How much does it cost to rent a bounce house in St. Louis?

Published bounce house prices around St. Louis and Metro East Illinois run from about $150 to $250 per unit. Me 2 You's bounce houses are $250 for a four-hour rental, and the full inflatable menu runs $200 to $1,000 per unit. Free delivery, setup, teardown, cords and a blower are included inside 29 miles of Granite City. The common extras are a generator if power is more than 50 feet away, hours beyond four, and an attendant if you want one.

The number that trips people up is not the price. It is the hours.

Four hours and all day are not the same purchase

Some companies in this market quote a four-hour rental. Others quote all day, which usually means up to about eight hours. A $175 all-day unit and a $250 four-hour unit look like a $75 gap on a comparison sheet, and they are not really comparable at all. Before you weigh two quotes against each other, ask both companies the same question: how many hours is that price.

For most backyard birthday parties the distinction barely matters, because the party is two or three hours and everybody goes home. For a church festival that runs from noon to dusk, or a field day that needs the unit up before the first class arrives, it matters a lot.

What a bounce house rental normally includes

With us, and with most reputable companies here, the price covers delivery inside the service area, setup, safety checking, teardown, the electrical cords and one blower. You should not be paying separately for any of that, and if a quote is unusually low it is worth asking which of those five things is missing.

The four things that get added on

A generator. Every unit runs off a standard 15-amp household outlet. If your setup spot is more than about 50 feet from an outlet, you need a generator, which is $50 for a small one and $100 if the unit needs a large one. This is the single most common surprise, and it is worth measuring before you book rather than finding out on the day. Parking lots and open fields are where it usually comes up.
Extra hours. Past the four-hour base, ask what each additional hour costs.
An attendant. Standard rentals in this market are drop-off, which means supervision is on you. If you want someone to stay and run it, ours is $50 an hour per person. Some parks, schools and insurers require one, so check your venue's rules before you assume it is optional.
Anchoring on hard surfaces. On grass we stake. On concrete, asphalt or a gym floor we anchor with sandbags instead. Tell whoever you book the surface up front so they bring enough weight.

What the bigger units cost

A bounce house is the entry point, not the ceiling. Our four-hour prices run: bounce houses $250, the Glitch Combo wet or dry at $450, the Beach Vibe 18-foot water slide at $500, obstacle courses from $300 to $500, the 89-foot obstacle course at $1,000, Human Foosball at $400, the dual lane axe throw at $300, sport inflatables at $250 each with the fifth free when you rent four, and interactive games from $200.

The counter-intuitive part

If you are buying for a crowd rather than a backyard, the cheapest unit is usually the wrong one. A bounce house holds three at a time and kids go in and stay in. An obstacle course runs two at a time because it is a two-lane race, which sounds worse and moves a line several times faster, because two kids run, finish in under a minute, and the next two go.

For eight kids in a backyard, a bounce house is perfect and a course is overkill. For 300 students, one bounce house builds a line half of them give up on. Buy the course first and add the bouncer for the little ones.

A note on booking and deposits

A $100 deposit holds a private date with us, and we do not take the final balance until the day of, which matters because inflatables are weather-dependent. Schools and churches do not pay a deposit at all. A signature holds the date, or a purchase order if the district needs one, and paying by check has no fee.

October is the month that books earliest here, because of fall festivals and trunk-or-treats, followed by spring weekends for field days and graduation parties.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest bounce house rental in St. Louis?

Published prices in this market start around $150. Ours start at $250 for four hours. If the only thing that matters is the lowest number for one backyard afternoon, we are honestly not the cheapest option and you should shop the price. Just confirm what hours and what delivery fee that number includes.

Is delivery included in a bounce house rental?

With us, yes, inside 29 miles of Granite City, along with setup, teardown, cords and a blower. Not every company includes it, and some charge by distance from their own location, so ask for the all-in delivered price to your exact address rather than the unit price.

Do I need a generator for a bounce house?

Only if your setup spot is more than about 50 feet from a standard 15-amp outlet. That is common in parking lots, parks and open fields. A small generator is $50 and a large one is $100. Measure before you book, because it is the most common surprise on an invoice.

What happens if it rains on the day?

We watch the forecast with you and work to reschedule if the weather turns. A $100 deposit holds your date and we do not take the final balance until the day of, so a bad Saturday does not cost you the party. Ask any company you are considering when they take the balance.