Frequently Asked Questions

See our Tent Rental Terms & Conditions for more information.

Frame Tent –Structured aluminum framed roof, no centre poles, less staking around the perimeter. Small to mid-size tents. Raymond Brothers installed on any type of surface.

Pole Tent – No frame. Sloped roof is stretched from the centre pole peaks, more perimeter poles and more staking. Larger sizes. Raymond Brothers installed on grass only.

Customer Canopy – Pole-style tent that Customers install themselves, on grass only. Instructions provided. Short-term use. 

Of course, we set up and take down all of our Frame Tents and Pole Tents. We also have economical Customer Canopies which you pick up and install yourself for smaller backyard parties or a shelter backup option.  

Our tent crews typically work Monday to Friday excluding holidays, with most tents usually installed the day or two before your function starts, and removed the following day. If your event is a Saturday, for example, we suggest install on Thursday (to allow time for set up, decorating, caterer access, lighting), then removal on Monday. We will ask you for the event start and end time to determine exactly the best time and sometimes an even earlier set up may occur, depending on the situation, expected weather conditions, and location.
We accommodate customers for early access usually two days prior to allow for set up, decorating and lighting.

Our crew travels to locations across Southwestern Ontario for deliveries and tent installations from Sarnia to Guelph, Goderich to Long Point and all locations in between. Tent rentals prices have the mileage fees calculated into the price, based on the location. Deliveries and pick ups will have additional fee added to the order based on the travel distance.

As a rule thumb, allot 10 sq. ft. per person for backyard, beer garden or festival use. We recommend 12 sq. ft. per person for events such as weddings, corporate openings or high-end sporting events. Increase tent size for open dance floor, food service area, bar area, head table, or additional spacing needs.   

Once the deposit is paid on your order, you can still change the tent size, depending on notice and availability.

There are venue options such as golf courses, private estates, parks, and country settings where tents can be installed.

In most cases you do not have to floor a tent, especially if you have a really nice lawn of grass – why cover that up? We do however suggest a floor for dancing. Our indoor/outdoor dance floor with accessible edging is rented in sections, to accommodate any size guest count. We can provide recommendations.

Our coordinators can walk you through party rental item needs. We can advise you on how many glasses you will need at your bars, what size dance floor is appropriate for your event, tent layouts, chair styles, and everything needed to make your special day run smoothly.

We have pole curtains, frame tent liners, and string lighting to create a sophisticated look for your event. We can also refer you to some of the professional decorators that we work with on various projects if you’re looking for something more extensive.

Portable washroom companies can supply trailer units with running hot water, flush units, sinks, mirrors, parquet floors, lighting, and everything that a hall would offer, with the same quality.

Fortunately, we have had very few vandalism incidents over the years. It’s a very rare occurrence because most events are either in a secured location or have overnight security service. Although you are responsible for any damages caused by vandalism or unruly guests, quite often you can avoid potential damage to the rental equipment with common sense. Talk to us about your concerns and we’ll suggest what could work best.

Temporary Building Permits are required by Ontario law, Building Code B 3.14, for installed tents over 600 sq. ft. As part of the Division Code, C.1.3.1.1, tents must be 10 ft. from property lines, buildings and streets. Tents over 2400 sq. ft. will also require a site check by our Engineer (who is familiar with our tents) to approve and stamp the tent drawing specific to the site. Each municipality or regional district has different regulations, so the requirements will vary based on where your event is taking place. Raymond Brothers handles the permit application process.

The ideal condition to secure a tent is to stake it into the ground using 36″ long stakes. The number of stakes and the size of them will vary depending on tent size, and potential wind load. Tents may be staked into asphalt and the holes filled afterwards. Frame tents may be installed on surfaces that cannot be staked, such as paved parking lots, by using 400 lbs covered concrete blocks. Property owners are responsible for ensuring there are no underground utilities, sprinkler systems, septic systems, etc. that may affect tent installation and the safety of our crew.

Due to the size and weight of the tents, most installations require us to drive right up next to the site to unload/load. If we do need to transport materials more than a minimal distance from the truck, and we are not notified ahead of time before our crew arrives, our company policy requires our driver to phone the office for authorization. Extra labour charges will apply.

We accept Mastercard, Visa, business cheque, debit and cash.

All rental items must be secured with a 50% deposit at the time the order is placed unless credit has been established. Full payment is required for rental orders less than two weeks away. Any remaining balance will be due the day of delivery or customer pick up. We accept Mastercard, Visa, debit and cash. 

Of course! Once the deposit has been paid, changes can be made to the rental order (e.g. quantities, additional new items) until one week prior to the delivery or customer pick up date. We’ll email you the updated order which will show the newly adjusted balance.

Our standard policy is 50% deposit on initial reservation to secure the rental items you want to book. This acts as security for us to reserve the equipment and schedule crew, labour and trucks for what we are going to supply in a professional and orderly manner. In many cases, the project we are supplying involves a very significant commitment in terms of inventory, planning and man-hours of preparation to ensure the success of your event. If you cancel, then we have to be compensated for the time and service that we have prepared for you already and for lost opportunity for other customers.