THE QUESTIONS WE ACTUALLY GET ASKED
ANSWERS, NOT A CONTACT FORM.
Every answer here is the same one you'd get on the phone. If something's missing, that's a gap worth telling us about — call and we'll add it.
BOOKING & AVAILABILITY
Do I need an account to rent?
No. A licence and a card is the whole requirement. There's no membership, no annual fee and no minimum spend — a homeowner digging one trench gets the same rate as a GC on their fortieth rental.
How far ahead should I book?
Two or three days is plenty most of the year. Spring and early autumn the KX040-5 and the dump trailer go out a week ahead — book those sooner if the date is fixed.
Can I get something same-day?
Often, yes. Call before 11 a.m. and if the machine is in the yard we'll usually have it to you that afternoon. There's no rush charge for it.
What does the website show — real availability?
The rates are live and exact. Availability isn't shown, because a yard board changes hourly and a stale calendar is worse than none. That's why a person calls you back.
How late can I cancel?
5 p.m. the day before, free. Weather moves a reservation at no cost at any point before the machine leaves the yard — call and we'll shift the date.
Can I extend once I've got it?
Call before the day runs out and if nobody's waiting on it, it's yours. Extensions roll onto the week or 28-day rate automatically when you cross the threshold — you never pay seven day-rates for a week.
RATES, DEPOSITS & INVOICING
Is the rate sheet really the price?
Yes — plus Utah sales tax and delivery if you want it. There is no environmental fee, admin fee, cleaning fee or fuel surcharge added at the bottom.
How much is held on my card?
Nothing. We keep a card on file and charge it when the rental closes. No pre-authorisation sitting on your account for a fortnight.
Do you invoice contractors?
After three completed rentals you go to net-15 automatically — no application, no credit check, no phone call to ask for it. Bring a business licence the first time.
What exactly is a "day"?
24 hours from when the machine leaves the yard or lands on your site, with 8 engine hours included. Past 8 hours, each extra hour is 1/8 of the day rate — the meter, not the clock.
Is there a half-day?
Yes — every machine has its own published half-day rate, four hours, printed right on the rate sheet. No asking, no negotiating.
Weekend rates?
Same as weekdays. Pick up Saturday morning and return Monday at open and you're billed one day, because we're shut Sunday — that's not a discount, it's just how the clock lands.
DELIVERY & TOWING
Which machines can I tow myself?
All of it. The stand-on loader, the Pioneer and both trailers go behind a ½-ton; the SSV75 and the KX040-5 want a ¾-ton, a 14,000 lb trailer and a 2-5/16" ball. No CDL on anything we rent.
And which ones do you have to haul?
None — nothing in the yard needs a lowboy. If you'd rather not tow, we haul it on our own Silverado and tilt deck, priced by zone, each way.
Is delivery per machine or per trip?
Per trip. If two machines and three attachments fit on one trailer, that's one zone charge, each way.
Do I have to be there?
Someone does, to sign and take the controls walkthrough. If the site's locked, text us the gate code and tell us where to set it.
Will the tracks wreck my driveway?
Rubber tracks on the Kubotas won't mark concrete if you don't spin them. On pavers or a finished lawn ask for track mats — they ride out free with the SCL1000 and the KX040-5.
You're outside my area — will you still come?
Usually. Call with the address and we'll quote the haul once, then hold that number for the whole job even if it runs months.
RUNNING THE MACHINE
Do I need a licence or certification?
Not for the machines on private property — no CDL, no operator card. The Silverado needs a regular driver's licence, and the Pioneer stays off public roads unless your city allows OHVs. We'll walk the controls on everything.
I've never run an excavator. Is that a problem?
No. The SCL1000 and the KX040-5 are the two most rented machines for exactly that reason. Ask for the extra ten minutes at handover — the driver will dig a trench with you watching.
Can I hire an operator instead?
$95 an hour, four-hour minimum, and it's often the cheaper answer — an operator on the KX040-5 will out-dig a first-timer on a two-day rental in half a day.
What if it breaks down?
Call the mechanic's number on the dash. Mechanical failure isn't your cost and isn't your time — the hours stop and we either fix it on site or swap the machine.
Do you call Blue Stakes for me?
No — locates are the excavator's legal responsibility, meaning yours. It's free and takes two working days. Don't dig without it.
Can I swap attachments mid-rental?
Yes. The KX040-5's coupler takes every excavator attachment we stock, and the two loaders share theirs. Call and we'll run it out — you're billed the attachment's day rate from when it arrives.
DAMAGE, FUEL & RETURNS
Do I have to clean it?
Knock the loose mud off the tracks and undercarriage. That's it — there's no cleaning fee, and we don't bill for dirt on a machine that dug.
What about fuel?
It leaves full and comes back full. If it doesn't, we refill at that day's pump price with no per-gallon markup. Diesel only — one wrong nozzle is an expensive afternoon.
Is the damage waiver worth it?
It's 12% of the rental and entirely optional. If your general liability or a homeowner's policy already covers rented equipment, decline it and email us the certificate. We won't push it either way.
What counts as damage?
Broken glass, bent cylinders, missing pins, a thrown track from side-loading. Wear on teeth, tracks and cutting edges is ours. Repairs are quoted from our own shop at shop cost — you see the invoice.
Can I return after hours?
Gate B is open to 9 p.m. Park inside the painted line, drop the key in the box and text us a photo — the clock stops at the time on your message.
What if I keep it a day too long?
You're billed the extra day at the standard rate. There's no late penalty and no multiplier — but call, because someone may be waiting on that machine.
STILL NOT ANSWERED?
Call dispatch and ask. If it's a question worth asking, it belongs on this page.