44 Questions to Ask an Event Rental Company Before You Book

Rental quotes are hard to compare because each company bundles delivery, setup, damage waivers and fuel differently. Before you call, know what you need: a layout, a guest count and a delivery window. Use the event tent size calculator and the event table calculator to get rough quantities, then draw the layout in your event floor plan software so every company quotes the same thing.

• Event date, venue address and the surface: grass, asphalt, concrete or indoor floor
• Guest count and the layout: seated dinner, cocktail, ceremony, vendor market
• Delivery and pickup windows the venue allows
• Items list: tents, tables, chairs, linens, staging, dance floor, lighting, heaters, generators
• Who your other vendors are, such as the caterer and AV company

1. Do you have every item on our list available for our date, in the quantities we need?
2. Can we see photos or samples of the actual items, not catalog images?
3. How old is the inventory, and how do you clean and inspect it between events?
4. If an item is damaged or short on delivery day, what do you substitute?
5. Do you subcontract any items from another rental company?
6. Can we hold the inventory while we confirm the guest count, and for how long?

1. What tent size and style do you recommend for our guest count and layout?
2. Does this tent need a permit here, and will you apply for it?
3. How will you anchor the tent on our surface: stakes, ballast or water barrels?
4. Do you need a utility locate before staking, and who arranges it?
5. Does the tent fabric have a flame certificate we can give the fire marshal?
6. At what wind speed do you require the tent to be evacuated?
7. Are sidewalls, gutters, flooring and lighting included or extra?

1. What does delivery cost, and how is it calculated: distance, time or weight?
2. Is setup and strike included, or do we set up tables and chairs ourselves?
3. What delivery window can you guarantee, and how early can you arrive?
4. When will you pick up, and do you charge extra for late-night or next-day pickup?
5. Do you charge for stairs, long carries, elevators or uneven ground?
6. How should items be stacked and left for pickup?
7. Who checks the count with us on delivery and on pickup?

1. Is a damage waiver included or required, and what does it cost?
2. What exactly does the damage waiver cover and exclude?
3. How do you charge for lost, stained or broken items?
4. Do linens need to be returned dry, shaken or bagged?

1. What deposit do you need to hold our date, and is it refundable?
2. When is the final payment due, and which payment methods do you take?
3. Until what date can we change quantities without a fee?
4. What is your cancellation policy, and how much is refunded at each stage?
5. Is there a minimum order or a fuel or service surcharge?

1. What is your weather plan for rain, high wind and heat?
2. Can we add sidewalls, heaters or fans at short notice, and what is the deadline?
3. Who decides whether a tent is safe to use in bad weather?
4. What happens to our order if the event moves to a rain date?

1. Can you supply lighting for the tent and walkways, and how is it powered?
2. Do you rent generators, and who refuels and monitors them during the event?
3. How much power do your heaters, lights and equipment draw in total?
4. Will you run cables, and how will you cover them in walkways?

1. What insurance do you carry, and can you name us and the venue as additional insured?
2. Can you send a certificate of insurance before the event?
3. Are your installers employees or subcontractors?
4. Have you worked at our venue before, and do you know its rules?
5. Can we speak to two recent clients with events like ours?
6. Who is our contact on the day, and how do we reach them?
7. Will you give us everything in a written contract with item quantities and times?

• A quote with no line items for delivery, setup, strike or damage waiver
• No answer on whether a tent needs a permit or who applies for it
• No flame certificate for tent fabric or drape
• Can't send a certificate of insurance
• Vague delivery windows or no guaranteed pickup time
• Pressure to pay in full long before the event with no cancellation terms
• No written contract, only an email confirmation

Score each company from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) on each line, multiply by the weight and add the totals. The weights are an example; change them to fit your event.

If food is part of the event, coordinate rentals with your caterer: some caterers supply tables, linens and serving equipment. Our questions to ask a caterer list covers that side.