How to Rent Tools for Your Next Home Project
Tool Rental Service
Have you ever tried to work on a home improvement project when you realized you don’t own the right tools? There are a lot of specialized tools you need for one-time installations or minor maintenance. Doing these things yourself can save you a lot of money, but unfortunately, power tools are also pretty expensive.
Unless you are going to be doing a lot of projects, it probably makes sense to consider other options besides buying the tools yourself. Using a tool rental service is one of the most overlooked options that may be the most cost-effective solution.
Why Should I Rent Tools?
Renting tools can be incredibly useful when you want to execute home projects yourself but don’t want to waste money on buying the tool outright.
Renting gives you access to high-quality and durable tools that many people would not be able to afford otherwise. For some projects, it can be cheaper to rent the proper tools rather than hire someone to come in and do it for you. Of course, there are other reasons why someone would prefer to do it themselves than hire a contractor that doesn’t involve money.
It’s more convenient to rent a tool for a couple of days than to set up an appointment with somebody else. There are many times when companies will have their employees come out during a rather long time frame. If you have a busy schedule and don’t want to be inconvenienced by having to wait six hours at home for a 10-minute job, renting may be a better option.
You also need to consider whether or not you have the means to keep this equipment safe. If you do not have space in the garage for it, then you might as well rent it for a couple of days rather than improperly storing it.
Common Home Improvement Projects
There are many reasons why someone would be interested in using a tool rental service. While any home improvement project may force you to consider enlisting the help of tools you don’t have at home, these are the most common projects that require pricey equipment you’ll hardly use:
Landscaping: When doing your initial landscaping you will probably need to use lawn equipment that you won’t need again once your yard is established.
Flooring: Whether you want to install hardwood floors or cut your own tiles, you will probably want to consider renting high-quality tools rather than investing in cheaper versions. If you do the job right the first time, it won’t wear down so quickly.
Fence installation: Installing fences and posts on a larger scale often requires huge machines that will collect dust once the job is done.
The Cons of Renting Tools
Renting tools is not always the best option to consider, though. If you are a novice who really doesn’t know how to operate these tools, it is a much better option to hire a professional.
Rental companies often have policies to ensure you pay for damages if you accidentally break the tool you are using. In the long run, it costs less time and effort to pay more upfront for a job done right than making several small payments here and there that add up over time.
It also may make sense to buy the tool outright if you plan on using it a lot in the future. This is especially true for smaller tools. For example, if you need an electric drill and it costs three times the amount of renting to buy it, it makes sense to buy it if you plan on using it more than three times.
Common Tools to Rent
While nearly any tool can be rented, these are some of the tools experts recommend you rent rather than invest in.
- Saw blades
- Post-pole digger
- Rotary hammer
- Tiller
- Tile saw
- Paint sprayer
- Hardwood hammers
How to Use a Tool Rental Service
How you rent tools will vary depending on where you go. At nearly all places, there are limited quantities of tools at hand, and it may make sense to call ahead and assure that the tool you want is available. Many places will also require a deposit, which may vary depending on the price of the tool you are renting. Expect to show some I.D. as well, as some tool rentals have age restrictions.
Where to Rent Tools
There are many different places that offer tool rental services. Most large home improvement chains carry rental tools as well as general rental companies.
Home Depot
Home Depot is a great location to rent any kind of tool. Their prices range from $25 to a few hundred dollars for large-scale rentals. They have some of the best prices, but it is not available at every store so be sure to call ahead and check.
Lowe’s
Lowe’s also offers competitive prices for their tool rentals, starting at as little as $10 for basic tools. It is a very inexpensive option to rent tools for a longer time, but they also have some pricier equipment that can cost a couple of hundred dollars per rental. They tend to have less of a selection than Home Depot.
United Rentals
United Rentals has a very wide range of equipment that you can rent. If you need something a little more heavy-duty, this is the place to go. United Rentals have machines and tools available for professional-level projects. Because of this, they do have some equipment that can cost over $1,000 to rent.
Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware has amazing prices and a good selection. Unfortunately, locations are rather limited, and their rental service is much smaller than other comparable chains. It’s a very wise idea to call ahead to make sure that your item is available and the store offers this service.
AutoZone
If you need to make improvements on your car or other machinery, AutoZone offers a “loan-a-tool” service for heavy-duty automotive equipment. It doesn’t matter how close you live to a location as they offer next day delivery. You normally pay a little less than half of what the tool would cost you. This also amounts to much less than what you would pay a mechanic to do.
