This article has been written to offer an informative and easy to read overview of how Grizzly Bear Events can help you streamline generator rental. I’ll cover off the things we’ll be asking you for to send over a quote, some handy tips, and what we need to know at the time of the event installation.
A little background:
Each year we rent generators to over one hundred clients, specifically to the events sector. We install power for weddings, parties, celebrations, corporate away days, firework events & country fetes – to name a few occasions.
The only aspect of generator hire which we do not touch is power for building sites or large festivals. The likes if Agrekko, Mems and Project Power would be the companies to take those kind of tasks on. We specialise in the temporary short term event generator rental hire market for small-medium size events, and that’s what we’re good at. Check out our reviews – they speak for themselves.
Worth noting – we’re not just a generator rental company! We also hire fridge trailers, outdoor lighting, marquee heating and staging.
Can I just use 13 amp extension leads?
This can be a common question we receive, and if you don’t deal in power on a weekly basis it’s understandble why this is a suggestion. If you’re close to the mains supply then yes, it is possible, however I would recommend bringing in a generator for anything more than some basis marquee lighting and a PA system. Also you need to check the connections for the lighting as often this will be outdoor 16a ceeform connections.
How to start booking in your generator?
Get in touch with us and start the conversation sooner rather than later. We do get extremely busy each summer and can only accommodate a fixed number of event rentals each week. On your initial generator hire enquiry it’ll help us to streamline your booking quote if we attain as much information as possible.
What we need to know for your 2025 generator booking:
- Venue Address
- Whether it's a private address or an events venue
- Live Event Date(s)
- Anticipated Set Up Day and Take Down (if you know them)
- Access Restrictions
- Type of Event - Wedding, Party, Gathering etc
- Marquee Company (we've worked with most so know their power specs)
- Caterer name (if booked, again we've worked with most so have a good idea of power specs)
- Any other supplier specs that have already been sent across
What happens next?
We’ll reply to your 2025 event enquiry pretty quickly! One of the main aspects which clients find reassuring and a reason for booking is that they actually get replies quickly and with the answer they were looking for on. Ultimately we are a family business, therefore we have a desire to get you booked in and supply a great service!
Ready to book?
Brilliant – let us know you’d like to go ahead and we’ll send across hire details and a deposit invoice (typically 25%). To keep this as streamlines as possible we include our bank details and a card payment link (yes, we take Amex, hurrah!) for you to arrange payment. Grizzly Bear Events are often asked to ‘pencil’ in bookings – for peak season bookings we only reserve once deposits are received.
Why would you need to book an event generator, instead of using the mains supply or builders generator?
- Distance - sometimes the mains supply is too far from the structure
- Outdoor sockets - the marquee company, caterers, toilets and fridges are often on outdoor industrial plugs
- Sensitive Equipment - PA equipment used by bands and DJ's needs a good quality supply to avoid technical glitches
- Reliability - our generators are well serviced, checked before each rental and have low hours on the clock
- Someone to set everything up for you- you'll want to be sure the right plugs are in the right location. We include the set up and installation for you.
- Power load - The KW of power required add up quickly, especially when catering start to ask for power too!
- Fuel - our generators will last at least 24 hours at wedding loads, typically 50hrs on a full tank of fuel.
it’s event week! Yay! How to make the generator install quick & efficient:
We’ll arrive towing the generators on the back of double cab pick up trucks, or panel vans if it’s a smaller 20kva size generator. It’d be helpful if we can have pin drops or what3word locations for access points if they aren’t the same as the venue address. It can be hard to turn the trailers around on lanes and if we initially go the wrong way.
After we access the venue we’ll park up the generator and ask to have a walk around the venue with you. On this walk we’ll establish all the socket locations and cover off the need for any extra plug sockets which sometimes get forgotten. Please have power specs on hand for us so you do not need to go away and call suppliers to double check things.
Aspects which can be missed off the initial power specification include; catering tent lighting, toilet power, PA systems for speeches, speaker power if you’re having speakers in other areas of the marquee/tent and power for Sunday brunch activities. We tend to say think through your whole event day and all aspects which need plugging in.
We know genuine errors do happen, plugs can be in the wrong place. Or, perhaps you completely missed off a supplier. In the heat of the planning moment these things happen. Drop us a line and we’ll see how we can sort this, by either returning or talking you through what to move, where.
Don’t forget de-rig / collection / recovery…
It’s the boring side of events, the packing down! We’d ask that you help us keep the final bit of the puzzle as streamline as possible.
Our aim is to collect cabling in and often have the generator removed from the venue before the marquee or tipi event team arrive,. This way we’re out of the marquee and off access routes, to avoid them possibly having to move vehicles. Plus it’ll reduce any and possible damage to cabling and sockets which GBE installed as equipment as suppliers carry, drive and lift equipment around the event venue.
We work seven days a week and often collect generators on Sundays. If you’re hosting a second day gathering or get together – popular with weddings, then let us know! We don’t charge extra for the hire but it’ll save an unnecessary collection trip and charge for us doing so.
In the madness of the set up other suppliers often arrive with trailers, vans and equipment. Several times each summer we return to find that our trailers are blocked in and we’re unable to get them out. This will typically incur a failed collection fee. If you think this may happen to you send us some photos, or give us a call – we can work out a solution.
