The Ultimate Event Construction Checklist
Construction and building maintenance are essential activities in the events and entertainment industry. From building sets and stages to ensuring clean and sanitary public conditions, construction and maintenance efforts are necessary for a successful event.
In order to deliver a high-quality and memorable event experience, organizers must consider several factors, including how to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for guests and workers alike. This ultimate event construction checklist will discuss what equipment is necessary for special events, including the top event construction rental equipment available at The Cat® Rental Store.
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About Construction in the Entertainment Industry
To properly manage an event, organizers need to consider several different factors to keep guests, performers and crew safe and healthy, and above all, enjoying the event itself. When large crowds are gathered, event organizers need the right protocols and equipment to monitor and maintain the venue, keep it in pristine condition and provide the necessary facilities and services that guests expect.
Some of the entertainment and event settings that require construction and maintenance equipment can include:
- Concert venues
- Amusement parks and carnivals
- Festival grounds
- Sports events, tournaments, races and athletic competitions
- Political, charitable or cause-driven rallies and events
At these types of venues, whether outdoors or indoors, organizers must consider factors like temperature control, accessibility, cleanliness, power generation and more to pull off a successful event. Having prior knowledge of the various applications and types of equipment necessary is critical to ensuring a positive experience for everyone involved.
Things to Consider in Entertainment Construction
When organizing an entertainment event, there are many different construction, maintenance and cleanup needs to take into account. In general, organizers need to consider the following categories of requirements for entertainment venues:
- Health, safety and sanitation
- Power generation
- Site cleanup and landscaping
- Lighting and audio mounting equipment
- Across-site transportation
- Material and personnel handling and moving
Below are the top things to consider in entertainment construction, cleanup and management.
Set and Stage Construction
When constructing film sets or event stages, it’s important to take proper planning and design steps. A properly designed set mitigates safety risks and improves the overall event quality. Consider the different audience angles that can determine visibility and whether any blind spots can impede the visual experience. Consider how elaborate the setting will be and how it will be accessed, whether through ramps or stairs.
To properly design and build a set or stage, you need the right materials and equipment, including:
- Plywood for stage flooring, platforms or walls
- Metal bracketing, braces or reinforcement panels
- Lumber for flat construction
- Power tools and a power supply
- Ladders, lifts or aerial platforms for constructing at heights
Set and stage construction can be difficult and dangerous without the right equipment. Getting the right tools for the job can increase productivity, protect safety and prevent costly rework.
Building Maintenance and Inspection
Whenever a large crowd of people is gathered, it’s crucial for ongoing maintenance and inspection to keep equipment functioning properly. Broken or malfunctioning equipment, facilities or sets can create physical safety hazards for attendees or crew members.
To be able to properly inspect and maintain equipment, crew members must have resources like reliable ladders, aerial lifts or utility trucks to carry in materials for repairs or replacements. In order to flag facilities or equipment that needs an inspection or repair, it’s important to have sufficient crew members available on-site so attendees can inform someone of any necessary maintenance needs.
Landscaping
With outdoor events and venues, proper landscaping is critical to the design appeal, safety and functionality of the event grounds. When preparing and planning for an outdoor event, organizers may need to undertake the following landscaping jobs:
- Clearing lots and removing vegetative overgrowth across the venue grounds and along the perimeter
- Grading and leveling ground before set, stage or ride construction
- Adding ground-covering material
- Digging holes for fence and signposts
Renting the right landscaping equipment and attachments can give you the tools to make your event grounds safe and presentable. Compact landscaping equipment and work tools improve productivity and maximize efficiency for a more profitable event.
Cleaning
After an event, there is a significant amount of cleanup to be done, so having the right plan in place ahead of time can make the process much more efficient. When planning for post-event cleanup, consider the following needs:
- Trash removal, including piling and moving trash and loading it onto trucks
- Utility trucks or trailers for hauling away collected trash
- Power-washing and scrubbing flooring, walls and other surfaces
- Tearing down and loading event materials, including barricades, tables and seating
Having the right equipment for waste management, trash hauling and floor care ahead of your event will ensure a smooth cleanup process afterward.
Sanitation
In order to hold a public event, there are certain health and sanitation protocols that must be followed according to local regulations. The most important consideration is having enough toilet facilities for attendees and crew members. Outdoor events require portable toilets, which call for ongoing janitorial servicing throughout the event.
To transport portable toilets to and from the event, your organizing team will also need access to a utility truck and trailer to safely haul the facilities. In many cases, it makes the most sense for organizers to rent these resources.
Power Generation and Backup Power
A significant consideration for event organizers to take into account for hosting a successful festival or concert is power generation and backup power sources. For outdoor events, it’s critical to have a portable power generator that can handle the electrical demands of the occasion. There is a range of generator sizes available, so it’s important to calculate your power needs before you rent a generator.
For indoor events, having a backup power supply is a good idea in case of a grid power outage or surge. Renting a backup power generator as a temporary power solution can help organizers make the event a success and prevent the risk of power loss.
11 Equipment Rentals for Entertainment Construction
To properly plan and execute an event, organizers need the right equipment. The amount of construction, maintenance, landscaping, cleaning and power generation equipment that’s required for a successful event means that organizers need a variety of solutions to accomplish everything on their event planning and construction checklist.
Equipment rentals are a convenient solution for event construction requirements. At The Cat Rental Store, we can meet all of your event construction equipment needs through our expansive dealer network. Renting allows you to acquire the necessary equipment for your event's specific time frame at an affordable rate. With high-quality, well-maintained Cat equipment rentals, you can be confident that anything you rent will perform as expected during the event.
Below are the top equipment rentals for entertainment construction and management.
1. Compact Loaders
Compact loaders are a versatile type of construction equipment useful in a variety of applications, including event construction. Compact loaders have a small footprint and are suitable for smaller event venues. They’re also easy and safe to operate, making them ideal for a short-term rental without the need for extensive operator training.
The most significant benefit of renting a compact loader for event construction is the range of attachments that can accomplish a variety of tasks. Some of the jobs you can tackle with a compact loader include:
- Lot clearing, mowing, brushcutting or grading for outdoor venues
- Moving and laying down ground-covering material like rock, soil or hay
- Clearing snow from parking lots or walkways
- Drilling holes for fence posts or sign supports
At The Cat Rental Store, you’ll find a variety of compact loader options, including skid steer, compact track and multi-terrain loaders, as well as a range of compatible work tool attachments. For larger outdoor event venues, you can choose larger machines such as wheel loaders and backhoe loaders.
2. Aerial Lifts
No matter the type of event, your team will need some kind of solution for safely reaching heights. Whether you need to change light bulbs or install audio and lighting equipment, an aerial lift is the safest and most convenient way to lift personnel and equipment to elevated locations.
At The Cat Rental Store, you’ll find a variety of aerial equipment solutions, including:
- Boom lifts: Safely place materials or workers at heights using a boom lift. Choose from an articulating or telescoping boom lift in a variety of sizes and configurations to meet your event needs.
- Material lifts: Safely and effectively raise event materials to heights using a versatile material lift rental. At The Cat Rental Store, you’ll find a variety of lift heights and load capacities so you can get the right material lift for your event construction plan.
- Scissor lifts: For an easy and dependable way to lift personnel and materials to heights during event construction, use a scissor lift rental from The Cat Rental Store. Scissor lifts are suitable for either indoor or outdoor use and provide a safe platform to reach heights of up to 43 feet.
Explore all aerial lift solutions available at The Cat Rental Store.
3. Material Handlers and Forklifts
When you need to lift, move, load and unload heavy event materials, you need the right equipment for the job. From moving chairs and tables to transporting large lighting and audio equipment, a variety of different material handlers can safely relocate large and bulky items efficiently.
Find material handlers at The Cat Rental Store, including:
- Forklifts: For a low-height material handling solution, choose a straight mast forklift. Forklifts are versatile and maneuverable material handlers suitable for either outdoor or indoor venues. Choose from a variety of capacities, lift heights and power sources.
- Telehandlers: Telehandlers are heavy-duty machines designed for outdoor use or indoor use in large venue settings. With their telescoping arms, telehandlers are able to reach heights at various angles to overcome ground-level obstructions. Large capacity telehandlers are also available for loads over 15,000 pounds.
View all material handling equipment available for rent at The Cat Rental Store.
4. Trucks and Utility Trailers
When considering what equipment is necessary for special events, there’s almost nothing more critical than a truck and trailer combination. When constructing event settings, setting up equipment and facilities, or cleaning up and hauling away waste, a truck and trailer are vital equipment solutions you need for efficiency and productivity.
At The Cat Rental Store, you’ll find the following truck and trailer solutions for rent:
- Dump trucks: Dump trucks are a versatile type of truck necessary for event construction, landscaping and other management needs. Dump trucks can bring in ground-covering material for an outdoor concert venue and haul away waste and landscape debris. From small to large dump trucks, you’ll find the solution you need at The Cat Rental Store.
- Utility trailers: For a convenient way to transport event construction and management materials, rely on a utility trailer rental. From hauling lumber to transporting portable toilets, a utility trailer is a necessity for event construction and management.
The experts at The Cat Rental Store location near you can assist if you need help choosing the right truck and utility trailer for your event.
5. Personnel Carts
Large events require a way to transport crew members or attendees across the venue. Personnel carts are one convenient solution for cross-venue transportation, and they are available at The Cat Rental Store near you.
Personnel carts can help with many event needs, including:
- Allowing security to travel quickly to the scene of an incident
- Transporting attendees in the event of a medical emergency
- Moving heavy materials during event construction
- Provide increased accessibility to older adults or people with disabilities
Personnel carts are an efficient and safe solution that can save your team time and minimize safety hazards. The Cat Rental Store has a variety of personnel cart rentals to choose from, ranging from units the size of golf carts to models with an 8,000-pound towing capacity.
6. Air Compressors
For efficient and productive event construction, you may need to use a variety of pneumatic tools or equipment solutions, such as a nail gun or a spray paint gun. To power these tools, you need a reliable air compressor rental. The Cat Rental Store can provide you with compressed air solutions as well as a range of pneumatic tools.
Here are some of the air-power solutions available for rent at The Cat Rental Store:
- Pneumatic tools: Tackle any event construction job with pneumatic tools from The Cat Rental Store. Pneumatic tools are ideal for constructing stages and set materials, as well as for various installation needs.
- Air compressors: Get all your compressed air supply needs from The Cat Rental Store. Choose from either portable air compressors or stationary air compressors to fit your event's demands. Air compressor rentals are available in a variety of air output and air pressure capacities.
Visit The Cat Rental Store near you to speak to a representative about your pneumatic tool and air compressor requirements.
7. Power Washers
When planning for an event, you need the right cleaning and maintenance tools to prepare the venue and tackle post-event cleanup efficiently. Power washers help you remove dirt, grime and dust from surfaces, including flooring, walls and other areas. They’re also ideal for efficient power-washing of rented portable toilets to help you clean the facilities in a sanitary and convenient way.
At The Cat Rental Store, you can find pressure washer solutions like:
- Cold-water pressure washers: Cold-water pressure washers from The Cat Rental Store are reliable cleaning solutions that will help you cover more surface area in less time. Find cold-water pressure washer rentals from trusted brands like Brendon, Dimaco, MI-T-M and Shark.
- Hot-water pressure washers: For extra help in sanitation, choose hot-water pressure washers that can remove dirt, grime and hazardous material quickly and effectively. Trust hot-water pressure washer rentals from The Cat Rental Store to deliver high performance that will save you time and effort in post-event cleanup.
Get help selecting the right pressure washer model for your event needs at The Cat Rental Store near you.
8. Floor Scrubbers
Cleaning up after an event can be a massive undertaking. Having the right tools for the job will maximize efficiency and productivity, leading to a cleaner venue faster. When selecting the right venue cleaning equipment for your event, be sure to include a floor scrubber rental. A well-cared-for floor is critical to the event experience and helps return the venue to proper condition afterward.
Maintain a neat and tidy indoor venue with floor scrubber rentals from The Cat Rental Store. Our floor scrubbers are ride-on models designed to maximize efficiency and cover more surface area in less time. Being self-propelled, these ride-on floor scrubbers employ technology that spins heavy-duty brushes and dispenses water and detergent to remove debris and leave a polished finish.
Whether cleaning indoor flooring or outdoor stage flooring, you can find the ideal ride-on floor scrubber from The Cat Rental Store.
9. Sanitation and Portable Toilets
When planning for event construction, maintenance and management, it’s critical to make sure you’ve thought of all the essentials for a successful outdoor concert, festival or sports tournament. Outdoor events have different considerations than indoor events, with the biggest difference being the lack of built-in facilities at many outdoor venue locations.
To deliver a high-quality experience and provide essential services to crew members and attendees, you need reliable portable toilet and sanitation facilities. For temporary porta-potty rentals, choose The Cat Rental Store. Our dealer network provides an extensive inventory of portable toilet rentals to choose from to ensure you have enough facilities to meet the needs of your event.
Portable toilets available at The Cat Rental Store include both towable and trailer-mounted units so you can easily transport the toilets to and from your event location.
10. Power Generators
Ensure you have a steady supply of sufficient power for your event with power generator rentals from The Cat Rental Store. Whether you need a primary power supply for outdoor events or a backup for indoor performances, The Cat Rental Store has you covered.
At your local Cat dealer, you’ll find power generator options with the following features:
- Various voltage output capacities to meet your power supply requirements
- Electrical power supply from either diesel or gas-powered generators
- Towable models with multiple hitch options to suit your truck
- DOT-approved trailers for safe and compliant towing
Talk to a representative at The Cat Rental Store for assistance calculating your power requirements and to get thorough setup training.
11. Light Towers
For outdoor events or for supplemental lighting needs, rely on light tower rentals to help provide illumination at night or around poorly lit areas. Increase the safety and experience of your event with light tower rentals from The Cat Rental Store. Our light tower rentals are high-quality lighting equipment solutions that provide assistance in event construction and management.
When you go through The Cat Rental Store dealer network, you’ll find a variety of light tower options and features, including:
- Electric and diesel-powered lighting
- Towable and stationary light towers
- Various height capacities and angles
- Different brightness levels with LED lighting
Learn more about the various light tower rental options available at The Cat Rental Store by visiting a location near you today.
Choose The Cat® Rental Store for Entertainment Construction Equipment
In the events and entertainment industry, organizers rely on a variety of equipment to ensure success. From construction to maintenance to cleanup, there are countless jobs to do to put together any event. Having reliable rental equipment for everything on your event construction checklist is critical.
For high-quality and versatile events and entertainment rental equipment, choose The Cat Rental Store and find everything you need for event construction, landscaping, cleanup and sanitation through our dealer network. Speak to a knowledgeable rental representative about your needs and explore our extensive inventory when you find a dealer location near you. If you already know what you need, fill out a convenient Quick Quote form for pricing information.
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