Event Hire FAQs – The Bare Bones
There are certain questions we get asked a lot, which might be of use to you when deciding whether Terrapin is the events company for you.
Maybe you’ve changed your mind about planning an event, festival or wedding and if you’ve already decided that, I’m good.
It’d be REALLY rubbish if an unanswered question was the reason we’re not working together though. Maybe you’ll find the answer to your questions below, in which case this was an email well-sent. If you’ve still got queries though you have to promise me that you’ll get in touch and ask them.
Agree? Great.
What kind of surface can you put a tent up on?
The best surface is grass. They can even go up on a hillside so don’t fret if there’s a bit of a gradient to work with.
If we’re looking at a car park or hard-standing then we’ll have to carry out a site visit because either way we need to put stakes into something. We have a couple of options though so give us a call to discuss your needs.
What time will you turn up?
We always aim to be on site between 9-11am. At peak times this can stretch to between 10am-midday. It’s hard to give a smaller window due to British traffic. Feel free to stay in touch during the day and we’ll always do our best to keep you updated.
Do I need to be on site to meet you?
Whilst we’re willing and able to simply turn up and crack on it’s always better to have someone there with a smile and an opinion about where the tent is going. This helps avoid mistakes, ensures we know where to put things (walls and walkways for example) and the other little bits neither of us thought of beforehand.
This doesn’t mean you need to sit and watch us work, but please do be there to greet us and have someone available close by or on the phone in case we run in to unforseen circumstances throughout the day. It happens.
How many days should I book the site for?
Allow yourself at least one build day at the beginning and one de-rig day at the end. The more contents and infrastructure you have going up, the more time will be needed to build. Again, if time is an issue it’s always best to know ahead of time so we can plan for it.
Can it go in my garden?
Absolutely. Our smallest structure is 4x4m so grab a tape measure and find out the footprint of your garden. Send me the dimensions and I’ll let you know what tent you can fit in there.
Remember that the footprint must be one clear area, so no trees, bushes or sheds in the way. If you want to take some pictures and send them across that works as well.
How long will it take to build?
Depending on what you’re having it can be a few hours, up to a full day. The smaller structures can be put up in just a couple of hours, the larger big tops can take a day or more!
The weather can make a difference, together with what’s going inside. Staging, matting, lights and décor all take varying amounts of time to set up. If time is an issue then share your concerns with us so we can try to meet your needs.
Do I have to have everything you've quoted me for?
What we like to do is discuss what you’re looking for in the first place – the activities going on, the number of people and whether they’re sitting down or dancing etc.
From that we will design you a party based on what we know looks good in the tent. How much of that design you decide to run with is entirely up to you. Glitter ball or no glitter ball, that is always the question!
When do we have to pay the final balance by?
As soon as you pay your deposit the booking is confirmed.
We expect the final balance to be paid by the day of delivery. We offer 0% monthly instalments with a minimum 30% deposit and signed contract or if you’d rather pay 50% up front and 50% on delivery that’s fine too. Our aim is to be flexible and fair.
How far in advance do I have to book?
The sooner the better to avoid disappointment. We have been known to get a request on a Thursday and do the build on a Saturday but based on how busy we were this year that was a really, really lucky occurance.
Bookings are coming in all the time, throughout the winter and the summer so as soon as you know some of the basics – venue, date, number of people – get in touch and we’ll get a bigtop pencilled in the diary for you.
If I haven’t paid my deposit will I lose my booking?
To keep it fair we operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. If someone else asks for the same bigtop for the date of your booking, the first thing we will do is give you call and/or get in touch via email. So long as we hear back from you about what you want to happen next then all will be well.
What are the forms of payment?
We accept BACS, Credit / Debit Card and Paypal.
What is The Terrapin Events Group?
Depending on how you got to this piece, you might need to be introduced to the rest of the gang.
Bigtop Weddings adds that spark of individuality to all our bigtops or staging ranges when they’re used for happy couples tying the knot in the great outdors. It was with this in mind that we bought our brand new bigtop, The Regal. Capable of seating over 300 people it’s perfect for outdoor weddings.
Terrapin Tents and Contents is where it all began for our Festival Family and we continue to provide the excemplary customer service expected from that brand. As well as the bigtops we provide contents such as furniture, lighting, stage decks and flooring; right up to the more quirky (and vintage) gargoyles, giant shoe, skittle alley and glitter ball.
All still run by the same team with the same ethos and vision. Just that the team is continuing to grow.
I hope that helps to alleviate some of the burning questions which sometimes get in the way of an important choice.
Got more questions? Drop us a line! We’ll likely add the answer to this list and buy you a pint.
Warm regards!
Elise xx