You need a rock crusher for your next big job, but you don’t have one now. It’s time to get one, but should you buy or rent? Some people would have you think this is a simple math problem, but you know that when you’re running a company like yours, there’s a lot more than math involved, and the problems are never simple.
Here’s a quick guide to deciding which is the best choice.
Rock Crusher for Sale or Rent—Do the Math
Okay, so let’s get this out of the way. Here’s the simple math problem that people think answers the question: does it cost more to rent or to buy?
To calculate this answer, take the hourly cost of the rock crusher for rent and multiply it by the number of hours you expect to use the tool over its lifetime. Then compare that to the cost to buy the tool instead. Simple, right?
Not exactly. You have to consider both the cost of a new rock crusher for sale as well as a used rock crusher for sale. Considering the cost of the used rock crusher, you have to consider how much less time it might last. That’s always a tough question, especially for a piece of equipment that might get as much hard use as a jaw crusher for sale.
The number of hours you’re likely to use it isn’t easy to figure out, either. If this is your first real job that needs this equipment, you can’t be sure that you’ll get more, and then you end up getting stuck with an expensive piece of equipment you’re not using.
Read our article: How to Choose a Rock Crusher?
Do You Have a Good Storage Option?
A concrete crusher is not like a rotary hammer that you can hang up on your pegboard – you’ve got to have someplace to put your concrete crusher. If you aren’t sure you have a good place to put it, maybe now’s not the time to buy.
How Will You Transport It?
Just as you can’t hang a concrete crusher on your pegboard, you can’t just toss it in the back of your truck. You need to have a solution to transport it to your job site. Maybe you already have a tractor-trailer that can handle the rock crusher, but if not, you have to add transportation cost to the price of buying. On the other hand, if you rent the equipment, you can often get it delivered to the job site and picked up. That can save you a lot of time and hassle.
Can You Bill It?
One way to cut your costs whether you’re looking for a jaw crusher for sale or a concrete crusher for rent is to bill it to the job. This will depend on what you bid on the job, the terms of the contract, and other variables. Whether you can bill it to the job – and how much you can bill for – will make a big difference in the net cost of the tool to you.
How Much Can You Deduct?
Whether you buy or rent, you can likely deduct all or part of the cost of the tool. For a tool of this price, it’s worth talking to your accountant and figuring out how much of a difference it might make on your taxes to rent vs. buy the tool. Then you can add this into your cost calculations, because it could significantly cut the net cost of the tool.
Will It Help You Get More Work?
When you’re bidding for jobs, you might find that having a rock crusher could be a competitive advantage. You might be able to bid a lower cost, promise a better schedule, and offer to do more work depending on the features of the rock crusher. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about finding a rock crusher when you need one in the event that there aren’t many available for rent.
Can You Get Value Even If You’re Not Using It?
If you have a rock crusher that you’re not using, you might be able to loan it to other companies who need it. Potentially, you could even rent it out yourself and make back some of the purchase cost.
How Much Is Maintenance?
Don’t forget to factor maintenance into your cost calculations. A rock crusher takes a beating and can need a lot of regular work to keep it in top shape. When you get a concrete crusher for rent, the rental center handles the worst of the maintenance costs.
Get a Quote to Make a Decision
As you can see, there’s a lot of factors to consider when trying to answer this question. At Power Screening, we have both rock crushers for rent and for sale. This helps us stay neutral on the question and lets us talk to you about your options to find the one that is most practical and profitable for your operation.
Whatever decision you come to, however, you have to start by knowing the cost of the two options. To get those costs, please contact Power Screening for a free quote.