How Much Does it Cost to Rent Event Fence?

When budgeting for a live in-person event, one of your line items is likely to be temporary fence rental. In fact, depending on the size and duration of your special event, temporary fencing could represent a significant cost. That’s why it is critical to understand the cost to rent event fence.

Unsurprisingly, “how much does it cost to rent event fence?” is a question we hear a lot at Modu-Loc. The answer isn’t necessarily as simple as you might think. There are a number of factors that impact how temporary fence suppliers set their rates. They include everything from event duration to complexity to simple supply and demand.

The cost to rent fence for an event will also differ from region to region, as standard rates are different in each market. So event fence rental pricing in Calgary won’t be the same as the going rate in Toronto.

What Are the Costs Involved in Renting Event Fence?

Though quotes will differ from one festival to the next, there are a few key elements that make up every event fence rental estimate. Generally, you will see a charge for getting the fence, returning the fence, and (of course) the rental. Although some suppliers may charge per fence panel, rental rates for temporary fence are usually billed per linear foot. At Modu-Loc, all three of these factors – getting the fence, returning the fence, and the rental – are combined into a flat event rate charged per linear foot of rental fence.

The base rental rate for temporary event fencing can be affected several different factors. These include geographic location, project size and duration, and even the time of year.

Beyond these key components, there are a number of other variables that can influence your event fence rental rate.

What Other Factors Influence an Event Fence Rental Quote?

We know as well as you do that every event is unique. This means that calculating an average cost for event fence rental is both difficult and, ultimately, not very representative of most events. It can be more helpful to understand what goes into determining the fence rental cost. Figure out which of these factors apply to you to get an idea of how a temporary fence supplier might price your event.

Let’s break those factors down into four key categories:

• Scale
• Complexity
• Schedule
• Service Level

How Does the Scale of My Event Affect Fence Rental Pricing?

The scale of your event could refer to the size of your event site, or the expected number of attendees. When it comes to temporary fencing, your supplier is concerned with two things: how much fence will your event require, and how many venues are involved?

Amount of Fence Required

How much fence is required may or may not affect pricing. It simply comes down to availability of inventory, and supply and demand. All temporary fence suppliers are trying to strike the fine balance between having no fence in reserve, and having too much fence sitting in the yard.

If your event needs a large amount of fence and the supplier can easily provide it, you may enjoy a discounted rate. However, few suppliers have enough inventory to accommodate very large events. They may need to purchase or re-rent fence to cover your order, and that cost is passed on to you.

Number of Event Venues

The number of venues involved in your event has a simpler relationship with the rental cost. It is much easier to coordinate installation at a single location than it is to dispatch crews to a number of venues scattered throughout the city. The logistics and resources involved in setting up fence at multiple venues will likely result in a higher rental cost.

How Does the Complexity of My Event Affect Fence Rental Pricing?

Advanced Systems and Custom Configurations

Along with the service level, the complexity of the fence configuration will likely have the biggest impact on cost. A complicated install with multiple products and custom configurations will demand more resources and likely require a higher investment.

For instance, any site containment solutions involving concrete blocks or barriers will require a forklift on site. That means additional coordination and some special transportation requirements, both for the concrete products and the forklift if one isn’t available on site. These products may also require an installer with specialized training or certification.

Aside from that, an event site with multiple fencing requirements – for instance, perimeter fencing, storage compounds, and queues – will take more time to install. Your temporary fence supplier needs to account for the amount of time their crew will spend on your site.

Event Programming and Fence Relocation

Finally, complexity can also refer to your event programming and how it affects your fence requirements throughout the duration of your event.

As an example, we have one client who organizes a two week-long festival annually. This festival offers free programming during the week, and paid events on the weekend. Our crews reconfigure the temporary fence at the end of each work week to ensure that weekend access is only granted to ticketholders. Although this isn’t a requirement of every event, this kind of dedicated white-glove service does carry a higher cost.

How Does My Event Schedule Affect Fence Rental Pricing?

Duration of Event

There are a few ways that the schedule of your festival or event influences temporary fence pricing. The most obvious factor is the duration of your event.

Live in-person events tend to be short, with some only running for a weekend or even just one day. Of course, the longer your rental term, the more you pay in rent. At Modu-Loc, we charge extended event rental in 7-day increments.

Installation Schedule

Beyond the event duration, your set-up schedule can affect the cost of your temporary event fencing in a few ways.

First of all, when do you require installation? Although events often take place over the weekend, it’s ideal if installation can be scheduled during the work week. That’s because your fence rental provider may add a surcharge for work that takes place outside of regular business hours – for instance, during evenings or weekends and on holidays.

At Modu-Loc, we’re committed to taking care of our people and compensating them fairly for giving up their personal time. For this reason, jobs that require odd hours may be subject to additional surcharges.

Secondly, how much time is available to set up the event fence? If you have a large amount of fencing to install but a short time frame in which to do it, your supplier may need to bring in extra crews to meet your deadline. After all, many hands make light work! However, additional crews will carry an additional cost – so if you can allocate more time to set-up, it may benefit your budget.

That being said, you can have too much of a good thing. Your temporary fence supplier will likely build the cost of the installation crew’s time into your rental rate, so it’s in your best interest for set-up to be as efficient as possible. This means coordinating the schedules of all your overlay vendors to prevent wasted time.

For instance, if your temporary fence installers can’t safely work around the stage while it’s being set up, schedule them to arrive on site after the stage is complete or have them start in another area. Otherwise, your fence crew will spend more time on site than necessary – on your dime.

How Does the Service Level Affect Fence Rental Pricing for My Event?

At Modu-Loc, we offer three distinct levels of service for temporary fence rental jobs:

1. Full-service delivery, installation and removal. The most common level of service for events, full-service rentals include delivery of the fence to site, as well as professional installation and removal at the end of the event.
2. Drop service and pick-up. Some clients prefer to install the fence themselves to save the installation costs. They may still opt to have the temporary fence delivered to site and then picked up once the event is finished.
3. Yard pick-up and return. For those looking to further minimize the cost to rent event fence, a yard pick-up is their best option. This involves the client using their own vehicle to pick up the temporary fence from their nearest Modu-Loc depot, and installing it themselves. This is not the most viable option for very large quantities of fence, but can be an economical solution for small events – especially private functions like parties or weddings.

The level of service you require will directly impact your event fence rental rate, as handling charges are typically built into your total rental cost. Of course, full service is the most expensive option.

While these three options encompass the majority of our non-event jobs, special events sometimes require additional services. Large-scale, high-profile events are especially likely to need more support from their temporary fence supplier, both before and during the event.

Extended Support

Modu-Loc is an expert in supplying temporary fencing to large special events and festivals. Many of our clients rely on our expertise during the event planning phase to ensure the fence allows for proper ingress, egress, and overall crowd control. They may also require us to work directly with local authorities, such as the city or fire and police departments, for emergency planning.

In these cases, there is more to the event fencing than a simple installation and rental arrangement. Understandably, that level of involvement comes with a higher cost – one that many event professionals find worthwhile.

Longer-term events, like some major music festivals, also call for ongoing support during the event. This could come in the form of a dedicated on-call team. This crew would be available on stand-by in case there is any urgent need for fence relocation or adjustment, whether planned or unexpected.

In rare cases, we have had fence crews live on site for days or even weeks at a time. This is typically only necessary if ongoing support is needed for a remote event site. Of course, the cost of crew accommodations and other living expenses will be captured in the fence rental quote.

What Other Charges Should I Look Out For?

At Modu-Loc, we pride ourselves on being honest and up-front about our rental charges and associated fees. Modu-Loc has a reputation for offering transparent billing, with no hidden charges. Not all temporary fence suppliers are as open about their billing practices, so here are some other charges to consider when budgeting for temporary fence.

Minimum Charges

Some customers only require a small amount of fence. At very low volumes, we may not recoup the cost of sending a crew if using our standard per-foot delivery and install charges. So if a customer with a small order requires delivery or installation, they may be subject to minimum charges.

The best way to avoid minimum charges is to do a yard pick-up and return. Modu-Loc offers pickup panels, which means that yard pick-up is an option even for customers who don’t have a large delivery vehicle.

Damaged or Missing Product Charges

Just about every temporary fence supplier will charge a customer who has lost or damaged product on rent. Modu-Loc’s standard terms and conditions plainly indicate these charges. If a supplier does not mention damaged or missing product charges up front, it’s a good idea to ask how they handle those scenarios. You should also note any damaged product upon delivery, so that you’re not held responsible for damage you didn’t cause.

Fuel Surcharge

The fuel surcharge has become a standard charge in the equipment rental and delivery industry. It covers the fluctuating cost of fuel, and is based on current fuel prices. At Modu-Loc, the fuel surcharge covers both the initial delivery and the return trip for the removal. This applies for both full-service delivery and install, and drop service.

So How Much Does it Cost to Rent Temporary Event Fence?

Now that you understand what goes into the cost to rent event fence, you can see why rental prices appear to be all over the place. Where one supplier may include delivery or installation in their rental price, another may not.

Events are highly individual, with each organizer managing their own unique set of requirements and limitations. It’s important to ensure all of your requirements are captured when reviewing estimates to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison.

There are many different factors that influence pricing, including the distance of your event site from the supplier’s location, the complexity of the install, and the level of service required. When budgeting, it’s always best to reach out to a few suppliers in your area for proper quotes.

As the leading expert in temporary fencing for events and festivals, we’d be happy to provide you with a custom proposal. We offer a range of crowd control barriers, stage barricades, and other event fencing solutions. If you have unique requirements, or simply want specific pricing for your event, please contact us for a quote.