Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you charge sales tax?
A. No, we are one of the few rental companies that does not charge sales tax. As opposed to our competitors, we pay the sales tax up front when we purchase equipment so that we do not have to charge the end user.
Q. What do I do if the equipment breaks down?
A. Please call us for assistance immediately if your rental equipment breaks down or has any issues.
Q. What forms of payment do you accept and what deposit is required to rent equipment?
A.We accept cash, local checks, or Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. If you would like to open an in-house charge account, please fill out our credit application. We require a minimum of a valid ID and credit card for all equipment rentals.
Q. Will your company load the equipment into my vehicle?
A. Yes, we are more than happy to load the rental equipment into your vehicle when you pickup.
Q. When do I need to reserve?
A. Please call as early as possible for best availability. Typically, a minimum of 1 week notice is sufficient to reserve equipment.
Q. Does Cal-West setup scaffolding?
A. For liability purposes, we are not allowed to setup scaffolding but we are more than happy to give you a diagram and discuss the proper procedure with the customer.
Q. Is delivery and set up included in the price?
A. Delivery is not included in the price but is available for an additional fee.
Q. How many hours is a daily rental?
A. A daily rental is equivalent to 24 hours in your possession and 8 hours of usage on the hour meter on units that are applicable, such as tractors and other heavy equipment.We also offer a minimum rental period for less than one day on most homeowner rental items. The minimum period typically ranges from 2-4 hours.
Q. How much is your damage waiver and what does it cover?
A. We offer an optional damage waiver for 12% of the total rental. It covers any incidental damage to the rental equipment that may occur during you usage. It does not cover misuse, abuse, or negligence of the equipment. It does not cover theft nor damage that may occur from failure to properly secure the equipment to your vehicle. For details, please see our rental contract.
Q. What size vehicle do I need to tow a trailer?
A. We require a 3/4 ton or larger vehicle to tow all tandem axle trailers. Any vehicle with a functioning hitch and ball is allowed to tow all small single axle trailers.
Q. Can I reserve my date and item online?
A. Yes all equipment is available to reserve through the shopping cart on our website.
Q. Can I return equipment after hours?
A. We offer after-hours drop off for trucks only. We have a key drop off on the front gate to facilitate this. All other equipment must be returned during regular business hours.
Q: Do you have insurance?
A. Yes, we are insured. We can provide proof of insurance as well as additionall insured certificates. Workers comp is also available.
Q: What do I need to rent a truck?
A. All truck rentals require a valid California driver's license and matching credit card. We require a deposit of $250, which is charged to your card at pickup of the truck. You must be 21 years or older to rent a truck.
Q. Do you rent your tractor attachments on their own or only with Cal-West tractors?
A. All 3-point hitch attachments are required to be rented on our tractors only. We do rent attachements for our skid steers on their own, such as a pallet fork attachment, auger attachment, and breaker attachment.
Q. Do you rent your pickup trucks for towing?
A. Unfortunately we do not allow our trucks to tow outside trailers, only Cal-West rental trailers.
Q: Are you open weekends?
A. Yes we are open Saturdays, 8-5, all year and Sundays, 9-2, for all but the winter months.
Q: Do you offer one-way rentals and do you allow your trucks to travel out of the state of California?
A. We do not offer one-way rentals nor do we allow our trucks to travel out of this state. All rental trucks must stay within 200 miles of our store and be returned to the same location as where they were picked up.
Q: Once I have called off a piece of rental equipment and it is ready for pickup, will I be charged for the time it sits on my job until it is picked up?
A. No, you will no longer be charged for the equipment once you have called it off-rent. It is your responsibilty to securely store the equipment until we can pick it up, but you are not charged any extra for it sitting on your jobsite after you have called us to pick it up.
Q: Do you offer a Damage Waiver/Equipment Protection Program?
A. Yes, a damage waiver fee is an option available to all renters. This fee is not insurance but does relieve the renter from liability for accidental damage to our rental products. Excluded is intentional damage, misuse or lost items. Damage due to theft or mysterious disappearance. Any damaged/broken items must be returned.
Q: Do you fill propane tanks?
A. Yes, we do sell propane and are able to fill your propane tanks at our Petaluma location.