MAIN MENU

Accessories

Tent Sizes

Payment Terms

Seating / Dance Area Guide

Contact Us

Request Quote

FAQ's

Home

RAIN & SHINE RENTAL

How do you anchor tents?
We use steel stakes that are 36" to 48" long driven into the ground - that's also the reason why we require utility locates. The actual number of stakes and the size of them will vary depending on what size of tent it is, how much wind load they may be subjected to and the length of time they will be set up. There are other things that we can do depending on the situation but the end result has to be within the manufactures anchorage guidelines and above all, secure if a storm does arise.

Do stakes damage my asphalt parking lot?
No, it will make a hole about 3/4 to 1 inch in size which can be repaired if needed with special asphalt plugs. There are some locations in the city that we have been installing the same size of tents for many years and we reuse the same holes over and over again with no problem. If you have a concrete patio or sidewalk area we can use concrete construction anchors that use bolts and washers to take the place of stakes. These are permanent once installed but are very clean and a hex nut can be put into them flush with the ground if you want to use them again some time later.

Also, contrary to what many people think, no, your asphalt will not frost heave in the winter if it is properly prepared, compacted and paved in the first place. It is an urban myth that this will happen and simply not true for the Western New York area. As a matter of fact, during the spring and winter they will slowly fill up with leaves, sand, gravel and dirt. Often, you'll be hard pressed to even find them after a while even if you know exactly where to look.

When do you install and remove a tent for my party?
If your party is on a Saturday for example, we usually install the day before your function starts. Sometimes even earlier depending on the situation, weather factors and how many projects might be scheduled for that week and where they are located. Pickup is most often scheduled for the next day but we will ask you for the event start and end time to determine exactly when the best time for pickup would be. Another example would be for a Friday night dinner party that starts at 6pm. In that case we might deliver everything on Thurs or Friday morning and pickup on Saturday. For most events, there is no cut and dried time for installation & take down because of many different factors but we always strive to be flexible and accommodate the needs of our customers balanced with what is possible for our tent crews to do in a day.

For commercial projects we usually try to install everything one day or several days prior to your event and then take down it the day after. The actual timing can vary widely and will depend on what other services you have to coordinate inside such as stages, flooring, electrical, decorating, table settings, audio visual etc. All these activities take time so please plan accordingly.

What about setting up or taking down tents outside of normal hours and holidays?
Most events are pretty straight forward but sometimes we do have challenging time-lines that must be adhered to for one reason or another. When this is the case, please contact our office for information.

Do you have tents for the patio deck of my house?
Yes, the 10 x 10 tents work great for this and they're quick and easy to setup. These are great for party guests to have an outside shelter for smoking, beverage service or whatever things you might need to cover on the outside during your party. Check the pricelist for rates.

Do you have tents for BBQ'ing under?
Yes we have specific tents (10 x10 and 15 x 15 only) for that but you must tell us in advance and we'll make sure it's one that we set aside from our regular inventory that you can bbq under to your hearts content. If you damage one of our nice white tents with greasy smoke or ruin one of our wedding tents in this manner we will charge you for the replacement cost of the fabric since it is now essentially useless for anything else - forever! The burned charcoal or grease smell will last about a year or so and the white tent that we installed is now smokey grey on the inside roof and cannot be cleaned or repaired.

All you have to do is put the grill at least two feet outside the tent so that the roof doesn't trap the smoke, grease or heat from the bbq. If you do have to be under the tent for bbqing just tell us and we'll make sure that there isn't a problem.

What about security of tents from vandalism or other damage?
Fortunately we have had very few incidents over the years but here are some points to keep in mind while a tent is installed on your property:

* You are responsible for any damages caused by vandalism or unruly guests to any of the rental equipment. This is a very rare occurrence because most events are either in a secured local or have overnight security service. A little common sense is all that is needed usually to avoid any potential problems.

* After considering the location of the tent, the type of function and the time it will be on site, we can suggest what will work best.

About deposits on tents and event rentals.
Our standard policy is 35 % to 50 % initial reservation deposit to secure the rental items you want. This acts as security for us to reserve the equipment and schedule crew labour and trucks for what we are going to supply in a professional and orderly manner. In many cases, the project we are supplying involves a very significant commitment in terms of inventory, planning and man-hours of preparation to ensure the success of your event. If you cancel then we have to be compensated for the time and service that we have prepared for you already and for lost opportunity for other customers.

I need a specifically timed delivery for my tent installation so that I can meet the crew there. Can you do that?
We will try to accommodate your request within reason for in-town set ups during regular business hours. In general, please allow at least a four hour window in the AM or PM for scheduling of our crews. This can also depend on the time of year and how many projects are taking place that day. We can estimate to some degree the timing of deliveries and pickups but it's never exact due to traffic or weather conditions or sometimes a customer who changes their mind and wants the two 30'x30' tents that were just installed moved 40 feet to the other side of the driveway (this has happened before).

Here's a few other important things to consider when planning to rent a tent for your party:

* Allow a minimum of 10 feet around the perimeter of the tent for setup. That means if you order a 20'x20' size tent, the area you want to have for proper installation should be about 30'x30' in size. We can of course work with smaller areas than that but please advise us so that we can be prepared when the crew arrives. Don't forget to look up to see if their are any tree branches hanging down or perhaps a fixture on your house that may interfere with the top of the tent.

* 30' wide & 40' wide pole tents are another case where you have to allow enough room for guy lines and stakes. The tents themselves are 30'-40' wide but then you have to add an additional 10' for the guy lines that secure the tent down and another five to ten feet on top of that for work area. Some of the pictures in the photo gallery will show examples of what they look like. We will also require drive up access with our truck for larger size tents due to the sheer weight of them so if that is going to be a concern with your location, please let us know in advance so that we can plan accordingly.

* When you order a tent, try to plan out in advance where the most logical place to install it on your property is. (ie. don't put it on the side of your sloping back yard where all the drains from the house lead right to) One of the best ways to do that is to use or create a site plan to aid everyone in placement of the tent(s) and what items you plan to have in it. It's not necessary to do that for something as small as a 20'x20' but if you are planning a 40'x100' for a wedding with catering tents, and walkway canopies its a very good idea. It doesn't have to be fancy either, just as long as we have a basic understanding in relation to the other things in and around your house or commercial property so that we know of any conflicts or things to avoid *before* our install crews arrive there.

* Underground and overhead utilities are always important to watch out for when erecting a tent. More than a few times over the years we've arrived on site to discover some very large power lines right overhead of where our customer wants it installed and had to move to a safe location or we couldn't put it up at all. Make sure that you have more than 7 yards or about 21 feet (which is code) away from any power lines.

* Proper ground conditions for stake anchoring is required for all tent installations. When you inquire or reserve a tent we will ask you what the setup is surface is; be it grass, dirt, asphalt, concrete pad, interlocking patio bricks or a wood deck - we have seen it all and there are special methods and devices that we use for various situations. Not every situation can be accommodated depending on the potential exposure to wind.

Copyright © 2011 Rain & Shine Rental