You require a John Deere wheel loader or several skid steers for your next construction project, or maybe you’re completing a lawn and garden project and require a compact excavator. With the wide variety of equipment and rental services available, you want to have a quick and easy time ordering the heavy equipment and getting it to the job site to put into immediate use.

If this will be your first time renting out the construction equipment, take heed. You shouldn’t rush yourself through the process of finding and renting construction equipment. While you may have a short deadline, you should try to avoid the following mistakes when becoming a first-time construction equipment renter.

Don’t Pay More When Renting on a Specific Day

You need equipment for a short project for a single day at one location, then you may need it again for another job the next day. So you rent the equipment and have it picked up later that afternoon. Later, you rent the equipment again the next day. Afterward, you notice just how much you had to pay for both days.

Often, companies that rent out tractor loaders, haulers and other heavy equipment will provide discount pricing when you rent out the equipment longer than a single day. Weekly and monthly rates will often be discounted as it will be cheaper to rent out the heavy equipment for 4 days or 1 week instead of renting it for just a single day. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that delivery and pickup charges for small items like compact wheel loaders and crawler loaders can quickly add up.

Getting the Wrong Machine for the Job

It’s easy to make the mistake of renting the wrong equipment. Many heavy machines used for construction projects can do similar jobs, such as a compact track loader and a backhoe loader being able to move gravel and grade land. However, you may find that you obtained the wheeled backhoe when you should have gotten the tracked loader because of the muddy and soft ground conditions.

When you can’t decide on which equipment to get for the job, a rental company can help. They can inform you of the many job tasks that the equipment can provide to help you narrow down your choices, as well as inform you about the different equipment brands and any attachments or accessories you might require. A rental company can also offer advice on the best machines when you are dealing with unstable ground conditions or when you need equipment with the right engine HP for hauling and towing tasks.

Having Rental Companies Handle Refueling

When getting the rental equipment, you put it into immediate use around the construction site during the rental period. However, this extended use causes the fuel tanks to run dry. So you call the rental company as they tack on additional refueling charges.

Keep in mind that refueling charges are always marked up because the rental company has to travel back and forth from the location to fill up the tank. Yet you can avoid paying this higher cost by filling up the tank yourself. Most heavy equipment will use diesel fuel, as both heavy equipment manufacturers and rental companies may post online manuals and video tutorials on YouTube about how to refuel the machines.

Skipping Out on Insurance

Since you may only need the rental equipment for a short period of time, you are confident that nothing could go wrong. Unfortunately, several accidents may occur that cause damage to buildings and to the equipment. Also, you discover that another rental skid loader has been stolen.

What many first-time construction equipment renters in British Columbia fail to realize is that the rental rate costs do not include insurance for the machines. Instead, it is your obligation to contact an insurance agent and obtain the right policy based on the type of machine you are renting, how long you will rent it, and the specific protection that you wish to have based on what your intended use is. You can get policies for rented equipment that covers fire, theft, vandalism and general liability.

Giving Confusing Delivery Instructions

You have a project that is running behind schedule as you need rental equipment immediately. Unfortunately, you are vague about where to exactly drop off the equipment. As the deadline approaches, you discover that the equipment delivery driver dropped off your rental equipment on the wrong side your construction area, or across the street from where it needed to be.

Avoid this mistake when renting heavy equipment in Victoria or Vancouver, or across the lower mainland of BC by providing exact delivery instructions to the rental company. Send photos if necessary. This way, the delivery driver can bring the equipment directly to the selected destination at the exact time when you need it.

By understanding how these mistakes can impact construction productivity and costs, you can confidently rent the equipment you need every time. Contact Rent1 and ask about our large fleet of skid steers, excavators, mini excavators, compact track loaders, crawler carriers and utility vehicles, for all of your heavy equipment rental needs.