There are two kinds of people in construction projects – clients and builders. Clients know what they want, but don’t have the skills or manpower to make it happen. Builders might be contractors that accept clients or an entire construction company with their own internal plans. Clients have a vision, builders and contractors have the know-how.
As a client planning a construction project, you are the head of the operation; you must approve every plan before it happens. After all, it’s your money making this all possible and it’s your vision come to life. That also means you need to understand what your builders are telling you with each financial quote and project prospectus. Most clients quickly grasp things like cost-of-materials and hours-of-labor.
But what do you do when your contractor informs you that they plan to rent equipment for the upcoming project?
Rented Equipment is Standard for Construction Projects
When you hire a general contractor, it’s easy to assume that they already have all the tools and equipment needed to complete your project – or any project for that matter. It’s true that your contractors are likely stocked-up on things like hammers and wrenches. But larger and more specialized items are not guaranteed to be stored at headquarters waiting to be used. Especially if your project requires tasks that are not completely typical to the teams usual works.
For example, you might have a lofted ceiling that requires a special size of lift to fit inside your home. You don’t need a construction team that already owns this type of lift. Just one who knows how to lease the lift when it’s needed.
Why Contractors Rent Equipment for Client Projects
There are actually several reasons why your contractors may be proposing equipment rental as part of the project plan.
- Specialty One-Time-Project Equipment
- Very Large and High-Maintenance Equipment
- More Units Than Your Contractors Have Available
One-Time Specialty Equipment
If your project includes a specialty work – like a skylight or perhaps sculpted iron architectural pieces – your contractors may not have the specialty equipment to install the unique work on-hand. They may have no incentive to buy the equipment when it wouldn’t be used in most of their other jobs. So the needed equipment is leased for your one-time project, for as long as you need it and no longer.
Large and High-Maintenance Equipment
Construction crews also have no reason to hold onto extremely large or high-maintenance equipment unless it is used on nearly every single project. Vehicular equipment like earth-movers and lifts take up a lot of garage space and need to be maintained regularly. Delicate equipment like generators and climate control may also require more regular maintenance than contractors have to spare. So when these items are needed for specific projects, they are leased for the needed duration.
More Equipment On-Site
If your project is extensive, your contractor may lease more of equipment they already have – like drywall lifts and sanders – to get the job done more quickly. If they have the manpower but not the equipment to get your project finished a few days earlier, rented equipment could prove the ideal solution.
Contractors Leasing Equipment Saves You Money
Now you know that leasing equipment is very industry-standard for construction teams and contractors. Equipment rental is actually a great way to keep costs streamlined and prevent unnecessary maintenance burden on contractors when they are not using the equipment.
Even more importantly to you, as the client, is to know that equipment leasing saves you money. If a contractor had to buy a new piece of equipment just to do your project, that would add thousands – maybe tens of thousands – of dollars to your final price to cover the cost. But equipment rental is a much more affordable project-by-project option. Your expenses only include a few days, weeks, maybe months of using this large and high-end construction equipment instead of the cost of purchase.
Because contractors -can- rent equipment, you can get creative. You can ask for stained-glass windows, or an indoor balcony, or restore a half-flooded basement and your contractors can rise to the occasion – whether or not they have the necessary equipment on-hand.
Here at Vandalia Rental, we proudly provide the construction equipment and accessories that might be needed by your construction project. Whether you are building, remodeling, or refinishing – we look forward to working with you and your contractors. Contact us today to schedule your equipment rental early or to learn more about how equipment leasing can work hand-in-hand with your project plans.