ABC Hardware, Rental, and Special Events >> Party Rental >> FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about our party rentals.

How soon do I need to place my order?
What is the latest I may make changes to my order?
What size tent do I need?
How much room do I need for my tent?
What arrangements should be made to cover any potential weather problems?
Are side curtains provided with each tent?
Should there be a separate tent for the food; for the DJ?
There are some overhead wires in the area I want to use. How much clearance do I need to allow?
Do I need to be concerned about underground utilities?
Can you set up a tent on a paved parking lot?
When will you set up and remove the tent?
Can you install my tent outside of your normal business hours?
Is it possible for me to set up the tent myself?
What do you need as far as truck accessibility to the event site?
Should I seat guests at rectangular or round tables?
How many people can be seated at the tables?
How high should a stage be for a wedding reception or speaker?
Can the DJ be on a platform/stage?
How large a dance floor should I plan on?
How can I accommodate guests coats/jackets?
What type of lighting can be used for a nighttime event?
I'm planning on serving beer and pop in bottles and cans. Where can I store them?
Do you provide catering service?
If the caterer doesn't supply china/glassware, should the caterer or I rent them?
I will be having a speaker at our event. Is it necessary for the speaker to be on a stage?
Do you set up everything on delivery?
Are your events insured?
Who is responsible for the repair of any damaged property where the event was held?
What if there is a problem with any of your items during the event?
I don't see an item I want to rent on your list of available items. Can you help me locate it?
Can I obtain a list of references?

How soon do I need to place my order?
The order should be placed a minimum of 2 weeks prior to your event. For a large event and during the busiest time of the year, orders should be placed even earlier to allow for the proper planning.

What is the latest I may make changes to my order?
Any changes should be made at least 4 working days before the event.

What size tent do I need?
Go to our EVENT PLANNER page to help you determine the size.

How much room do I need for my tent?
Generally a minimum of 5' around the perimeter is needed for a tent. If you are looking for a 30' x 30' tent, you will need a minimum space of 40' x 40'.

What arrangements should be made to cover any potential weather problems?
To protect against rain and/or wind and cooler temperatures, you should consider the use of side curtains for the tent. If temperature may be a problem, we have heaters and air conditioners available.

Are side curtains provided with each tent?
No, side curtains need to be ordered separately.

Should there be a separate tent for the food; for the DJ?
This is at your discretion. You should consider whether you want the DJ and/or food service located in the same tent as the main event. Will their presence in the main tent negatively affect the ambiance of the event? Available space also needs to be taken into consideration.

There are some overhead wires in the area I want to use. How much clearance do I need to allow?
Ten feet of clearance is safest for overhead utilities. Contact us at 716-674-7100 to get the approximate height for the tent you are considering.

Do I need to be concerned about underground utilities?
We need to drive stakes into the ground to secure the tent. You should contact your local utility companies to mark the area where the tent will be located. If there is an in-ground sprinkler system or lines connected to a nearby pool, you need to mark them clearly so that we can stay clear of them. We cannot always avoid what we do not know is there.

Can you set up a tent on a paved parking lot?
Yes, but it will entail additional costs. If we use stakes, we will fill the holes when we tear down. If we cannot use stakes, we will use cement blocks or water barrels.

When will you set up and remove the tent?
Many factors such as flexibility of scheduling, size of installation and coordination of other services such as decorating, catering, and audio/visual will influence the timing of set up. The same holds true for removal. For large events we usually try to set up one or more days prior to date.

For weekend events, we usually set up the tent on Friday. Removal is usually on Monday. For very busy times such as graduation weekend we may schedule your set up for an earlier time. We always strive to be flexible and try our best to accommodate the needs of our clients.

Can you install my tent outside of your normal business hours?
If you have strict restrictions as to the setup and/or take down of your event, we will accommodate you. However, there are different labor rates for same day installations and teardown and weekend setup or tear down. These rates also apply to setup and tear down before 8am, after 5pm, and on holidays.

Is it possible for me to set up the tent myself?
Only our specially trained and equipped tent crews may handle the setup and dismantle of tents. If you have a large enough vehicle, you are welcome to pickup and return to our warehouse tables, chairs, and any other items you are planning to use.

What do you need as far as truck accessibility to the event site?
The closer the better! Most backyard events usually require only driveway or street access. Larger events require close proximity. Between tent tops, poles and equipment, some tents can weigh over 5000 lbs. The larger tents require a forklift truck to raise them.

Should I seat guests at rectangular or round tables?
Rectangular tables are generally used for less formal events such as backyard birthday parties etc. Round tables are usually used for more formal events such as wedding receptions and corporate receptions/dinners. It is easier for guests to converse at round tables.

How many people can be seated at the tables?
We recommend the following:
60" round table 8 people
72" round table 10 people
6' x 30" rectangular table 6 people
8' x 30" rectangular table 8 people

How high should a stage be for a wedding reception or speaker?
Generally 12" is high enough for attendees in the back to have a good view of the people on the stage.

Can the DJ be on a platform/stage?
This is at the DJ's and your discretion.

How large a dance floor should I plan on?
Generally speaking, only about ½ of the attendees will dance at any one time. A rule of thumb is to provide 4 square feet of dance floor space for each person on the dance floor.

How can I accommodate guests coats/jackets?
We have coat racks and hangers available for rent. You can hang approximately 100 coats/jackets on each coat rack.

What type of lighting can be used for a nighttime event?
There are a number of lighting choices available. We have chandeliers and strings of ball lights for general illumination. We also have par can lights available for specialized lighting effects.

I'm planning on serving beer and pop in bottles and cans. Where can I store them?
We have "super coolers" available for rent. They'll hold up to 25 gallons on ice.

Do you provide catering service?
We don't provide catering ourselves, but we can provide you with the names of some caterers for you to contact. We can also suggest names of florists, DJ's, bands, photographers, and limousine services.

If the caterer doesn't supply china/glassware, should the caterer or I rent them?
This is at your discretion. The caterer would be more aware of all the different items including serving pieces they would need for the event.

I will be having a speaker at our event. Is it necessary for the speaker to be on a stage?
It is not necessary but it will be easier for the people in the back of the event to see the speaker if he is on a stage. The length of the presentation should be considered as well. If the speaker will only give a short talk, it may not be necessary for a stage.
We also have a podium and audio speaker systems available, if needed.

Do you set up everything on delivery?
We can set up whatever you want. Set up and tear down of the tent, lighting, dance floor and staging is included in the rental price of those items. The set up of any other items such as tables, chairs, table settings, etc will result in an additional charge. It will also be necessary for you to provide us with an advance notice and a detailed layout.

Are your events insured?
ABC can provide event supervision by our experienced event staffing team. Our event staffing includes: event coordinators to supervise the rides, protection under ABC Special Events Inc. insurance, setup, takedown, and delivery. Customers can also choose to pickup some of our inflatable rides without using ABC event staffers or insurance coverage.

Who is responsible for the repair of any damaged property where the event was held?
We will fill in any holes left by the tent stakes. We cannot be held responsible for damage to lawns/landscaping caused by being covered by a tent or dance floor. We also are not responsible for damage caused by pedestrian traffic at the event.

What if there is a problem with any of your items during the event?
Our representatives are available 24 hours a day to rectify whatever problem may arise. We may be contacted through our office during regular business hours or by emergency pager or an emergency number at our office. Our field representatives carry cell phones and 2-way radios and can be dispatched immediately. If it is obvious that weather may be a problem, we may already be on our way to the site. If you wish, you may make arrangements, for an additional charge, to have an LT Rental representative onsite during the event.

I don't see an item I want to rent on your list of available items. Can you help me locate it?
We carry over 1,000,000 items in our inventory. However, if there is something you need that we don't have available, we will do our utmost to help you locate the item.

Can I obtain a list of references?
We will be happy to furnish you with a list of references on request.


© 2004-2024 ABC Hardware and Rental, All Rights Reserved | Contact Us
Prices are subject to change without notice. Please call to ensure you have the current pricing.