Why Renting Asphalt Paving Equipment Is the Way To Go
Picture this — you’ve purchased a nice, used conveyor-fed paver for your business. It was a sizable investment, but one that will pay off in the long run. You made room for it in the equipment shed, shined it up and are ready to put it to the test.
The day arrives and you haul it to the job site, get it running, and all is right in the world — until it’s not. Your crew proceeds to spend an hour working on the paver but ends up calling a specialized mechanic. It turns out the mechanic could take a few days to get there. Now, what?
It’s time to call your local rental store to see what asphalt paver rentals are available on such short notice. It might not be the ideal machine, but you’ll have to make it work.
Aside from the inconvenience, now you have rental fees on top of your initial investment. Not to mention the mechanic fees. Suddenly, the project has much higher stakes because you’re behind on both the timeline and budget.
Consider if you had started with rental. Perhaps it would have been the more cost-effective (and easier!) choice.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but over the lifetime of a machine, it’s bound to break down, have hiccups and eventually, need replacing. When you rent, you don’t have to worry about any of that. The rental company takes care of routine maintenance, replacing an idle machine and swapping out old models for newer ones — at no extra cost to you.
The right time to rent: Key considerations
Renting sets contractors up to be both flexible and financially savvy. Not every scenario will be right for rental, but it can be a great tool when the project and timing align. Before you decide, consider the ins and outs of your business and the specific project needs. Rental might be your best move if you meet any of the following criteria:
- You’re a project-based contractor. You take on seasonal or one-time projects where specialized equipment is necessary. It wouldn’t make sense to buy, store and maintain that equipment when it’s only used a few times a year.
- You’re interested in the latest technology. Let’s face it, most businesses can’t afford all new equipment each year. With rental, though, you can access the latest equipment. It’s the perfect way to try before you buy, confirming whether or not a newer machine is worth your investment.
- You need to manage cash flow and cut costs. Offloading unused equipment is the easiest way to do that. If you get rid of something but end up needing it again, rent it on a project-by-project basis. You’ll save money and free up capital to continue to scale your business.
Types of pavers
After making the decision to rent an asphalt paver, choosing the right type is next. Consider the machine’s capability and size. Can it work quickly enough for your needs? Can it fit into the area you need to pave? If you need a recommendation, the rental store employees can help.
The two main options are tilt-hopper pavers and conveyor-fed pavers. The right choice will depend on the scale of your job. Tilt-hopper pavers lend themselves best to smaller-scale and residential jobs and can lay 100 – 150 tons of asphalt in a day. Conveyor-fed pavers, on the other hand, are geared toward industrial applications, such as paving roads or parking lots. These pavers can lay 300 – 500 tons of asphalt per day.
Asphalt paver rentals also come with tracks or wheels as their method of movement. Tracks are great for wet or sandy conditions, while wheels work better on hard ground and allow for greater speed. The best option for you will depend on the job site conditions.
Ready to jump into rental? Visit your local rental store to find an asphalt paver rental, along with additional construction equipment. You might discover the immense benefits renting heavy equipment can have on your business. To locate a rental store in your area, use the store locator above.