If you are managing a construction site or running a business, having the right heavy equipment is mandatory. But there are two ways in which you can get your hand on great equipment: buying or renting it. While both of them have their advantages and disadvantages, in our article you will discuss the pros and cons of renting heavy equipment.

If you already have decided that renting the equipment is the best option for you, then we recommend learning more about one of the equipment rental service firms with the largest presence in North America, Herz Equipment Rental. For more info on the types of Hertz equipment rental services, rates, insurance options, rental locations, and more, visit the linked article. Now, let’s see what the pros and cons of renting heavy equipment are.

The Pros

1. Latest and best

Having the latest and best heavy equipment on the market can be the key to a thriving business. But unless you have a fortune lying around, then it is impossible to purchase all the latest equipment.

By renting, you enjoy updated technology while avoiding getting stuck with old, outdated equipment that doesn’t belong in your workplace. Your employees will be happy to work with the latest gear and they will be able to learn to use multiple types of equipment, which will turn them into real professionals.

2. Small, regular payments

You probably know the saying “Don’t spend all of your money in one place”. Well, that is what happens when you buy heavy equipment instead of renting it. When you rent equipment, you won’t have to pay a huge sum of money at once. Instead, you will pay small, regular amounts of money. This is best for organized business owners as they can make the payments on the same day every week or month.

Also, you can rent a piece of equipment for different periods. You can rent it for a small project, for a month or more. Different companies accept different types of payment. This should be discussed upfront with the person in charge of renting the equipment. Get the best deal for you.

3. Maintenance

Another important pro for renting heavy equipment is that some companies include maintenance in their services. This means that, if a tool breaks due to normal use, the company that rented the equipment is responsible for repairing it. However, not all companies offer free-of-charge maintenance, so do your research before renting it.

The Cons

1. Total Cost

The total cost of renting heavy equipment depends entirely on the period of time you want to rent it. For instance, if you need the equipment for a month, the cost can be very low, so you’ll be better off renting the equipment. On the other hand, if you plan to use the equipment for several years, the total cost could be bigger than the actual price of the equipment. Renting is best for small projects or for short periods of time.

2. Can’t get your money back

Another problem with renting is that you don’t get any part of the investment back. When you purchase a piece of equipment and you keep it in good shape, you have a high probability of selling it and gaining at least a part of the investment back. When renting, this is impossible because you don’t own the equipment.

3. Availability

If you want to rent, then get prepared to settle for a different model of equipment than the one you had in mind. Although rental companies update their inventory from time to time, it is impossible for them to have all models, brands, and types of equipment. So, when renting, try not to have a brand in their mind.

Most of the time you will be forced to settle for the model of equipment the rental company has. Also, you can wait for the equipment to be available, but that might not be an option if you have a project already.

Renting or buying heavy equipment can be tricky because both options come with pros and cons. However, think about the period of time you plan on using the equipment, the costs, and the equipment you are mainly interested in. If you want something big, cheap, and for a short period of time, then renting is the best option. If you need the equipment for a longer period of time and you seek a certain model or brand, you should consider purchasing it.

One of the best things you can do to be the person who stays employed is — drum roll, please — being the person who can do the job. In the skilled trades industries, that usually means being the person who has the experience, skills, and certifications to do that job. Most of the time that job will involve the ability to operate some type of equipment. The category of “heavy equipment” is pretty big, so a heavy equipment operator who wants to stay employed will try to get experience in many types of equipment.

Good Heavy Equipment Operator Training Involves Variety

One of the things you will notice about the ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is the list of things students learn to operate:

• Backhoes
• Scrapers
• Bulldozers
• Graders
• Skid Steer Loaders
• Wheel Loaders
• Excavators
• Off-Road Haul Trucks
• Front End Loaders
• All-Terrain Forklifts

The reason so many types of equipment are part of the training is that a job site often will have a variety of machines to do the job. An operator who has the skills and certifications to operate more machines is a more valuable employee. ATS students don’t just learn to operate equipment, they also learn to read grades, identify soil, understand site layout and laser levels, and all the basic skills they will need. Heavy equipment maintenance and safety procedures are part of the training, too.

These basic things are going to be needed no matter which piece of equipment you end up on for the day, so everybody who is on the site should know them. But the operator who can do whatever is needed on the heavy equipment they have is going to be the operator who stays on the job when others are laid off.

The question often comes up about types of equipment you’ll be on at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School. The answer is: lots. We make sure you get familiar with all the machines on this list:

• Backhoes
• Scrapers
• Bulldozers
• Graders
• Skid Steer Loaders
• Wheel Loaders
• Excavators
• Off-Road Haul Trucks
• Front End Loaders
• All-Terrain Forklifts

The reason why we’ve found it’s important to give students lots of exposure to different kinds of machinery is that the same question can be asked about your job once you graduate. Heavy equipment is a big investment so most employers have a wide range of machines in their business.

Your employer might have a skid steer loader or a wheel loader. Maybe even both, from different decades. You might be using a brand new front end loader or a backhoe about to be retired. There’s no real way to know, so the best preparation is learning how to figure out what to do with whatever you are asked to operate.

If you are familiar with the way a lot of different equipment works and have a grasp of essential safety skills, you are in good shape. It helps to know how to identify soils, read grade and site layout, and use a laser level. The bigger your perspective is when you start a job, the easier it is to see why you are important on the work site.

Classes start every three weeks and there’s no waiting list. We set it up like that to fit the real world and real people’s schedules. Take a look at what ATS can help you learn, and you’ll be on the equipment you know how to run.