Buying dish soap from Walmart or an office chair from West Elm no longer requires hopping in the car to drive to a retail store. With the rise of omnichannel retail, consumers have more choices in how they make purchases. More often than not, they choose to buy online.

That’s one of the reasons eCommerce is expected to reach nearly $4.5 billion in market size by 2025. Commercial real estate experts anticipate the U.S. will need an additional 330 million square feet of distribution space by that time to meet eCommerce demand.

From excavators, scissor lifts, and trenchers to temporary structures, air compressors, and generators, Sunbelt Rentals can assist you in rightsizing your equipment to keep warehouse and distribution center builds on schedule and on budget.

Our planning checklist will help you think through your next warehouse or distribution center project.

1. What’s the Task?

Identify what you’re trying to achieve and then work backward to figure out which piece of equipment can best handle the job. Does the worksite have a utility connection, or will you need generators to power your build? What kind of stormwater infrastructure needs to be added? Will the property need to be graded, or is that already completed? Make a list of every task that’s part of your project and then determine the machinery and accessories you need to tackle each one.

2. How Large Is Your Workforce?

Cross-reference the tasks you need to complete with the projected start date and budget to rough out a schedule. Next, consider the amount of time and manpower available for each job to determine the machines you’ll need and what each must be capable of doing.

For example, smaller pieces of equipment may not be powerful enough for heavy digging or loading or as efficient as larger machines when moving massive volumes of material. But the workforce available also makes a difference in how quickly you can finish a job.

3. What Are the Jobsite Conditions?

To determine proper sizing, you need to evaluate what will be under your equipment everywhere it will be used. For instance, the large bulldozer you’d like to use may roll over rock just fine but will get mired in mud. If you want to use equipment inside the building, you’ll also need to know what weight the structure is rated to handle. During interior lighting and shelving installation in a distribution center, you’ll need scissor lifts and forklifts. If keeping the floor pristine is critical, make sure to use machines with nonmarking tires or bring in floor protection.

4. What Are the Space Constraints?

You’ll need room to move and maneuver both inside and outside of your structure. Depending on the configuration, you may be limited to using small equipment, even though you prefer large machines. If you need powerful equipment for inside work, make sure the building has an opening sufficient to accommodate even the largest machines. Also, determine where to park equipment to perform every project task and how close to the facility you can get. Sunbelt Rentals can help you set up a secure on-site tool yard that simplifies inventory management with subcontractors.

5. How Will You Transport Equipment?

Confirm in advance how the equipment will get on and off the jobsite safely, without getting tangled in overhead power lines or stuck under low bridges. Decide how you plan to tow or transport machinery, and make sure you’re in compliance with local hauling restrictions. If you need a tractor trailer, check the route and weight constraints to see if it can use public roadways to get to your jobsite. For projects in urban areas, check to see if your preferred type of equipment and mode of transportation is possible in narrow alleys and winding streets.

6. What Are Your Equipment Maintenance Needs?

Is it a multimonth or multiyear project? Consider the anticipated weather conditions and whether crews will work extended or standard shifts to better understand the maintenance needs of the equipment. 

Sunbelt Rentals offers turnkey maintenance, fueling, and telematic data services to help your worksite run efficiently.

7. What Will It Cost?

You need to consider operating costs for each piece of equipment as well as the price to rent it. You will pay more for large equipment than for small machines. The operating costs for large equipment will be higher as well, especially for fuel. Still, you may be able to complete projects more quickly and pay less overall with more robust machines. So, balance cost with the additional time and people that using smaller equipment may require.

8. Does the Project Have Sustainability Goals?

Is the distribution center being constructed in adherence to a sustainable building program, such as LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, rating system? Has the property owner prioritized sustainability from construction to operation of the distribution center? Many of Sunbelt Rentals’ machines are fuel efficient or electric, with smart power management solutions to conserve fuel. 

Sunbelt Rentals’ Green Equipment Includes:

• Battery energy storage system
• Bobcat All-Electric Compact Track Loader
• EV charging stations
• Electric concrete grinder
• Electric manlift
• Electric scissor lift
• Electric telehandler
• Electric tools
• Solar light tower

Sunbelt Rentals offers hundreds of types of high-quality machines to support warehouse and data center construction, so you don’t have to contact multiple companies to rightsize all the equipment needed for your project. Plus, we have the technical expertise to help you choose the perfect machine for every task, and we offer setup support to show your workers how to safely use the equipment.

Contact us to learn more about how Sunbelt Rentals can help.