Equipment hire: a practical planning checklist

Start with the missing capability

Describe the gap you need to fill. ‘Two people need to speak while moving around the room’ is more useful than requesting two unspecified microphones. ‘We need to light faces across this acting area’ gives a lighting supplier something to work with before model numbers are chosen.

If you already have a specification, send it with quantities and any acceptable alternatives. If you are supplementing an existing system, identify that system too. A hired item needs to work with the equipment around it, not simply look similar to something you used previously.

Check the whole connection chain

Trace the job from the source to the result. For sound, that may mean microphone, receiver, mixer, amplification and loudspeaker. For a presentation, it includes the computer, connection, signal path and display. For lighting, ask about power, control, mounting and the operating position.

Record what you own and what you expect the supplier to include. Do not assume that every cable, adapter, stand, case or consumable is automatically part of an item’s hire price. The hire price list is a starting point; the agreed quotation should make the complete requirement clear.

• Exact models or clear photographs of existing equipment and connectors.
• Cable routes and approximate distances, not just the room length.
• Stands, mounts and any specialist installation requirements.
• Consumables, batteries and spare equipment to discuss.
• A person responsible for checking compatibility before the event.

Include the days either side of the show

The performance date is not necessarily the full hire period. Allow time for collection, familiarisation, installation, checks and rehearsal, then agree when everything can be dismantled and returned. A morning event may need equipment the previous day; a late finish may prevent a same-night return.

Ask how the quote treats the actual dates you need, including weekends or changes. Do not calculate a final booking charge simply by multiplying a published rate without confirming the charging period, VAT and any delivery or staffing costs.

Make access and responsibility explicit

Tell the supplier about stairs, lifts, loading restrictions and the route to the working room. Measure awkward doors and lifts rather than assuming a flightcase will fit. Confirm whether your vehicle is suitable if collecting, and who is available to handle the equipment.

Agree who installs, checks and operates the system. Some tasks need specialist competence, particularly electrical work, rigging and work at height. A hire booking is not a substitute for an appropriate working plan. Where you need help, request it as part of the scope.

Agree the check-out and return plan

Before leaving with equipment, check the agreed inventory and ask for the relevant operating information. Identify the support contact and what to do if something is missing or does not behave as expected. Test the system while there is still time to resolve questions, not as the audience arrives.

Keep the return list with the cases so cables and accessories do not get mixed into the venue’s stock. Confirm packaging, collection or return times and the process for reporting damage or a fault. Booking terms and any responsibility for loss should be understood before accepting the hire.