Are Contractors Considering Used Equipment And Rentals In 2025?

According to the 2025 State of the Construction Equipment Economy report and a recent survey, construction companies are reconsidering their fleet management strategies. More than 125 contractors surveyed in July 2025 stated that they had changed their fleet strategy in the past year. 

Many contractors are now renting or buying used equipment to fulfill project requirements rather than buying new ones. In order to maintain flexibility and cost effectiveness, companies are “leaning more toward renting equipment, buying used equipment, and agile fleet management,” according to the report. The traditional “own everything” mindset is, in other words, giving way to hybrid approaches that combine leasing and renting with ownership.

Why rental equipment demand is increasing?

Renting has become a typical component of the equipment mix, according to the survey. Compared to 69% the year before, 72% of contractors in 2024 rented machinery in the previous year. Only 18% of contractors, in comparison, said they did not rent at all during that time. 

The reasons given by contractors for this change were straightforward: renting frequently “made more financial sense” than purchasing or using owned equipment. Moreover, it provided instant access to machines in situations where waiting for a purchase would cause a project to be delayed. 

That is, short-term rentals can save money and ensure that projects are completed on time. The survey also found that more businesses are renting due to recent supply-chain uncertainties, like unforeseen project delays and the trouble of reselling idle machinery. 

It is evident that the trend is likely to continue as the vast majority of contractors (54%) say they intend to rent as much or more equipment in the upcoming year.

What is the market trend of buying used equipment? 

Used machinery purchases are becoming more popular in addition to rentals. About 38% of contractors, or about the same percentage as the previous year, intend to buy new equipment in the upcoming year, according to the report. 

On the other hand, the percentage of people who intend to purchase used machinery is increasing; 32% of respondents anticipate doing so in the upcoming year, up from 27% the previous year. 

There has been a noticeable shift towards affordability with this five-point increase. These figures show contractors’ attention to availability and financial constraints. In a market where project pipelines are subject to change and costs are increasing, businesses can save money and get equipment up and running more quickly by selecting used construction machinery. 

Put another way, the balance is moving in favor of more accessible, reasonably priced machines whenever possible.

How is the ownership model’s flexibility growing in this market?

It’s interesting to note that even contractors with sizable fleets use rentals. The percentage of respondents who currently own equipment who also rented machinery in the past 12 months increased from 71% in the previous survey to 74% in this one. This overlap between owning and renting shows how companies use rentals to fill in gaps or meet special needs. 

More and more contractors are choosing to rent rather than buy an expensive machine for a short-term project in order to bridge gaps and tackle specialized projects without the long-term commitment of ownership. A more individualized and adaptable fleet strategy is the end result.

 In fact, over half of those polled stated that they had shifted toward more flexible ownership arrangements in the last 12 months. 

Seasonal rentals and data-driven right-sizing, which maximizes fleet size through telematics and analytics, are replacing the conventional notion of owning every piece of equipment. In response to changing project requirements, contractors can quickly modify their fleets.

Will having a mixed fleet help contractors make money from rentals?

Due to these trends, today’s contractor fleets consist of a combination of owned, rented, and leased assets. A fleet’s ownership percentage is normally around 65%, with 20% and 15% being rented and leased, respectively. 

Importantly, nearly 18% of contractors say they have actively reduced their percentage of ow in order to stay flexible.The smaller owned fleet reflects the strategy of only recording necessary machinery and leasing or renting the remainder. 

Additionally, the survey found that the most commonly rented machine types were trenchers, compact track loaders, and aerial lifts (such as boom or scissor lifts). 

Since these are usually costly or specialized machines that contractors use only infrequently, rentals are a desirable option for handling peak demands without full ownership.

Two Cents

The results of this survey demonstrate a distinct change in contractor behavior: a rise in rentals and used equipment is being driven by financial strains and the need for flexibility has become more dynamic as a result, combining owned, rented, and leased machinery to accommodate project fluctuations. 

Based on data and market conditions, many contractors will continue to combine ownership and rental strategies, deciding which equipment to temporarily source and which to purchase.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more equipment offers and insights into the industry.