Profiting from restoration seminar at the Canadian Rental Mart

Mar. 10, 2010 – The Canadian Rental Mart seminar series continued today with “Profiting from the Restoration Market”, presented by Mark Wierda, rental account manager with Dri-Eaz Products.

The seminar focused on the capabilities of a number of different types of equipment that can be used in drying out homes and other buildings that have suffered flood damage, and how to increase profitability when renting them, especially when it comes to private home owners.

Traditionally, restoration is accomplished in a disruptive manner. Less equipment is rented for this, meaning less revenue for your store. “Non-destructive drying is very big right now. We use an aggressive method of drying, which requires more equipment, and therefore more revenue to the rental operator,” said Wierda.

Part of the restoration process is to rent the extractors to pull the water out. The industry standard is one air mover for 50 to 60 square feet of effected area. These can quickly add up, once again meaning more revenue. 

As Mark Wierda pointed out during his presentation, there are three essential components involved: humidity, air flow, and temperature. These three components will create a balanced drying scenario.

“It isn’t just about removing visible water from the room. That’s just the first stage,” said Wierda. “You’ve got to have heat as well, so that water stuck in the carpet, or that’s migrated into the walls, can evaporate. Once you’ve got the moisture in the air, you can start taking it out with dehumidifiers. Your customer could turn up the heat in the entire house, but that’s wasteful. Instead, you’ve got a perfect opportunity to rent them a heater as well.”

One of the fastest growing product lines is air filtration equipment. It helps to protect occupants and staff working on a restoration project.

Wierda also encouraged rental operators to charge filter fees. A filter can typically be used on a few small projects before needing replacement. By charging a small upfront filter fee, rental operators can at least recoup the cost of the filter.

“Don’t be afraid to charge your customers this,” he said. “It’s a cost to you, so there’s no reason not to pass it on.”