Typically, formwork suppliers offer a standard approach to equipment rental:
– You send them your specifications or drawings;
– The supplier calculates the appropriate equipment package and issues an invoice;
– Then, within 2–3 days, the supplier assembles the equipment at the warehouse;
– you arrange equipment transport to deliver the equipment from the warehouse to the site;
– you come and pick up the formwork yourself or through an authorized representative;
– after use on the construction site, you perform formwork cleaning in accordance with the supplier’s criteria;
after that, you arrange for the equipment return to the lessor’s warehouse, having previously agreed on the date and time of return.
Rental charges apply for the entire period—from the moment the formwork leaves the lessor’s warehouse until it is returned to the warehouse (sometimes minus one day for equipment transportation).
Why doesn’t traditional formwork rental always work well?
Under the traditional approach, you are responsible for any risks that could lead to an increase in rent.
For example, if you don’t have your own transportation, you may run into difficulties arranging Logistics and end up returning the equipment 1–2 days later than scheduled. Also, if you are unable to return the equipment to the lessor’s warehouse by the agreed-upon time (say, Thursday afternoon), the next pickup may not be available until several days later (Monday morning). Rental fees will also be charged for the additional days.
Another risk contributing to a significant increase in costs is inadequate formwork cleaning according to the lessor’s standards. In such cases, official formwork manufacturers may charge an additional formwork cleaning fee equivalent to 30–40 days of rent (even for a rental period of 14 days).
Clients who face such a significant increase in the final cost usually no longer want to deal with renting and prefer to buy. But in most cases, renting formwork is significantly more cost-effective and practical than buying—so how can this problem be solved?
At Budhub, we have developed a unique, comprehensive, and transparent approach that allows you to enjoy all the benefits of renting while avoiding unnecessary risks and costs.
What is a turnkey formwork rental service?
With our comprehensive approach, we assume all risks associated with additional costs and provide a transparent proposal for formwork rental. This includes:
1. The actual rental of construction equipment (approximately 90% of the budget). Budhub rents out not only formwork but also construction plywood. This helps significantly reduce construction costs for small projects, such as commercial spaces or logistics centers with an area of up to 1,500 m² or single-family homes.
2. Drawings. Formwork from different manufacturers varies in standard dimensions, components, and formwork assembly methods. Official manufacturers provide drawings and formwork layout plans, but if you’re looking for more affordable options and renting formwork from smaller operators, you won’t always receive these drawings.
We always calculate and provide tenants with the most optimal formwork layout, which often simplifies the formwork assembly process and reduces the time required.
3. Logistics (5–7% of the estimate). We handle all logistics for the duration of the formwork rental, ensuring that the equipment is delivered to the site on time and returned promptly. Rental charges stop once you have finished using the formwork and notify us that you are ready for the equipment return.
This way, you don’t have to waste time looking for transportation or arranging delivery, and you avoid the risk of being charged for additional rental days due to late return.
4. Consumables (1–2% of the budget). These include plywood, form release agent, clamps, ties, tubes, and cones. The cost of consumables accounts for a very small portion of the overall construction budget, but having them in the right quantities is critically important.
We provide all consumables, including make-up plywood, with a 10–20% surplus over the theoretically required amount. This way, if there is an overuse of materials during construction (which often happens), there will definitely be enough to complete the pour. In this case, the tenant avoids construction downtime and, again, the accrual of additional rental days.
If you haven’t used all of the consumables, you can return them at the purchase price without any additional rental charges.
5. Equipment cleaning. As we mentioned earlier, cleaning equipment after a rental often leads to a significant increase in costs. By taking a comprehensive approach to rentals, we provide our clients with a transparent estimate of the cleaning costs in advance.
For example, if you plan to rent formwork for 1–2 months, we can immediately calculate the cost of formwork cleaning, which in this case would amount to 5–7 days’ worth of rental fees.
In this case, you won’t need to set aside a separate area on-site for formwork cleaning, bring in construction equipment to lift and rotate the formwork, purchase tools, pay workers to perform the formwork cleaning, or cover additional rental days. Once the work is complete, you simply notify us that the equipment is ready for equipment return and pay the pre-agreed formwork cleaning fee.
When should you choose a comprehensive lease, and when should you choose a standard lease?
A comprehensive rental package is a good option if you are a construction client, have a limited budget, work directly with construction crews rather than construction companies, and plan to rent equipment without intermediaries. In this case, with a turnkey formwork rental, you can immediately calculate the total final cost of renting the formwork, including logistics, consumables, and formwork cleaning.
A standard rental agreement may be a good option for construction companies that have enough support staff on-site to clean the equipment on a regular basis. If you need to hire additional staff for cleaning, there is a risk that the rental period will be extended and the cost will increase.
Another situation where a traditional lease can be advantageous is for short-term equipment rentals, provided that the construction workers handling the formwork are highly skilled. A high level of skill means that the workers have experience in formwork cleaning. In addition, the site must have a water supply and high-pressure water equipment available, which allows for continuous cleaning of the formwork immediately after each pour. In other words, you can be sure that the workers will be able to clean the formwork within one day after the last pour.
Looking for formwork?
Budhub offers a comprehensive approach to formwork rental, allowing you to estimate the total rental cost and save time on logistics and formwork cleaning. We always have horizontal and vertical formwork systems from manufacturers such as Peri, Doka, Ulma, and Variant in stock, as well as film faced plywood and other related materials.
For a free consultation, please call +380 98 800 22 88
