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Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

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Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#51

Post by downboots »

GouacheApp wrote: post #5
supermdguy wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does your tool library work? Who organizes it? Sounds really interesting.

Great question! Patio isn't a traditional tool library—it’s a peer-to-peer platform where anyone can list and rent tools directly from people nearby, similar way to Airbnb. So instead of being run by an organization, it’s the community itself that powers it. We're just making it easy, safe, and fast to share tools locally.

I wonder which is more efficient: to manage tools or manage the need. Rather than putting up a yard sign for "I have a hammer, guys", one that says "hey guys, I need a hammer"

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#53

Post by bix6 »

Love the banner image ha!

Flipped around a bit, looks great. One question I have is how will users know what a fair price is?

On the legal issues. Maybe making loaners attest the tool is in good condition and the renters sign a waiver? Untrained people are terrifying with power tools, I would be hesitant to take on the liability of someone losing an arm for $50.

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#54

Post by GouacheApp »

tayo42 wrote: post #44
pruetj wrote: post #6

I like the idea. The rental section has a lot of potential imo. It makes me wonder if there’s room for the personal property rental business in tools like there is for housing and cars. I do a lot of DIY and tend to acquire a lot of the tools I use if I think they are generic enough or I’ll repeat a similar job in the future but there’s also jobs I do where I’ll happily borrow from a friend. For example, I just built…

> I think DIY is growing, it’s a great way to save money and it’s only becoming easier with YouTube to help you through most any job. Tangent on DIY... I keep trying and keep needing to call in a professional eventually when I get out of my depth or break something worse. Or youtube isn't quite right. Youtube seems to only have stuff that's recent. If your model isn't in the last 5-10 years or built that recently. Li…

Totally get that — YouTube is great until your setup doesn’t match, especially with older homes. That missing link between general advice and your specific situation can be frustrating.

We’re actually working on a way to get quick guidance, just enough to help you finish the job confidently without hiring it all out. Stay tuned — we’re launching something soon to help with exactly that!

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#55

Post by GouacheApp »

pants2 wrote: post #52

Thought it was spam until I saw the "rental" at the bottom. Why would you have a completely blank header (where everyone expects the navigation to be) and then throw the actual navigation at the bottom? No site does that.

Totally fair feedback — and you're right, the layout feels unexpected on desktop.

We're designing mobile-first, since most of our early users are on phones, but we're actively working on making the desktop experience much clearer and more intuitive too. Really appreciate you pointing this out — it helps us improve!

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#56

Post by GouacheApp »

dangus wrote: post #49

For the news feed, it makes me think “Pinterest for home improvement,” which is pretty “meh” to me. Great, another ad feed. Why would I want to be here instead of a subreddit? For tool rental, the first thought in my mind is that you’re going to be competing with hardware store giants like Home Depot or your country’s equivalent: many places already exist that already rent tools and equipment and they aren’t hard to…

Totally valid points — and ones we’ve been thinking about a lot.

The feed isn’t meant to be just another Pinterest-style scroll — we’re curating high-quality DIY tutorials, guides, and projects to help people learn and take action. We also recently added an AI-powered search so you can quickly find relevant content by asking real questions, like “how do I replace a light switch?” instead of just browsing categories. That said, we know the feed needs to feel more purposeful, and we’re actively improving that.

On tool rentals — you’re absolutely right that big stores and tool libraries exist. We’re not trying to replace them, but to fill in the gaps: making it easier to find tools nearby that might not be available otherwise, support neighbor-to-neighbor sharing, and help smaller or underserved communities. We’re also working with tool libraries to modernize their systems and increase their visibility.

Really appreciate the honest feedback — it’s exactly what helps us get better.

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#57

Post by GouacheApp »

downboots wrote: post #51
GouacheApp wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great question! Patio isn't a traditional tool library—it’s a peer-to-peer platform where anyone can list and rent tools directly from people nearby, similar way to Airbnb. So instead of being run by an organization, it’s the community itself that powers it. We're just making it easy, safe, and fast to share tools locally.

I wonder which is more efficient: to manage tools or manage the need. Rather than putting up a yard sign for "I have a hammer, guys", one that says "hey guys, I need a hammer"

Great point — and thanks for sharing it. We’re actually exploring ways to let people post requests, not just listings, so it's easy to say “I need a hammer” and connect with someone nearby. It’s all about making those timely, local connections simple.

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#58

Post by GouacheApp »

bix6 wrote: post #53

Love the banner image ha! Flipped around a bit, looks great. One question I have is how will users know what a fair price is? On the legal issues. Maybe making loaners attest the tool is in good condition and the renters sign a waiver? Untrained people are terrifying with power tools, I would be hesitant to take on the liability of someone losing an arm for $50.

Glad you liked the banner — and appreciate you taking the time to explore it!

Totally fair question on pricing. We’re working on adding pricing suggestions based on similar tools nearby, so users have a better sense of what’s fair without guessing.

On the legal side — yep, we’re exploring tool condition checkboxes, waivers, and optional insurance to help protect both sides. Power tools come with real risks, and we want to make sure there's enough structure to keep things safe and clear for everyone involved.

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#59

Post by tlavoie »

angry_moose wrote: post #11
pruetj wrote: post #6

I like the idea. The rental section has a lot of potential imo. It makes me wonder if there’s room for the personal property rental business in tools like there is for housing and cars. I do a lot of DIY and tend to acquire a lot of the tools I use if I think they are generic enough or I’ll repeat a similar job in the future but there’s also jobs I do where I’ll happily borrow from a friend. For example, I just built…

Tool libraries are starting to take off. Ours is $35/quarter and gives you free access to their full library: https://mtl.myturn.com/library/inventory/browse

Any thoughts on how you'd decide what tools to rent, or which might be considered too hazardous? For example, I see you have angle grinders, but I'm not sure I'd want to start there if beginning a tool library.

Re: Show HN: Patio – Rent tools, learn DIY, reduce waste

#60

Post by tlavoie »

I and a few others in our community would love to start a tool library, so would love to have a good set of initial policies, software, tutorials and such to start from. For example:

  - Cost to rent or borrow?
  - Consumables (people expected to supply their own?)
  - Liability? (Think angle grinders, power saws)
  - Education of intended borrowers?
I'm willing to host a sea-can and act as librarian, but also unwilling to be sued because some ninny lopped off a thumb, or lost an eye to carelessness.
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