Holiday Celebrations

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Party & Events.

Well the season is upon us, and what with everything one has to do, planning an event or family get together, whether large or small, can be stressful.  Think of renting what you need this year…here are some suggestions for how renting can make your party one everyone can enjoy….the host or hostess included!

We have color.  Linens in Christmas Reds and Festive Greens, Hannukah Blues, and Celebratory season shades.  Go beyond plain, and add a table runner, plaid cloth, festive sparkles or satins to really make your event table shine.  Please remember that not every color is in stock here in every size, but with at least a week’s notice we can have them there for you from our east coast warehouse.

Glasses come in every shape and size, and we have them for rental.  Even specialty punches, nogs and coffees!  And don’t forget the Champagne Flutes to toast in the New Year!

Why worry about your good china…..or try to mix and match to get the right number?  Same with flatware?  We’ve got options for each, and it all comes sterilized and ready for your use.

Oh, and tables in all sizes, chairs, and everything you need to serve from bowls and trays to chafers and utensils and punch bowls and, well, you name it!  Coffeemakers, CHOCOLATE FOUNTAINS!! Champagne fountains….the list goes on and on.

Brrrrr….. Winter Emergencies! Winter Projects!

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Tools & Equipment.

It feels like winter is moving in to our hills, so here we go again.  Power goes out…..we’ve got generators!  Pipes freeze?  We’ve got the coolest tool ever, the electric pipe thawer!  Betcha didn’t know they made those?!  Large buildings or construction projects may need extra heat (check…) and we’ve got the propane to fire those burners.

Winter also makes us move inside to projects we put off all summer.  Flooring to sand ….. we’ve got the right tools, and if you mention you read this here, we’ll give you an additional 20% off the rental cost to boot on all floor sanders!  We carry all the supplies for floor sanding projects….paper, top quality urethanes, dust masks, applicators, you name it.

Tiles to lay?   Don’t forget our wet tile saws INCLUDE rental on the diamond blade at no additional charge.  We have saws that will do up to a 24” cut!

Don’t forget  cleaning and buffing….. carpet cleaners, upholstery cleaners, and

Few people know about our exciting smaller sized floor cleaner.   It’s the perfect tool for getting into floor grout and textured tiles and really getting the job done right.  It does it all, scrubs, and vacs, and leaves your floor looking new.  So clean up and shine up…..we can help.

Oh, and wall paper steamers to make a nasty job go easier.

Congratulations

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Party & Events.

Congratulations to 2 of our staff!  Stephen Houk, our Assistant Manager has just earned his C.E.R.P. (Certified Event Rental Professional) Designation from the American Rental Association.  This program is designed for rental professionals to increase their knowledge set on various specialty areas within the field of party rentals.  Only a handful of candidates earn this distinction each year which includes not only course work, but active involvement in state and national American Rental Association programs and leadership roles.  Steve has served as our Connecticut State Association President, and has three times been selected to attend the National Legislative Caucus in Washington DC, and served on the National Legislative Board for the ARA, its youngest member ever.  Quite an accomplishment for a young professional!

Timothy Houk, a recent Wamogo High School Graduate, was one of 15 National Scholarship winners from the American Rental Association Foundation’s annual scholarship program.  Tim will use his award to continue his business and natural resources education this fall.  Tim has literally grown up at Expert Rental.  Some people might remember Tim as the little baby running around the store 17 yeasr ago.  Now he’s helping customers, setting tents, and repairing equipment with the best of them.  Congratulations to him.

Summer Musings

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Tools & Equipment.

All winter we sit at home and think about what we’ll do when the weather gets nicer.  Well here we are, its summer….just a few suggestions for you!

–Roofing nailers, Ladder Lifts for getting the roof repairs done before the white stuff re-appears.

–Airless Paint Sprayers to knock off those big barn or house painting jobs.

–Pressure Washers to clean the house, prep for painting, or clean up the deck.

–Deck Sanders to remove old paint or get rid of those nasty splinters.

-Both extended reach and regular Hedge Trimmers and Chain Saws to tame those unruly bushes and trees,  and Wood Chippers to turn your trimmings into beneficial chips.

–Ladders and Scaffolding to reach those high places.

And a BIG party to celebrate when you’re done making the place look amazing.

Take a stroll through our website and discover the many ways we can work with you to make your project ideas a reality,  And Thank you for choosing Taylor as your rental source.  We’re here to serve you every day of the week (but only ‘till noon on Sunday) with professional tools and handy advice.  We’ve been doing it since 1968 here in our hills.

Welcome Spring! It’s finally here!

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Tools & Equipment.

Welcome Spring!  We are so happy to see you we can’t stand it!  I think this year I’ll even be happy to have spring allergies!  That’s just how glad I am.  This blog is about all the ways we can help you create the yard you’ve always dreamed of!

My yard looks like aliens have attacked.  Crop circles of winter killed grass, plow “stuff”is all over the lawn along the road, tree damage needs attention, my deck needs cleaning and sanding, I’ve got mold on the roof, the pool needs cleaning….AHHHHH!!!!  But wait!  There’s a tool for every job,  and its waiting for you at Expert Rental.  Here’s a quick list.  What do you need?

 -Tractor with York Rake to grade my driveway (or put down new stone?).  Check out of line of Kuboda tractors!

We’ve got Ride on Static Rollers, Tow Behind and push Lawn Rollers to flatten those yard frost heaves.

–Compactor to re-level the brick walks and patio, or to set that new stone in the driveway.

Oh, the Lawn!  What do we do with that?

–Areator to open the soil to allow nutrients to go through the soil.

–Thatcher (some call it a de-thatcher, which is in fact what it does…remove that  dead          grass buildup)  That’ll clean it up and let the good grass grow!

–Power Brooms Which both groom the lawn, and the big walk behind units which by default remove much of the thatch as well.  The lawn will thank you.

–Overseeders to cut slits in the soil and drops in seed, foiling the birds, and giving the seed good ground contact to ensure germination.

–Rear tillers To remove the really bad sections of lawn and start anew…. Or

–Sod Cutters To remove the old sod, roots and all to renew, or create a grass free garden.

Oh My!  What a lot of options!

–Pressure Washers will be very busy cleaning off the remains of winter, sprucing up the deck and house…..and don’t forget, try a square buff sander on that deck when you are done to prep for painting or re-sealing with a clean surface.  We’ve got pumps of all sizes to remove water from your pool cover (or basement if it pours.  Yikes!).

These are just a few of the many options to consider when sitting on the patio during these early spring days.  Let us help get your yard and home into shape for a summer of fun!

Ok, Sadly, the groundhog was right.

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Party & Events, Tools & Equipment.

Okay, sadly the groundhog was right.  Six very long weeks from Feb 2 brings us to March 16.  Winter’s grip will be loosening soon.  It’s time to start thinking spring in a big way!  I’m starting my tomato seeds on the 16th.  That will be my celebration of what is to come.  I’m also starting to get together a to-do list for spring chores, fixing winter damage to trees and lawns,  roofs and siding.  So here we go….

I’m ready for the outdoors!  After our long Northwest CT winter, We’ll be power brooming or thatching the yard, overseeding and fertailizing to get the lawn off to a good start.  We’ve been prepping our spring tools in anticipation of your needs.  Thatcher tines and overseeder blades are replaced, power brooms are ready to fly.  Tree Damage?  Shrubs took a beating?  We’ve got gas or electric hedge trimmers, pole and chain saws, even extended trimmers and saws to help you clean out the damaged branches and let them fill out properly.  My windows need a really good washing…. how about yours?  We’ve got ladders of all types and scaffolding to help you reach them. Pressure Washers and deck sanders will be getting busy, prepping your outdoor living space for summer entertaining.  And if the winter was tough on your roof, we rent ladder lifts to get the shingles up there, roofing nailers to speed the job, and magnetic brooms to help find errant nails after the job is done.  And of course, there are gardens to till.  Check out our top quality line of tillers….we think you’ll be impressed!

And looking ahead to summer, don’t forget to reserve your graduation and wedding rentals early!  Memorial Day is May 26….That first big party weekend to kick the season off is always busy here!  We rent tents for every budget, tables and chairs, bounce castles, grills and pig roasters…. everything you need to celebrate!  Reservations are always suggested. 
 

I’m planning on celebrating spring.  How about you?

 

The Path to Project Success

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Party & Events, Tools & Equipment.

The path to success with any venture is good planning.  I love to finger through garden catalogs all winter, dreaming and planning my next season’s garden will feature, what new bulbs or veggies to plant, and set my soul into the warmer days to come.  I know that with good planning, when the time comes to plant, I will have everything ready to go, tools in hand, and my garden days will be enjoyable ones.  So is it with event or project planning.

Lets talk events.  Weddings, Graduations, Family Reunions, Corporate or Non-Profit Celebrations and Fund Raisers.  The level of planning and preparation put into these events, large or small, directly correlates to beoth the event’s success and your ability to enjoy the day as well.  We understand these may be stressful moments for everyone.  Who has 150 or more people to their home on a regular basis?  How to you make a dream wedding a reality?  Please allow our years of event rental experience to help guide you through the process.  We can recommend caterers and event professionals of all kinds.  We can help with your site selection process.  And most importantly, we offer everything you need from a high end wedding to backyard celebration to make your event a reality within your budget.  We invite you to browse our website for ideas, or come in and chat with one of our event representatives to help you get your planning started.   We have a showroom worth of ideas, and someone is here every day to give  personal attention to your needs.

And projects?  We have staff with experience in construction, floor installation, carpentry, home maintenance, plumbing….. come pick our brains!  Not only have all of our staffers had field experience in these areas, but we listen well.  We can add the experiences of 25 years worth of customer rentals and projects, and have stocked our showroom with tools that are rental proven, and ready for the weekend warrior as well as the professional contractor.  Please, just ask.  We are here to help.

Planning A Party?

Posted by & filed under Idea Center, Party & Events.

So Much to do!  So Little Time!  How can we help????

PLAN….PLAN….PLAN!  Lists are King!  Don’t be surprised by last moment chaos…. we are here to help you avoid all that!  We love “do-it-yourself” parties because they give you the chance to make an event your own.  It’s not as hard as you might think, if you give it proper planning.  Make your next event fun and different.  Here are some things to consider. 

Use a multi media projector to show old music videos from You-Tube on the wall.  Dance along with the best!   We’ve also got Karaoke to entertain!  There’s a wide range of CD’s to rent with sing along graphics for country fans, oldie lovers, “teen” songs, kids of all ages!

Rent a coat rack and avoid the coat jumble!  Don’t forget, we also have BIG golf umbrellas to help get guests between car and party location and avoid the drips!

Rent some extra ice chests or super coolers to keep your drinks COLD!

Don’t for get extra ice!

We have everything you need to serve and clear…..extra bowls, serving utensils, trays, bus stands, platters.  Try writing out a list of what you are going to use to serve and display your food as you plan your event, then call us to supplement what you have!

 NEVER plug the coffeemaker into a circuit where anything else is running.  These power hogs will get warm, but your coffee will never perk.

Elevate your serving dishes at various heights to create interest on the buffet.  And don’t forget, we also rent tables that can “stack” to do the same thing!  Try a 48” round with a 30” topper, a 72” half circle with a smaller topper, a 6’ table with a 9” raised topper.   They make great hors d’oeurve, candy, snack or dessert stations, salad bars, or smorgasbords!

Don’t forget the great music!  We rent PA systems with CD players, microphones and best of all, hooks ups for I-POD or laptop connections to your greatest tunes!  The speakers are made by Fender, so you know the quality is kickin’ good!

Color Rules!  Check our website for all the lastest colors, and go wild!  Lime and Raspberry?  Earth Tones?  Hot colors!  Red/ White / Blue?  Sparkles, Checks and more.  You can add so much to the look and style with smart choices.

Who doesn’t love Cotton Candy?  Movie Popcorn?  Nachos?  Sno-Kones?  We got ‘em!

Oh, and Chocolate!  Rent a chocolate fountain and dip dip dip!  Fruit, cake, pretzels, marshmallows, go Crazy!

Who doesn’t like BBQ?  We’ve got grills and roasteries to meet high demand, great taste cooking needs!  Don’t depend on Uncle Bob to bring his…..

And fryolators in 2 sizes, Turkey Roasters, Clam Steamers, Lobster Cookers.  I’m getting hungry just thinking about this!

What are you going to do with those kids (of all ages!).  Bounce houses, horseshoes, volleyball, movies with a multimedia projector, even KARAOKE!  Yup, we rent that!

And the practical blogger kicks in at the end.  Tables, Chairs, Tents that we set, and tents that you can do yourself.  Why depend on borrowing from friends, the fire house, or church?  Our reservations are dependable, the price is by the event, not the day, and here’s the best part……

Come and get it, use it, return it.  We do the maintenance, stock the supplies, and store it till you need it!  And that’s the beauty of rental.