Rentals getting a bit crazy

paulsharvey · Sep 13, 2023

I was just doing some quick searching, looking to see if a compact drill/seeder was available for rent; and ended up on Sunbelt Rentals lawn/garden equipment rental page. Who is renting a wheel barrow for $16/day; or renting a gas can for $3/day? They even had a push mower for like $31 per day... It's not really the rental fees I'm laughing at, but really, who rents a gas can?

2manyrocks · Sep 13, 2023

I was thinking maybe an apartment dweller wouldn't own a gas can , but why would they rent any of this?

newbury · Sep 13, 2023

Your at the rental agency and your renting equipment for a job and the job pays cost plus 20% for the rental of equipment.

LittleBittyBigJohn · Sep 13, 2023

I've rented little piddly stuff like that before. I bet the thought is that the person who rents the mower will probably need a gas can and instead of giving one with the rental why not make a few extra buck off them.

If you only need a saw once and don't have someone to borrow it from, rent it. Makes sense to me.

Torvy · Sep 13, 2023

Could be someone with low cash flow that got hired for a job that needs things they don't own. Those things cost more than you think to buy, too.

Rent for a job, get paid, eventually build up enough to buy your own.

oldnslo · Sep 13, 2023

Around here some of the rental shops are also lawn and garden stores so I could see renting a fertilizer spreader if buying fertilizer or possibly a wheel barrow for a load of mulch. No need to store or maintain either one. Chain saws always surprised me since who takes liability when unskilled operator gets hurt. With chain saw who keeps two stroke gas on-hand so there is gas can rental or now maybe buy premix.

different strokes for different folks..

4570Man · Sep 13, 2023

If you’re renting a gas powered tool it’s not unreasonable to want a gas can to go with it. A basic wheel barrel like the picture cost about the same as the metal gas can. Why does the wheel barrel cost over 5x as much to rent?

Mtsoxfan · Sep 13, 2023

Just had a wood stove installed in March. Borrowed a friends wood splitter. He insisted... Used it for a couple of days to split 4 cords or so.
In need of one again, but I hate borrowing. Borrow one twice you need to buy. Problem is, don't think I can justify $1500 or so for a new one. Used are like gold according to asking price. I can rent for $75 a day. Sure, I have to commit to a day, but I can deal with that. Take a few years to break even....
I changed the oil on the borrowed splitter, and bought a hydraulic filter for it. Almost like renting I suppose.

4570Man · Sep 13, 2023

Mtsoxfan said:
Just had a wood stove installed in March. Borrowed a friends wood splitter. He insisted... Used it for a couple of days to split 4 cords or so.
In need of one again, but I hate borrowing. Borrow one twice you need to buy. Problem is, don't think I can justify $1500 or so for a new one. Used are like gold according to asking price. I can rent for $75 a day. Sure, I have to commit to a day, but I can deal with that. Take a few years to break even....
I changed the oil on the borrowed splitter, and bought a hydraulic filter for it. Almost like renting I suppose.

My uncle rented a processor for $425 for the weekend and his cousin paid half and used it the second day. I thought he got a good value getting enough wood for 2 years cut and split for $212.50.

Streetcar · Sep 13, 2023

Shovels can be rented for $15/day

Torvy · Sep 13, 2023

I bought a wheel barrow a year or two ago. I had 2 different Lowes tell me they were stolen. One was literally blocks from our house in a nice suburb. The website showed them in stock, I showed up to buy and couldn't find them. The manager explained what happened. They keep them chained/cabled out front and a crew came in with a battery operated cutter and took the whole lot. Apparently, construction crews trying to keep overhead down and when prices went up the risk-reward of theft made it worth it. It's not like they have a VIN or even a SN. Hard to trace once they are gone.

Mtsoxfan · Sep 14, 2023

I'd love to find a wood processor to rent. Sure would make life easier over a splitter.

2manyrocks · Sep 14, 2023

The Lowes nearest to me has their electrical wire locked in a cage to prevent theft. The guy that is responsible for the wire cutting told me that he is supposed to walk each customer who buys wire directly to the cash register to keep people from walking out the door.

I also noticed they have started locking up trimmers and chainsaws inside the store because of theft.

The Lowes is in a mainstream USA location, not a high crime area. Retail theft apparently has become out and out brazen.

Uncle_Charlie · Sep 14, 2023

2manyrocks said:
Retail theft apparently has become out and out brazen.

I won't say which retailer I work for, but I will say that I have access to what the stores are reporting for theft techniques and volume. Some of the ways people are stealing product is impressive. These people could make a good living if they would put the effort and creativity into a real job instead of criminality.

2manyrocks · Sep 14, 2023

The guy in the wire department has worked at this Lowes since the 1970s. He said thieves were loading up shopping carts full of rolls of electrical wire and walking out of the store without paying before they started keeping the wire in locked cages.

Torvy · Sep 14, 2023

My wife worked at the Lowes for about 6 weeks when she first got bored waiting for me to retire.

Oddly enough, they will not confront a thief. Just be present and make taking stuff harder. At least here, the cops will arrest them and the DA will prosecute if they have evidence.

LittleBittyBigJohn · Sep 14, 2023

I've heard stories of thieves loitering until close to closing time so the employees are busy stocking and cleaning. In one instance they went to the next isle over behind the locked cordless tool storage, unloaded that shelf, reached through to the aisle over, loaded up every cordless tool in carts and just pushed them out like they owned the joint. EVERY tool, all of them. No plates on the getaway car, they never got caught as far as I know.

nyone · Sep 23, 2023

Mtsoxfan said:
Just had a wood stove installed in March. Borrowed a friends wood splitter. He insisted... Used it for a couple of days to split 4 cords or so.
In need of one again, but I hate borrowing. Borrow one twice you need to buy. Problem is, don't think I can justify $1500 or so for a new one. Used are like gold according to asking price. I can rent for $75 a day. Sure, I have to commit to a day, but I can deal with that. Take a few years to break even....
I changed the oil on the borrowed splitter, and bought a hydraulic filter for it. Almost like renting I suppose.

As a kid my family heated with only wood and would rent a splitter every year for a day. As a kid I always hated that day because my father would have us out there for the whole day making sure we got our moneys worth out of that rental.
The first thing I did after putting a wood stove in was build a splitter.

5030 · Sep 23, 2023

Was just at the local TSC, I needed a dozen medium sized screw eyes for a project and I got them off the rack and put them in my pocket because I really dislike their cheap thin plastic bags that split.

Got up to the cashier and told her I had them in my pocket and why and she said to me, 'at least you are honest as lots of people would have walked out without paying'. I don't ascribe to shoplifting but obviously a segment of this society does. I do believe the cost of items pilfered is factored into the retail price of ALL items.

Tomtint · Sep 23, 2023

A few months ago we were working in a newer lifestyle complex. ..Has apartments, retail, restaurants , medical, bars, entertainment venues..etc..all within walking distance in this complex. We were working in the leasing office area and I mentioned to the leasing agent that the restaurants must be killing it and always packed due to the captive audience. He then told me that getting a table was always easy in the places because todays renters..Dont want to go out o eat.. They want food brought to them. So the delivery service companies are making a killing ( Grub Hub ) types. We continued talking about the residents that live there and their habits . The new generation in the workforce.. docent want to "own" anything.. To the extent that they don't even want to own their clothes.. Yes they're clothes. They rent their clothes. They have a measuring with a stylist and have clothes dropped off one day a week and they leave the dirty stuff in a bag outside the door to be washed and sent to the next guy next week. Socks and underwear are not included in these programs.
The apartments are small but nice. Heat is included but not electric or wifi, cable. A 1 BR starts at 2800 a month and a 2BR is 3800.00
These "kids" can afford the rent.. But not afford the downpayment to buy a house. .. Crazy times we are in. It's only going to get worse. I saw 3 years ago the big builders moving out of single family homes and into apartment building.. They saw the future somehow..