As soon as the snow melts and the sun rises early, rural residents shift into gear. Do it yourself (DIY) jobs, from tree clearing to yard cleanups, people across the region are turning to rented equipment to get the job done.
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“People want to be proud of what they’ve built,” said Clint McKinlay, owner and general manager of MatriX Equipment Rentals.
“As soon as the snow’s gone and it starts drying up, the need for rentals goes up.”
Hauling soil and clearing branches make Skid Steers one of the top picks for this time of year. Trailers, stump grinders, scissor lifts and even
lawnmowers are also in demand.
“This year, stump grinding has been a really big one,” said McKinlay. “We’ve also had lots of scissor lift rentals for construction, and boom lifts for elevated work.”
It’s not just contractors showing up. McKinlay said most customers are DIYers who want to tackle outdoor jobs themselves.
“They enjoy yard work. They enjoy getting out there,” he said. “It’s the kind of work where they can see the results right away.”
That spirit brings a mix of renters through the doors, some experienced, many not.
“Sometimes people rent equipment and they’ve never operated it before,” said McKinlay. “We make sure they’re familiar with the controls, go through the manual, and give them basic training before they take it.”
His No. 1 tip?
“Make sure you do your homework on the size of the project you’re
working on.”
For example, if you are doing stuff in your backyard, make sure the
equipment can fit through an access gate. He noted, however, even without background in heavy machinery, customers often surprise themselves.
“We’ve had some people rent a machine for a longer job, and they end up finishing it in half the time,” he said.
McKinlay added that access to the right gear can make or break a project.
“If you can’t get the equipment, you’re at a standstill,” he said.
“It’s everything.”
And while the machines do the heavy lifting, it’s the people who make the work matter.
“Customers will send pictures of what they’ve done,” he said.
“They’re proud of what they’ve finished, and we’re happy to have helped them get there.”
The variety of projects, be it DIY or contractors, keeps things interesting.
“There’s never a dull moment,” said McKinlay.
“We might have someone doing a demo job with a floor scraper, another needing to go up 50 feet or someone else just picking up a push mower.”
For McKinlay, the spring season brings a feeling of momentum.
“I think a lot of people are a lot like gophers. As soon as the sun comes out, we come out,” said McKinlay.
“You just want to get going. And lots of people do.”
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