This is always an age old debate. The lure of hiring what seems like state of the art equipment can soon leave a sour taste in the mouth. At BPS Access Solutions we took a look at some well known hiring brands in the market place and discovered some rather worrying aspects to hiring that may not be immediately obvious.
Be careful what you are signing up to!
The hiring of scaffold towers or indeed ladders can come about as a matter of urgency – a last minute requirement on a project or perhaps just what seems like a one off need for the week ahead. However, those attractive hire prices may soon become expensive. Let’s take a look at HSS Hire
- Up front deposit
You will be asked to pay a 2 week hire charge as a deposit that will be refunded upon the return of the equipment.
- Responsibility of equipment
You will be responsible for the security of the equipment until it is returned to HSS Hire. This applies even if the equipment is off hire and you are waiting for it to be collected. Security of equipment such as ladder and scaffold towers is a major issue for owners without the added stress of huge levies placed on hired equipment should it be stolen.
- What happens to equipment if it gets broken, damaged or missing or arrival?
You will be charged for broken or damaged equipment, you will need to ensure that the equipment is secured and protected from vandalism or loss. To protect against these unpredictable events, you can take out a damage waiver option and they’re a hefty price to add onto your hire fees, deposit and stress! The highest option will cost you 15% of the hire rate and will cover you against the cost and repair of damage to HSS hire equipment up to the value of £5,000. The standard level of protection at 10% of the hire cost protects against the cost of accidental damage of the equipment only.
- Make sure the equipment is clean when it is returned….
or else you’ll be charged a cleaning fee!
Ouch! Beware of these fees – they’re excessive!
Why buying is better
Buying your own ladder and scaffold tower can actually work out cheaper by the time you have added the costs together that would be needed for a responsible hirer of HSS equipment!
As we all know, in the real world, equipment can get dirty, wear and tear can occur but it’s often an effort trying to convince the hiring company that it is not damage! Of course you cannot always be around your equipment 24/7 and theft and vandalism of which you have no control over does occur – and quite often too. However protection of ladders and scaffold towers are often covered in standard household or tradespeoples insurance and is not subject to unfair levies or sleepless nights worrying about the safety of your equipment!
So rather than trying to jump through hoops and praying you’ll get your deposit returned, it is better and more cost effective to buy. The sums are quite simple really. By buying your ladder or scaffold tower:
- You’ll get to use it again. Not just once of course but many times over. At BPS Access Solutions our products will provide many years of reliable service.
- It’s cheaper in the long run. A cheap ‘no frills’ hire with all the risks might be cheaper but once the equipment is returned you’ll be left without essential equipment and it will only be a matter of time before you’ll need it again.
- Collecting missing or faulty parts will be a real hassle with hired products. It will involve a trip to the local depot not to mention wasting valuable hire time in the process. Here at BPS Access Solutions, we provide a free lifetime guarantee on all our products. Should a part fail or develop a fault at any time, simply telephone our dedicated customer line and a replacement part will be on it’s way to you without fuss or quibble.
Price comparison – HSS Hire vs BPS Access Solutions
Scaffold Towers – hire price per week
Code | Item | Week | Hire |
|---|---|---|---|
80400 | Alloy Span Tower Addit. 1.0m | £24.10 | |
80408 | Alloy Span Tower 2.2m | £119.10 | |
80412 | Alloy Span Tower 3.2m | £144.80 | |
80415 | Alloy Span Tower 4.2m | £168.90 | |
80418 | Alloy Span Tower 5.2m | £193.60 | |
80422 | Alloy Span Tower 6.2m | £222.90 | |
80425 | Alloy Span Tower 7.2m | £247.90 | |
80428 | Alloy Span Tower 8.2m | £274.30 | |
80432 | Alloy Span Tower 9.2m | £298.80 | |
80435 | Alloy Span Tower 10.2m | £323.90 |
Prices (E and OE) are exclusive of VAT and are in UK Sterling
Scaffold Towers – buy price
Maximum Working Height | Our Unbeatable Price | Length |
3m | £274.99 | |
3.8m | £474.99 | |
5.5m | £824.99 | |
7.2m | £974.99 |
As a direct comparison, a 7.2m scaffold tower would cost £247.90 per week including VAT to hire. Additional charges of around £1.85 per mile apply to deliver the scaffold tower to you or you can pick it up yourself from the local depot at your own cost.
If you buy a 7.2m scaffold tower from BPS Access Solutions, it will cost £974.99 including VAT and FREE next day delivery to your door.
To hire a HSS hire 7.2m scaffold tower for 4 weeks would cost a minimum of £991.60 plus delivery/collection charges. Add to this, the upfront 2 week deposit of £495.80, and the 15% damage waiver at £148.74.
The real cost of hiring:
Total Cost: Min: £1487.40 Max:£1,636.14 excluding delivery with a possible refund of £495.80 on return of the equipment – for 1 month.
As against the simplicity of buying:
Payment of £974.99 including delivery and free parts guarantee – for life.
It’s a no brainer really. For less than the cost of 1 months hire with a lot of risk as against a lower ‘one off’ payment it really does pay you to buy from BPS Access Solutions!
