BigRentz Equipment Rental Service Areas in Kentucky

The first step to any construction project in Kentucky is research. You need to know about state licensing requirements, so you don’t run into unexpected bureaucratic hurdles. You also need to consider which equipment to rent or buy, which means you need to know what types of soil you’re likely to encounter and the problems they could cause.

To cut down on red tape, Gov. Matt Bevin combined all the building-related government departments into one, the new Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction. This department contains five divisions: Division of Building Codes Enforcement, Division of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, Division of Plumbing, Division of Fire Prevention, Electrical Division. In Kentucky, licensure for general contractors is handled at the city/county level. However, the Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction does require state licensure for specific services often involved in a building project, such as plumbing and electrical work. You should also check the regulations set forth by the Division of Building Codes Enforcement, which is responsible for all licensing, continuing education, and other state requirements related to new building construction.

Three types of Kentucky soil you should know about are Crider, Baxter, and Maury soils. Crider soils cover about 500,000 acres across 35 counties in the state, most of which are used as pasture or for growing corn, soybeans, tobacco, and other crops. This fertile soil runs up to 100 inches deep, holds some moisture (but not too much), and drains well — all of which make it perfect for farming. On hilltops and ridges, you may run into Baxter soils, which are also used for farming. Baxter soil runs almost as deep as Crider soil, with a topsoil composed of gravelly loam, silt, and chert fragments. In the upper subsurface layer, clay is added to this mixture. The middle and lower subsurface layers are both clay with chert fragments. Maury soils are used to cultivate trees. They feature a silty loam mixture that crumbles easily. Underneath that topsoil is reddish-brown clay, which transitions to yellowish-red iron manganese in the lowest layers. It runs as deep as the other two soil types mentioned.

Fortunately, Kentucky’s land and climate don’t present many major problems for construction. You don’t need to worry about constant rain, year-round snow, or (in most cases) rock-hard soil. However, in hilly areas, you may have to put more effort into leveling the ground. In addition to larger equipment, such as excavators and backhoes, consider whether your project might benefit from boom lifts, scissor lifts, forklifts, or manlifts. These aerial lifts can make it much easier to move materials and access upper levels during a job, and they can be easily rented as needed. One final word of advice: Don’t think you need to buy every piece of equipment you’ll ever use. As you purchase construction equipment, keep your average job site in mind. Then when you run into something your equipment can’t handle, simply rent what you need. For most contractors, renting can be a much more economical option than purchasing.