Any experience of "National tool hire shops"?

[Jim K..]

Except that as well...

[nothanks]

I was going to hire a lawn aerator from these guys but then found quite a few negative reviews for them. Has anyone here used this company? Good/bad?

[Andy Burns]

They trade online as 'mammoth hire' and in bricks&mortar stores as 'hire station' part of VP plc.

I hired a wacker plate about 5 years ago, no problems, if you hire something that runs on petrol, it'll probably work out cheaper to ask them to supply it with an empty, rather than full tank.

[tabbypurr]

The few times I've gone to hire something it always worked out at least as cheap to buy one.

NT

[nothanks]

I think hiring is worthwhile for large and expensive items. Having thought about it a bit more, the hire-able petrol aerators are only about 30-40cm wide so it would take a looong time to do the job. I'm now thinking it might be better to buy a tow-able aerator - more research needed

[Vir Campestris]

Hire of a heavy duty rotavator - £77 for 2 days.

List price is in excess of £2500...

Andy

[tabbypurr]

Sure. There are also LOTS of things where you can get it cheaper AND keep it.

NT

[michael adams]

[tabbypurr]

no

It tells us that I've wanted tools I didn't have, which is hardly informative. It also tells us you want to be childish about a situation where we all know perfectly well that many things are cheaper to buy than hire, and some aren't.

NT

[Marland]

Another factor which could actually be costed but for many of us it is simply easier to keep it to space considerations is storage of items.

A collection of equipment may be built up by judicious and opportunistic purchasing where individual items cost less than hiring them after a couple of uses but storing them may bring considerations of needing another shed or workshop ,increased insurance costs to cover what you have and the awkwardness of having things piled into a small area that if it wasn?t so cluttered could be useful but in reality is PITA to do anything in because something is always in the way.

GH

[michael adams]

In which case why say anything about it at all ?

If you now admit that some things aren't cheaper to buy than to hire, what possible relevance has your opening statement

"The few times I've gone to hire something it always worked out at least as cheap to buy one"

got to do with anything ?

More especially when the original question was regarding a particular tool hire chain.

michael adams

...

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yup - needed a large (9") angle grinder to cut out the hole in a brick wall for a large new window and lintle. Checked the hire price for a weekend plus wear costs on a diamond blade. Bought one with diamond blade for less. And despite it being a cheapie, it's still working fine.

[2987pl]

Now try that with a scissor lift, bobcat, JCB, trailer, scaffolding.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Alternative is to buy and sell when finished with.

[Max Demian]

It doesn't. Snow flakes.

[2987pl]

Sure, but its rather more convenient to just rent it for the day etc particularly with big stuff that you can't actually post to the buyer.

[ARW]

I bought a cement mixer to do my fence and a shed base. Got it from eBay for less than £200 from someone doing what you have suggested.

I have since rented it out at a charge of a crate of beer per week when someone wants to use it or two crates of beer if they want me to drop it off and pick it up.

I do believe that it has got me over £3000 of beer in the last 10 years.