Equipment Hire Checklist: What to Prepare Before a Quote

Most quote delays come from missing information, not from the rental company. A request that says only we need a crane for next week gets a question list back, and the answers take days. A request that includes load, radius, site and dates can be priced and confirmed the same day. This checklist shows what to prepare for the most common machine groups so that your first message is also your last. Send as much as you know, and say what you do not know yet.

For every request

• What you need to lift, dig, reach or power
• Site city and access route
• Start date and expected duration
• With or without operator
• Client or HSE document requirements
• Any gate-pass or induction steps

For a crane

• Load weight and rigging weight
• Pick and set-down radius
• Lift height and obstacles
• Ground type and access route

The first three numbers decide the crane class from its load chart, because capacity falls as radius grows. The fourth decides whether the crane can reach the position and stand safely. If the ground is soft, tell us, and ask your engineer for the bearing figure.

For access platforms

• Working height and outreach
• Indoor or outdoor, floor type
• Number of people and tools
• Operator training evidence

For power and lighting

• Running load in kW
• Largest motor and how it starts
• Duration and fuel arrangement
• Ambient temperature and location

For generators, the starting current of the largest motor often decides the size, not the running load. Heat also lowers output, so give the site temperature and let the supplier add margin. Our generator size guide shows how to calculate the running load.

For excavators and earthmoving

• Dig depth, reach and trench width
• Ground type and groundwater
• Volume of material and haul distance
• Attachments needed, such as breaker or bucket size

Documents to ask for in return

• Conformity and inspection certificates for the machine
• Load chart or datasheet
• Operator and rigger certificates, if supplied
• Insurance details and the rental terms

Worked example: a good request

A strong request reads like this: we need a 100 tonne class mobile crane in Jubail for two days from the first Sunday of next month, to lift a 28 tonne vessel from a trailer to a foundation at 22 metres radius and 18 metres height, hard standing ground confirmed, client gate pass required, operator and rigger needed, lift plan to be prepared by us. With that, the rental company can check the load chart, name the crane class, confirm availability and list the documents the gate will need. The same request without weights and radius would produce a day of questions.

Why each item changes the price

Start date and duration decide availability and the rate band. Site city decides transport. With or without operator decides who must be approved. Client requirements decide how long approvals take and whether extra inspections are needed. Every item on the list is a cost or a lead time, which is why a complete request gives a firm quote and an incomplete one gives only an estimate.

Common gaps that delay a quote

• A weight given without the rigging, hooks and spreader beam
• A radius measured to the wrong point, such as the crane centre instead of the hook
• No mention of a client induction or a hazardous area
• Unclear dates, such as sometime next month
• No contact person for the site gate

Keep a copy of your last good request as a template. Next time, change the dates and weights and send it again, so your quotes stay quick and consistent.

If your client has its own equipment form, attach it to the request. It saves a round of questions and shows us exactly which documents the gate will check.

When the quote arrives, check it line by line against your request. Any item that differs from what you asked for should be queried before you confirm.

Related services and guides

• Mobile and rough-terrain crane rental
• Boom and scissor lift rental
• Generator and light tower rental
• Excavator and earthmoving rental
• Generator size guide

Sources: Kanoo Machinery, SASO and Aramco lifting equipment standards