承包商的设备：租金，购买，借用或翻新？

For contractors, equipment can be the lifeblood of a business, and keeping yourconstruction equipmentrunning well can be critical to a project's success. When you need equipment, you review your anticipated work volumes and your fleet management to determine equipment needs. Then, it comes down to this: should I rent, lease, buy, borrow or refurbish? The choice can have a long-lasting impact on your business, especially for more expensive pieces of equipment.

以下是这些选项的好处和风险，可以满足您的设备需求，以及一些技巧，以确保您正确覆盖。

设备租赁或租赁

• If you rent or lease equipment, you pay for the equipment rental only when you need it. Leasing can have tax advantages for you, and can be appealing for those who are hesitant to take on extra debt.
• Renting is usually a monthly arrangement, while leasing is better for longer jobs. You should consider renting or leasing equipment that you will use occasionally.
• Some pieces of equipment require more frequent repair – sometimes major repair – due to day-to-day use. By renting/leasing, you leave these costs with the rental/leasing agent, as they are typically borne by the rental/leasing agent.
• If renting or leasing equipment doesn’t seem like a good fit for your business model, consider borrowing equipment from another contractor on the job site, or that isn’t using the equipment at that time.

Insurance Considerations

Contractor’s equipment insurance policies can have different rules for rented, borrowed, and leased equipment as compared to the rules that may apply to equipment that is purchased. For example, the policy might not provide coverage for or may limit the value of rented, borrowed or leased equipment or it might exclude certain activities, such as waterborne construction.

同样，如果租赁代理提供设备租赁保险，则必须注意所涵盖的东西和未涵盖的东西。该保险只能涵盖某些危害，例如火灾。如果您将非所有设备借给其他人，它也可能排除覆盖范围。仔细检查条款和条件，以确保您不会在没有覆盖范围的情况下找到自己的位置。

Lastly, if you borrow equipment from another contractor,查看您的覆盖范围carefully with your agent. You’ll want to be certain there aren’t any gaps in coverage for this scenario.

购买建筑设备

• The more you use a piece of equipment, the more it makes sense to buy it. If the equipment will be used for many years, buying it can create long-term value and end up costing less overall than renting or leasing.
• Another advantage of owning construction equipment is that your employees will become accustomed to using it. Every time an employee uses a new piece of equipment, there is a learning period. If you buy a piece of equipment and have您的员工始终使用它，您可以建立他们的专业知识，可能避免发生事故。
• 最后，购买的长期成本更为可预测。您会知道您为设备的每月付款是多少，并熟悉其运营成本。

Insurance Considerations

If you decide to buy construction equipment, you should make sure it's covered under the right insurance. For example, if you buy a new concrete pump truck, is there coverage under your contractor insurance policy or the vehicle policy?

Some activities could also be excluded, like overloading a crane. You should review with your insurance agent how you plan on using the equipment to see if it's all covered.

承包商的设备政策typically have a reporting requirement for newly acquired equipment. This policy condition requires you to notify your insurer whenever you buy equipment that exceeds the policy limits. Ask your insurance agent whether your policy has such a condition so that you can ensure you are notifying your carrier within the specified timeframe.

最后，您应该确保新设备的正确价值。这对于全新设备来说很简单，因为这是购买价格。但是正确评估二手设备可能会更加困难。您应该与代理商合作以确定正确的估值。

使用翻新的设备

• Refurbishing an older, unique, or specialized piece of equipment that can’t easily be replaced is another option to consider. Additionally, if you are comfortable using a certain piece of equipment, you may prefer to continue using it. Refurbishing gives you this option.
• When considering whether to refurbish, you should consider the risks of maintaining an older piece of equipment. No matter how carefully you maintain everything, you still face the increased chance of equipment breaking down, and causing you to miss a project deadline. Also, replacement parts for older pieces of equipment may no longer be available or may be difficult to obtain.

Insurance Considerations

With refurbished equipment, the main insurance concern is determining the correct valuation. If the insurance company values the equipment based solely on its age, it could underestimate its worth. To avoid undervaluation, request that your policy list an agreed value for refurbished equipment.

Review your coverage and plan for your equipment with your insurance agent to ensure your new investment and business will be protected.