Compact equipment hire with delivery
Rent mini excavators, skid steers and compact machines to contractors and homeowners, delivered to site.
- C$60k-180k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small fleet of compact construction machines, such as a mini excavator, skid steer or compact loader, kept in a yard or rented unit. You hire them out by the day, week or month and deliver them on a trailer.
Your first three steps
- Call local contractors and check rental prices and gaps in availability for compact machines in your area
- Price one good used machine, a trailer and a tow vehicle, and work out how many rental days a month you need to cover them
- Get a draft rental agreement checked and quotes for equipment and liability insurance before you buy
Who pays
Small contractors, landscapers, farmers and rural property owners, and renovating homeowners who need a machine for a few days.
How it makes money
Daily, weekly and monthly rental rates, plus delivery and pickup fees, damage deposits and sales of attachments or fuel.
Skills that help
- Basic machine maintenance
- Safe towing and loading
- Bookkeeping and scheduling
- Clear customer paperwork
Watch out for
- Insurance for the equipment itself, theft and damage, plus commercial general liability. Check what your insurer covers when customers operate the machines
- Provincial rules on towing, trailer weight and driver licence class, and any commercial vehicle registration
- Check municipal zoning before storing machines in a yard
- Check provincial occupational health and safety rules on training and operator competence
- Winter slows demand in many regions, so plan for quiet months
- Customers who damage or don't return machines, so use deposits and written agreements
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: compact equipment hire with delivery
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a compact equipment hire business?
Estimated startup costs are typically around $60,000 to $180,000 CAD, depending on how many machines you buy and your yard and trailer. Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how often machines are rented.
What licences and insurance should I check for equipment hire in Canada?
Things to check include insurance for the equipment, theft and damage plus commercial general liability, provincial towing, trailer weight and driver licence rules, municipal zoning for your yard, and provincial occupational health and safety rules on operator training.
How much time does an equipment hire business take?
Estimates suggest at least about 15 hours a week, depending on your fleet and bookings. Winter slows demand in many regions, so plan for quiet months, and use deposits and written agreements to manage damaged or unreturned machines.
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