Rental Business Ideas

[The Baron]

Hi Guys, I've got a small equipment rental business. I currently have 2 Kubota KX71 mini-excavators and 2 Case skid-steers (a 420 and a 445). I'm trying to grow my business into a full-time living. I can do alright in the summer (May - October or thereabouts) but winter is dead slow and unless I can pickup a fair amount of revenue in the winter I'll have to keep a second job to make ends meet at home. I'm in Ontario so of course we get cold/snow in the winter. Other than snow removal can anyone give me ideas of what potential unders/renters there are in the winter? I'm starving for idea on who to target for renting my equipment in the winter. I even consideredf shipping my machines south to warmer climates if I has someone who would rent/lease them for the winter months. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!

 

[skidsteer.ca]

If its like my end of Ontario things are dead quiet in the winter. In the states I see some snow removal contractor looking to rent equipment for the winter months. Usually on a flat fee per months plus hours and the machine lives in their yard until spring.
The main thing that concerns me about this would be having the machines trailered around on salty road and of course the cold starts. I have never persued the snow here. 08/09 would have been ok but this past winter it only snow twice
Thats the down side of our climate, not much dirt work to do in the winter. We do some brush mowing for snowmobile and atv trails on the frost which allow us to access areas that can't be reached in the summer. I find the odd job but not near as much as I'd like.
Ken

 

[jkwilson]

If people don't want to rent your equipment in the wintertime, there is an obvious answer: Rent something during the winter that people want. Party tables, chain saws, portable heaters, salt spreaders, snow blowers etc.. You might also consider using your equipment yourself for a snow removal business during the winter months.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

If people don't want to rent your equipment in the wintertime, there is an obvious answer: Rent something during the winter that people want. Party tables, chain saws, portable heaters, salt spreaders, snow blowers etc.. You might also consider using your equipment yourself for a snow removal business during the winter months.

Yes I believe if you want year round rental income you need a wide array of equipment that matches the seasons. Of couse that results in a lot of overhead, purchasing, storage and maintainance. Guess it all depends on the area. Here I just acept the fact that renting is pretty much a sesonal thing and pursue other work in the winter.
Ken

 

[The Baron]

Yes I believe if you want year round rental income you need a wide array of equipment that matches the seasons. Of couse that results in a lot of overhead, purchasing, storage and maintainance. Guess it all depends on the area. Here I just acept the fact that renting is pretty much a sesonal thing and pursue other work in the winter.
Ken

The summer hasn't been too bad, and I am looking into snow removal contracts for the winter using my skid-steers. One of my customers need a mini-excavator all winter for a big contract and I'm sure I can get the other working if the price is right. If all that pans out, I'll be good. I'm going to stay focused on the mini-excavators/skid-steers rather than spread myself too thin trying to have one of everything.

 

[The Baron]

The summer hasn't been too bad, and I am looking into snow removal contracts for the winter using my skid-steers. One of my customers need a mini-excavator all winter for a big contract and I'm sure I can get the other working if the price is right. If all that pans out, I'll be good. I'm going to stay focused on the mini-excavators/skid-steers rather than spread myself too thin trying to have one of everything.

Forgot to say... thanks for the input guys!

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Forgot to say... thanks for the input guys!

No problem, where are you at? Out near the manitoba border here.
Ken

 

[The Baron]

No problem, where are you at? Out near the manitoba border here.
Ken

I'm in Kingston, Ontario.

 

[TheMEGAbobcatman]

I'm in Kingston, Ontario.

I'm thinking about renting out my own bobcat to make some money, but do you need some kind of a permit to rent it out? thanks.

 

[Tazza]

I'm thinking about renting out my own bobcat to make some money, but do you need some kind of a permit to rent it out? thanks.

I don't think so, but you will need some sort of insurance. What if someone uses it, rolls it and destroys it? Thats what keeps me from renting out machines. You have no control of how others will treat it. I'm sure Ken will give some advise here, i know he rents machines out.