If you happen to live in a brick house as I do, you are painfully aware of how difficult it is to change the layout of any feature that is part of the external wall. However, if you need to move your clothes dryer exhaust (or other round pipe), renting a diamond core saw makes for quick and easy work. Diamond saws are often horribly expensive (for obvious reasons) — but renting one for only an hour would be enough time to make a wall into Swiss cheese. A typical hole takes a couple minutes at best, and is perfectly round and smooth — not at all like the result one often gets with a hammer drill, masonry bits, and chisel — it is well worth the trip to the rental office and fees. (And if you have neighbors with brick houses, be sure to ask them if they need any neat holes in exchange for a few dollars/beers!)

I rented from a small local shop (which is sadly now defunct) in my neighborhood of Seattle, and paid $50 for 4 hours’ use of a drill and bit. I just called “Pacific Rim Equipment Rental” where they unfortunately don’t have half-day rates: it is $65 for the drill, and $35 for the bit. I would guess that many Home Depots that do tool rental would carry the drill and bit.

-- Phil Evans 06/23/10