Depends on the hire company you use | Our own in house team from Wigan, scheduled toilet servicing, fuel supplied for the hire |
Groundhog figures are taken from the manufacturer’s published specifications and may vary by model year and by what each hire company has in its yard. Always check the exact spec on the quote in front of you.
Running Costs: Solar Hybrid vs Generator Power
The single biggest cost on a long welfare hire is not the weekly rate, it is diesel. Every hour the generator runs is fuel burned, noise on site and a refuel visit getting closer. Both ranges use a hybrid approach, but there is a meaningful difference in how much of the daily load is carried by the battery.
On a Planet Power unit the roof mounted solar panels top up the battery bank through the day, and that bank runs the lighting, the phone charging points and the rest area heaters. The generator fires for the heavy loads, such as the kettle, microwave, hot water and the drying room heater, and then shuts itself off automatically. The result is the up to 75% running cost saving we quote against generator only cabins. Our articles on solar powered welfare units and the cost of running a solar welfare unit go through the numbers.
On the Groundhog GP360, the model most hire yards stock for small crews, the published spec lists solar as an option rather than standard. Without the panel, the generator runs more often to keep the battery up. Over a twelve week winter hire that difference shows up on the fuel bill. If you are quoted a Groundhog, ask whether solar is fitted.
Capacity and Layout Options Compared
In most hire yards the Groundhog decision is a choice between two sizes: 6 people or 10 people with an office. That works if your crew happens to be one of those two sizes. If you have eight on site you either squeeze into the 6 or pay for the 10.
The Planet Power range runs from 4 to 14 people with office and twin toilet variants in between, so you hire the unit your crew actually needs. Small gangs on tight sites go for the Planet Power 6 or the options on our small welfare unit hire page. An eight strong crew on a muddy groundworks job gets the 8RD with its larger drying room. Longer projects with a site manager on board step up to the 8 Welfare Office or the Canteen Office 12. Mixed teams that need separate toilets take the 10 Canteen Office Twin Toilet. Our size guide sets out the full matrix.
Servicing and Support: What to Ask Any Supplier
The unit on the brochure is only half the hire. The other half is what happens after it is dropped off, and that is where suppliers differ the most. Whatever brand you are offered, ask these questions before you sign:
- Who empties and cleans the toilet, how often, and is it the hire company’s own team or a subcontractor?
- Does the servicing vehicle use separate pumps for fresh water and waste?
- Is fuel included, and who tops it up?
- If the works move 200 metres down the road, how quickly can the unit be repositioned and what does it cost?
- If the generator faults at 7am on a Monday, who turns up and from where?
Our answers: our own team services every unit from our Wigan depot, our servicing fleet runs separate fresh and waste systems, fuel is supplied for the hire period, repositioning is part of the service, and because everything we run is within a short drive of our base, an engineer is never far from your site. See why contractors choose us.
Which Should You Hire?
If a main contractor or client has written “Groundhog” into the spec, ask whether they mean the brand or the type. In almost every case the real requirement is a towable, HSE compliant mobile welfare unit with hybrid power, and a Planet Power unit meets it. Where you are tied into a national framework with a particular hire chain, a Groundhog may be the path of least resistance and it will do the job.
Where the Planet Power Range Comes Out Ahead
North West sites that want a wider choice of sizes, solar fitted as standard, a dedicated drying room on every unit, delivery within 24 hours and servicing by the people who own the fleet. If that sounds like your project, we would rather you compared us properly than took our word for it.
A Spec Sheet for Your Site File
If the person who wrote the specification needs reassurance, we can supply a specification sheet for the exact unit you hire, covering capacity, power system, toilet and drying provision, electrical compliance to BS 7671 and VCA type approval for towing on the public highway.
That gives your site file the same evidence it would have for a Groundhog, and it answers the HSE welfare requirements point by point. Call 01942 316900 and we will send it over with your quote.
Get a Like for Like Quote
Send us the spec you have been given and we will match it to the right Planet Power unit, with a like for like quote and a delivery slot from our Wigan depot. Call 01942 316900 or get in touch online.
Groundhog vs Planet Power FAQs
Is Planet Power the same as Groundhog?
No. Groundhog is a manufacturer’s brand of towable welfare unit. Planet Power is the range of solar hybrid welfare units we own and hire. Both are the same type of product: a towable mobile welfare unit with a toilet, canteen, drying area and hybrid power.
Do you hire Groundhog welfare units?
No. We hire our own Planet Power fleet from our depot in Wigan. If you need the Groundhog brand specifically, you will need to go to a hire company that stocks them.
Can I use a Planet Power unit where the specification says Groundhog?
In almost every case, yes. The specification is usually describing the type of unit rather than a brand. Check the wording with the person who wrote it, and we can supply a specification sheet for the unit you hire to go in your site file.
Which is cheaper to run?
Running cost comes down to generator hours. Planet Power units have solar panels and a battery bank fitted as standard and the generator shuts itself off when not needed, which is where the up to 75% saving against generator only units comes from. A Groundhog with solar fitted will perform better than one without, so check what is on the unit you are quoted.
Are Planet Power units towable like a Groundhog?
Yes. Every unit in our fleet is towable, VCA type approved for the road and lowered to the ground hydraulically on site. We tow, site and set up the unit for you, and reposition it when your works move on.