Tool and Equipment Rental Options in Ontario
One of the key barriers to entry for a homeowner completing their own DIY renovation project is the lack of tools available to them. Many times it takes a variety of tools to complete even the most straight-forward of projects, and along with the material investment to complete the work, adding tools to the list of expenses is a hard pill to swallow. Especially for projects that require specific tools, it does not make sense to buy the tools outright to use them only once or twice.
This is where tool and equipment rentals come in! Learn about the different rental options you have as a homeowner or real estate investor to help complete your own small renovation projects
Option 1: For Small/Large Tool and large Equipment Rentals - THE Home Depot
Having used their tool and equipment rental many times we can vouch for the ease of use and variety of options they have for tool and equipment rentals. You can rent anything from a tile cutter all the way to skid steers, and they charge you based on a minimum 4 hours of use and have options all the way up to 4 weeks.
We recommend that people who already have the base tools (hammer, drill, screw drivers, saw, etc.) but are in need of 1-2 specialty tools for their project use The Home Depot Rental Service. If you end up renting a lot of items from them it will get pretty costly so make sure you have a game plan and budget.
If you are utilizing The Home Depot Project Loan for your renovation project you will be able to utilize their rental service and apply charges from rentals to the project loan!
If you find a tool or piece of equipment on The Home Depot (THD) Website that you want to rent, it is recommended to call your local THD rental desk to confirm availability and book the rental! You can find the pricing directly on their website for most tools and equipment. If you live in a large City like Toronto that has multiple locations, you can try reaching out to multiple stores to find the tool or piece of equipment you need!
Option 2: For Larger Tools and Heavy Equipment - Battlefield Equipment Rentals
For more industrial equipment/machines and large tools Battlefield might be the best place to look. With 35 locations across Ontario they service the larger metropolitan areas of the Province. BVM Contracting has used Battlefield pretty extensively over the last few years for our construction heating and large tool rental needs.
Since none of their rental pricing is available online, you will need to reach out to your local dealer to determine what the availability and pricing will be for the rental you would like. Much in the same way as The Home Depot’s rental service, you will only want to rent the specialty items that you need for one-off/less frequent projects, if you end up needing a piece of equipment longer term you should explore the option of buying versus renting, depending on what the tool or piece of equipment is and how frequently you will use it.
Option 3: Renting common renovation tools from your local tool library
Tool Library’s in Ontario are available in many of the larger City’s and areas of the province. These tool library’s are non-profits that have an inventory of regularly-used tools that homeowners can rent for their personal home renovation projects.
For example, Toronto’s Tool Library offers annual memberships that range from $55-$110 + HST per year and allow you different rental options, date ranges, and reduced fees on more specialty (or higher demand) tools.
To find your local Tool Library (or to see if your area has one) you can check out this map that shows an up-to-date version of where they are located in Ontario. Plus, you are supporting a great local non-profit that is giving back to your community!
Option 4: Borrow Friends and Family’s Tools
One of the most common and cost-effective methods to get tools is to borrow from friends and family. Many times there is a friend or family member with a large tool catalogue that may be willing to give you some basic tools for your project.
What if I have no experience using tools?
Operating tools (specifically power tools) comes with associated risks, and if you are new to operating them you will want to proceed with caution. There is no shortage of online information on how to safely operate and use tools, and if you have more experienced friends or family members that can give you a crash course in how to operate certain tools take them up on it. The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself, so make sure you feel comfortable wielding the tools you will need to use for your project!
When to buy versus own a tool or piece of equipment?
The questions you need to ask yourself before deciding which way to proceed are:
How many times am I going to use said tool?
How much does it cost to rent said tool per time?
How much does it cost to buy said tool?
Once you have this information the math is simple, if the number of times multiplied by the cost to rent per time is larger than buying the tool, you should just buy the tool. If you are unclear on how many times you will need to use the tool then renting will probably be the best option.
Reach out to us with any additional questions or inquiries you have!
Please reach out to us or leave a comment below if you have any specific questions!
About BVM COntracting
BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.
Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.
To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.