What varies between counters is not the machines but the package. A 200 amp inverter is roughly $50 a day and an engine driven set $110 to $200, and both quotes may or may not include leads, a helmet, a regulator and a trolley. Ask what is in the crate before comparing, because the extras can add half again to a short hire.
What is in the crate, and what is not
Expect the power source, an electrode holder or torch, a work lead with a clamp, and the manual. Helmets, gloves, screens, chipping hammers, wire brushes and trolleys are usually charged as separate items or sold outright. List the accessories you need on the phone and get them priced into the same quote.
Shielding gas is bought or exchanged, never hired free
For a wire feed or a torch process the cylinder comes from the yard or a gas supplier on an exchange or a cylinder rental of its own, with a daily charge that runs whether you weld or not. Rod and wire are consumables you buy. Work out the quantity in advance; part used cylinders are rarely credited.
Measure the leads before you leave the yard
Standard sets come with modest lead lengths, and welding a long way from the machine through undersized cable drops the arc voltage and ruins the result. Say how far the work sits from where the machine can stand and ask for the extension leads at the same time rather than improvising with joins on site.
The return inspection is about the consumable parts
Yards check the leads for cuts, the clamp for damage, the torch consumables and the fuel level on an engine drive. Coil the leads properly, replace anything you burned through, and refuel before returning it or accept the yard's fuel rate. Photograph the set at collection so a pre existing nick is not billed to you.
Questions people ask about welder rentals
Which welder should I rent for structural steel?
Thickness sets the amperage, and heavier sections want a machine capable of a few hundred amps at a decent duty cycle. Describe the material, the thickness and the process to the counter rather than naming a model, and ask what duty cycle the machine holds at the amperage you need.
Do I need a generator as well?
Only if there is no suitable supply. An engine driven welder is its own power plant and gives auxiliary outlets as well, which is why it is the usual hire for a site with no service. Where mains power exists and the circuit can carry the load, an inverter is cheaper and quieter.
Is welding fume covered by the hire?
No, ventilation and respiratory protection are yours to arrange. Fume extraction units are a separate item some yards stock. In an enclosed space, plan the extraction before the welder arrives rather than opening a door and hoping the air moves.