When you are contemplating which construction equipment to rent and which ones to buy, boom lifts often fall in the renting category. There are two apparent reasons for this. First, major construction projects need several boom lifts on hand to help keep up with the project deadline. As such, rather than spending a great deal of money buying five boom lifts, renting them makes much more financial sense. Second, maintaining and repairing boom lifts can be a nightmare. Therefore, rentals take the burden of regular maintenance off a contractor's hands. That said, there are a couple of things about renting that can prove costly, and these are things that first-time boom lift renters often ignore. This article highlights these areas to help you be aware of them when you're considering renting or buying boom lifts.

Verify Company's Insurance Policy Coverage

If you read a boom lift's rental agreement, you will find that dealers only insure the equipment, not its drivers. This remains true even if the rental firm provides you with a driver. Regrettably, most contractors who rent boom lifts might mistakenly believe that the equipment's insurance policy covers boom lift drivers that are supplied by the rental dealer. However, the renting contractor must ensure that boom lift operators are covered under the company's Worker's Compensation Insurance. Verifying the extent of your insurance coverage ensures that you are adequately covered if operators get injured while operating rental boom lifts.

Rental Period

If you have several project sites that need boom lifts, then hiring the lifts for an extended period might seem like a good idea. However, you must remember that you will need to transport the boom lifts from the current project site to the next. The issue with this is you might not be prepared for inconveniences, like those that can arise if the two project sites are located far from each other. For instance, traffic jams during transport are likely to delay the commencement of the new project. Additionally, you have to factor in fuel costs. As such, it is advisable to rent boom lifts for a specific project only. If there is another project in a different location that you will also need to rent boom lifts to complete, then you can lease from a dealer that is closer to that site.

Inspect Boom lift upon Delivery

Most contractors agree that they always inspect rental boom lifts at a dealer's premises before signing the agreement. However, few think of also checking the equipment the moment it is delivered. Although the equipment you rent might be in good condition when you inspect it at the lot, you should not rule out the possibility of damage happening to the equipment during transportation. For example, navigating a boom lift trailer in tight spaces is a challenge and exposes the machine to potential damage such as broken headlights. Therefore, ensure that you inspect the boom lift immediately when it is delivered so that you do not end up risking the safety of an operator.

Contact a boom lift provider to learn more today.

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