Had to choose between a power stretcher rental or buying one for a big job in Akron

Last month I got a contract for a whole apartment building lobby in Akron, about 1500 square feet of commercial grade carpet. My old knee kicker just wasn't going to cut it for a space that big. I had to decide between renting a power stretcher from the local supplier for $75 a day or finally buying my own, which would be around $500. I went with buying one, figuring I'd use it again. The first day was rough, learning the right tension settings, and I wasted a few hours getting it right. But by the second day, I was flying through it and got a perfectly tight install. It paid for itself on that one job alone. What's your go-to method for big areas, do you rent or own your heavy tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

jakef6614d ago

My old boss in Cleveland always said if you rent a tool three times, you should have bought it.

dylan_rodriguez14d ago

Man, a whole debate over a carpet stretcher? It's not that deep. You needed a tool, you bought it, job's done.

paulk423d ago

Yeah, but dylan_rodriguez has a point about it not being that deep. Sometimes you just need the right tool once and buying it saves you a whole day of hassle. I borrowed a friend's tile saw for a bathroom project, spent more time driving to get it and back than actually cutting. Next time I just bought my own cheap one. Now it's in my garage for whenever I need a cut, no stress.