How to Choose a Tent Rental Company: 9 Questions to Ask Before You Put Down a Deposit

Knowing how to choose a tent rental company comes down to a handful of questions you ask before you sign anything: whether the company is insured, whether its own crew installs the tent, whether the tent will work on your ground, what happens when the weather turns and who takes care of the permit. A good company answers each one plainly and puts the important parts in writing.

Those questions matter more for a tent than for almost anything else you rent, because a tent is a temporary structure that has to stay put in your yard, parking lot or field with your guests underneath it. The deposit that holds your date may not come back if you change your mind (ours is non-refundable), so the time to learn how a company works is before you pay it.

Whether you are planning a backyard graduation, a company picnic, a school fundraiser or a wedding, the nine questions below will help you compare companies. For each one, we have included how we answer it at Dreamers Event Rentals.

How to Choose a Tent Rental Company: The Short Answer

Ask every company you are considering the same nine questions, in roughly this order, and compare the answers side by side:

1. Are you insured?
2. How long have you been installing tents?
3. Does your own crew install the tent, and is installation included?
4. Can this tent go on my surface, and how much room does it need?
5. Will you come look at the site?
6. What happens if it rains, the wind picks up or a storm rolls in?
7. Who is responsible for the permit?
8. What does booking lock in, and what can I change later?
9. What happens if something gets damaged?

If a company is still vague after you ask twice, it is unlikely to be any clearer on event day.

Questions 1 and 2: Insurance and Experience

1. Are You Insured?

Ask this one first. You are inviting a crew onto your property to put up a structure that people will stand under, so you want to know the company carries its own coverage before anything goes up. Dreamers Event Rentals carries general liability insurance.

It is also worth confirming that the business is properly registered, which in Maryland you can do by looking the company up by name in the state’s Business Entity Search.

2. How Long Have You Been Installing Tents?

Experience shows up in the details, like how a crew handles a sloped yard, a tight driveway or a forecast that changes the night before. Ask how long the company has been in business, and ask to see photos of real installs of the tent size and style you want rather than catalog pictures. Reviews that talk about setup day help too.

We have been in business since 2011, and our customers have left more than 200 reviews. It also helps to know that the American Rental Association runs a Safe Tenting Standard, a program of training and certifications for tent crews, so asking how a company trains its installers is a fair question.

Question 3: Who Actually Installs the Tent?

Ask whether the company’s own crew installs the tent or whether you are expected to put it up yourself, because a tent that goes up wrong is not a small problem.

At Dreamers, our professional crew installs every tent, and installation is included. For safety reasons, customers cannot install our tents themselves. Table and chair setup costs extra unless it is arranged ahead of time, and we break down exactly what the crew does in Does Tent Rental Include Setup?

Also ask when the crew will arrive. We usually schedule delivery one to three days before your event and give you an estimated arrival window. You or someone you trust should be there to accept the order, because otherwise it is accepted as it was left.

Questions 4 and 5: Will the Tent Work on Your Ground?

4. Can This Tent Go on My Surface, and How Much Room Does It Need?

This is where a knowledgeable company earns its keep, because tent styles are not interchangeable. A pole tent is held up by center poles and has to be staked into grass or dirt, so it cannot go on concrete. A frame tent stands on its own metal frame, so it can go on grass with stakes or on a driveway or parking lot held down by concrete blocks.

A tent also needs more room than its size suggests. We generally need 5 to 10 feet of clear space around the edge of a tent for stakes or weights, so our 20 x 20 high peak frame tent covers 400 square feet but needs an area of roughly 25 x 25 feet to install. A company that quotes a tent without asking what it is going on has skipped a step.

For a pole tent, you must also call Miss Utility to have underground lines marked before any stakes go in. Our pole tent vs. frame tent guide walks through which style suits which kind of property.

5. Will You Come Look at the Site?

Photos and phone measurements go a long way, but a sloped lawn, trees near the edge of the tent, a curb or a spot that is hard to reach can all change the plan. Ask whether the company does site inspections. We can come to your location and measure for the tent.

While you are talking, ask what size tent the company recommends for your guest count and why. Our 20 x 20 frame tent seats 32 guests at round tables or 48 at rectangle tables and holds 40 to 60 people standing, and a good company can explain its numbers that clearly. To check the math yourself, see our guide to sizing a tent for an event.

Questions 6 and 7: The Weather Plan and the Permit

6. What Happens If It Rains, Gets Windy or Storms?

Every outdoor event in Maryland needs a weather plan, and the rental company’s policy is a big part of yours. Before you book, ask whether you get a refund if it rains, whether you can add sidewalls at the last minute and at what point guests have to leave the tent.

Here is how we answer. We do not offer refunds for rain unless we decide it is unsafe to install, and if the forecast turns, call us right away so we can add walls if they are available. We also have two firm safety rules: if there is lightning, everyone leaves the tent immediately, and if winds go above 38 mph, the tent must be evacuated.

That lightning rule lines up with the National Weather Service, which warns that there is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area. A tent keeps the rain off your guests, but it is not shelter from a storm.

7. Who Is Responsible for the Permit?

Whether you need a permit depends on your county and the size of your tent, so ask the company directly who handles it. We can help guide you through the process, but the permit is often the customer’s responsibility, so find out when you book.

For a park event, we deliver when the park allows it and you have a permit in hand. For a county by county look at the rules, read Do You Need a Permit to Put Up a Tent in Maryland?

Questions 8 and 9: What Is in Writing Before You Pay

8. What Does Booking Lock In, and What Can I Change Later?

A quote is a proposal and does not reserve anything. Your date and your equipment are only held once you book, so ask each company exactly what booking involves.

With us, booking means signing our rental agreement, paying a non-refundable deposit and keeping a valid credit card on file, and the balance is generally due 10 days before the event. Then ask what happens if your plans change. We can add items at any time if they are available. If you reduce your tent size after booking, though, you may still be liable for the larger tent you reserved.

9. What Happens If Something Gets Damaged?

Accidents happen at parties, so ask whether the company offers a damage waiver and what it covers. Ours is optional and covers accidental breakage or damage during normal use, but not negligence, theft, loss or damage from rain or snow exposure. If you decline the waiver, you are fully responsible for the cost of any damage.

Protecting tables and chairs from rain is a simple way to avoid water damage fees. Whatever company you choose, read the rental agreement before you sign and check that it matches what you were told.

How to Choose a Tent Rental Company When Quotes Look Alike

Once two or three companies have answered the questions above, their quotes can still look similar, so compare what each one actually includes line by line. These are the things that move the number:

• Tent size and style. When your site allows stakes, a pole tent is often the more cost effective style.
• Your surface. A driveway or parking lot needs concrete blocks instead of stakes.
• Delivery. The cost depends on distance, order size and site access, and stairs may add fees.
• Timing. Weekend delivery is available with us for an additional cost.
• Add-ons. Sidewalls, lighting, heaters, fans and flooring are all listed with our tent accessories.
• Setup of everything else. Table and chair setup is extra unless it is arranged.

Then weigh what a quote cannot show you: how quickly each company got back to you, whether it asked about your site before pricing it and whether its answers matched the agreement. We deliver within about 50 miles of Reisterstown, and further for larger events on request. We can also build a 3D layout of your event before the crew arrives.

For timing, see our guide on how far in advance to book a tent rental in Maryland, or browse every style on our tent inventory page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the tent rental company properly insured?

Always ask, because a reputable company will answer plainly. Dreamers Event Rentals carries general liability insurance, and it is worth checking that any company you hire is a registered Maryland business before you pay a deposit.

How far in advance should I book a tent rental?

Book as soon as your date and rough guest count are set, because a quote does not hold anything and equipment is only reserved once you book. Last minute bookings are possible, subject to availability, but your choice of tents may be limited.

What are your cancellation and weather policies?

Ask every company to explain both before you book, and look for them in the rental agreement. Our deposit is non-refundable, and we do not offer refunds for rain unless we decide it is unsafe to install. Lightning means everyone leaves the tent immediately, and winds above 38 mph mean the tent must be evacuated.

Will the tent rental company pull my permit?

Not always, so ask before you book. Whether you need a permit depends on your county and the size of your tent, and while we can help guide you, the permit is often the customer’s responsibility. For a public park, the park has to allow the event and you need a permit before we can deliver.

The right tent rental company is the one that answers these questions clearly the first time you ask. Take this list with you when you call around, and compare the answers, not just the quotes.