Is Forklift Rental the Right Choice for a Small or Short-term Job?

In a wide variety of industries, forklift rental has become a popular choice for short-term or temporary projects, especially compared to the cost of purchasing the machinery outright or signing up for a lengthy lease agreement.

Today, forklifts are used in a range of industries that include agriculture, construction, mining, and even landscaping. For a company in any of these industries that needs a particular forklift model for a niche project or short-term job, renting makes more sense than investing in expensive equipment.

Similarly, a company that dabbles in multiple industries, like construction, agriculture, and landscaping, can benefit from a convenient, temporary rental to meet a need when a project calls for a forklift that is industry-specific. A company can rent a boom lift for a construction job or a forklift tractor for an agricultural project instead of having to purchase multiple pieces of machinery.

What types of jobs are best for forklift equipment rental?

Right now, you may be asking yourself what type of job would call for a rental instead of purchasing a new or used forklift upfront. Most projects that can benefit from a short-term rental meet the following criteria:

• Temporary
• Industry-specific
• Specialty/niche

With that being said, if a company needs to use a certain model of forklift for a one-time project that will not be used again, it makes the most financial sense to rent a forklift instead of leasing or buying.

Additionally, if a project requires the use of a forklift for several hours or one business day, it would hardly be a sound financial investment to purchase a new piece of machinery or sign a lease that could last up to three years.

As a bottom line, most businesses in agricultural, construction, landscaping, and mining industries defer to forklift rental if a job is short-term, specialized, or relates to an industry’s unique needs for digging, excavating, or hauling.

What is the rental process for forklift machinery?

Many vendors provide businesses with user-friendly forklift equipment rental in as little as one day’s notice for short-term or emergency project needs. Forklift rental prices can vary, starting as low as $100-$150 per day for a 3,000 to 5,000 pound machine, $150-$300 per day for a 6,000 to 10,000 pound machine, or $200-$700 per day for a 10,000 to 30,000 pound machine.

Most forklift rental prices are available by quote through a vendor to provide a more accurate cost estimate for a specific project scope. A business will need to supply information about the job length and type, as well as preferred forklift models requested for short-term rental.

As with any rental agreement, it's important to confirm in advance that all rental equipment is reliable and that any machinery failure will be protected under the rental contract. When securing a lift truck rental, it's best to work with a vendor that can provide newer, up-to-date equipment to support the safe and timely completion of a project.