4 tips that can guide you to make the right equipment purchase

  • Editorial Team
  • Heavy Construction Equipment
  • 11 September 2019

The overall strategy of the project should be the first thing to consider before purchasing heavy construction equipment. This is because the equipment purchased has to meet the needs of the given project. Below are some of the tips that can guide you before making the decision to purchase the equipment.

1. The seller’s reputation

Whether you want to buy new or used construction equipment, a background check on the seller’s reputation and information on the products they sell is important. This is done by checking the seller’s history and testimonials from their past customers to see if they are reliable. Other than that, it is preferable to purchase the pieces of equipment from established companies such as the Caterpillar brand that have been in the industry for longer periods.

2. The scope of the project

It is important to access your project by understanding what you aim to achieve should you bring the equipment on-board. Think of the project objectives by posing questions that you can answer before going ahead to purchase the machine. In so doing, you avoid being swayed to buy pieces of equipment that may not be necessary for the project by aggressive marketers. Here are some of the questions that can help you decide if you need the equipment.

• Will the equipment increase productivity?
• Will it promote the business forward to stay ahead of the competition?
• Will the new equipment add to the success of the business?
• Will an upgrade of the current equipment get better results instead of buying a new one?

3. The training cost

Be sure to incorporate the training cost as part of your budget before purchasing the given equipment. This is because training may take a toll on your time, money, or resources before the employees can adapt to the new machine. It is, therefore, advisable to consider the finances that would be required for training the workers before purchasing the new construction machinery.

4. How long the equipment was in use

Before buying used construction equipment, one should consider how long the machinery has been in operation. The age is determined by the hours it was used – the older it may be may mean the more likely it has been used, thus may require repairs sooner. Nonetheless, this does not necessarily mean that the machine is not worth buying, but the price should be less when compared to newer equipment. Aside from this, one can check out if the warranty is still in use before deciding to purchase the machinery.