Match the right Planet Power unit to your crew and project in two minutes.
Getting the size right is the difference between a welfare unit that keeps your crew fed, dry and compliant and one that leaves people queuing for the toilet or eating lunch on a wall. This mobile welfare unit size guide runs through the Planet Power range, from the compact 6 person cabin up to the 12 person canteen office, so you can match the unit to your crew and your project in a couple of minutes. Whether you are running a two week groundworks job in Wigan or a six month scheme across the North West, the right unit is ready for next day delivery.
Below we cover the two questions that decide the size you need, a quick crew and duration matrix, and a plain breakdown of what each unit gives you. If you already know your numbers, you can jump straight to the Planet Power range on our Our Products page.
Start with crew size and project length
Two things decide the unit you need. First, how many people are on site at peak, not on the quiet days. Second, how long the job runs. A short job with a small crew rarely needs a site office, so a compact towable unit does the work. A longer scheme needs proper sit-down canteen seating, an office for the site manager, and enough toilet capacity to keep wait times down at break. As a rule of thumb, one toilet comfortably serves up to around seven or eight people, so once you are past that on a mixed crew, a twin toilet unit starts to earn its place.
Match your crew and project length against the table below to shortlist a unit before you pick up the phone.
| Crew size | Typical project | Recommended unit |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 | Short groundworks, tight access, moves between phases | Planet Power 6 |
| Up to 8, roadside or public | Utilities, highways, canal or park works | Planet Power 8RD |
| Up to 8, needs an office | Longer job with the SM on site and paperwork | Canteen Office 8 |
| Up to 10, mixed crew | Multi-month scheme, male and female crew | Planet Power 10 Twin Toilet |
| Up to 12 | Large or long-running project | Canteen Office 12 |
Not sure which row you fall into? Send us your crew size and project dates and we will recommend the right unit.
Get a tailored recommendation or call 01942 316900The compact end: welfare unit dimensions for small crews
The Planet Power 6 is the smallest in the range and suits crews of four to six. At 3655mm long and 2300mm wide, with the drawbar taking the towing length to 4920mm, it drops onto tight sites where a larger cabin will not fit and is the easiest unit to reposition as a linear job moves along. Inside you get wrap-around bench seating around a fixed table, a kitchen area with a kettle and microwave, a drying and generator room, and a toilet with its own external entrance and a 28 gallon holding tank.
Step up to the Planet Power 8RD for crews of eight. Its standout feature is the retractable drawbar, which pulls in so nothing protrudes beyond the body. That gives you a full eight person unit with a smaller footprint, which is exactly what you want for roadside works, traffic junctions, canal banks and other jobs near the public. It also adds a one person office with a fixed desk, so the site lead has somewhere to work.
Adding a canteen and office: welfare unit for 10 people and twin toilets
When the job runs longer and the crew needs a proper base, the canteen office units take over. The Canteen Office 8 keeps the same eight person footprint but builds in a separate one person office with WiFi, a full rest area with fixed table, and a dedicated drying and generator room. It is the natural pick when the site manager needs a desk and document storage without running a second office cabin.
For a welfare unit for 10 people, the Planet Power 10 Canteen Office Twin Toilet is the workhorse of the range. It seats ten around two tables, adds a two person lockable office with WiFi and a TV, and, crucially, gives you twin toilets split male and female with sanitary waste disposal. A twin toilet welfare unit keeps break times moving on a mixed crew and takes the pressure off a single cubicle on a busy site. It also has separate drying and changing rooms for wet weather.
The full setup: the 12 person canteen office
For the largest or longest-running schemes, the Planet Power Canteen Office 12 is a 20ft unit that seats twelve. It carries a solar-powered fridge, a TV, WiFi, USB charging and a separate lockable office, plus a drying room and a toilet cubicle. At 6060mm long it is the most spacious cabin in the range, built for the jobs where the crew lives in the unit for months and needs real room to eat, dry off and plan the day. Full welfare unit dimensions for every model sit on each product page.
Matching the unit to your North West project
Every unit in the range runs on the same solar hybrid system, so whichever size you choose it is up to 75% cheaper to run than a generator-only cabin, HSE compliant and road legal. Welfare Unit Hire runs from a single depot in Wigan, with the M6, M62, M60, M58, M65 and M61 all close by, so a unit can be on the ground in Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Warrington or St Helens inside 24 hours. Servicing is handled in-house on the same schedule across the fleet, so a field engineer is never far from your site.
Once you have shortlisted a size from the matrix, the last check is access and duration. Tight urban plot, send us the dimensions. Long scheme with a mixed crew, lean towards the twin toilet or 12 person unit. If you are unsure, we would rather size it with you than have you over-hire.
Not sure which unit fits your crew?
Send us your project details for a tailored recommendation.
Request a quote or call 01942 316900Welfare unit size guide FAQs
What size welfare unit do I need for my crew?
Match your peak headcount and project length to a unit. Up to six people on a short job suits the Planet Power 6. Eight people, especially roadside, suit the 8RD or Canteen Office 8. Ten or more on a longer, mixed crew job points to the Planet Power 10 Canteen Office Twin Toilet or the Canteen Office 12.
How many people can share one toilet on site?
As a working guide, one toilet comfortably serves up to around seven or eight people. Once you are past that, or running a mixed male and female crew, a twin toilet welfare unit like the Planet Power 10 keeps wait times down and hygiene standards up.
What are the dimensions of a mobile welfare unit?
It varies by model. The Planet Power 6 is 3655mm long and 2300mm wide, while the Canteen Office 12 is a 20ft unit at 6060mm long. Full welfare unit dimensions for each model are listed on the individual product pages.
Do the larger units include a site office?
Yes. The 8RD has a one person office, the Canteen Office 8 and Canteen Office 12 each add a separate lockable office, and the Planet Power 10 Canteen Office includes a two person office with WiFi and a TV.
