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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on April 13, 2022
Investment range
$8,550 - $18,100
Revenue potential
$62,000 - $156,000 p.a.
Time to build
1 – 3 months
Profit potential
$50,000 - $125,000 p.a.
Industry trend
Growing
Commitment
Flexible
Important points to remember when setting up your equipment rental business:
Starting an equipment rental business has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you.
Trends in the equipment rental industry include:
Challenges in the equipment rental industry include:
Startup costs for an equipment rental business range from $8,500 to $18,000, although the costs vary widely depending on the type of equipment. These calculations assume that you will start out with large tools such as chainsaws, tile saws, drills, power washers, and so on. Costs also include the down payment on a truck or van to transport your equipment.
Be sure to have an equipment rental agreement in place that customers must sign, and it should include a liability waiver in case someone is injured by the equipment. Also, make sure that your equipment is properly insured.
| Start-up Costs | Ballpark Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up a business name and corporation | $150 - $200 | $175 |
| Business licenses and permits | $100 - $300 | $200 |
| Insurance | $100-$300 | $200 |
| Business cards and brochures | $200 - $300 | $250 |
| Website setup | $1,000 - $3,000 | $2,000 |
| 10 - 20 pieces of equipment | $5,000 - $10,000 | $7,500 |
| Software to track equipment | $500 - $1,000 | $750 |
| Down payment on a truck to transport equipment | $1,500 - $3,000 | $2,250 |
| Total | $8,550 - $18,100 | $13,325 |
Daily rental rates for most smaller tools average about $40. Your profit margin should be about 80%.
In your first year or two, you might have 10 pieces of equipment and rent six of them five days per week, bringing in more than $62,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $50,000 in profit, assuming that 80% margin. As your business gains traction, you could add 10 more pieces of equipment and rent 15 of them five days a week. With annual revenue of $156,000, you’d make a healthy profit of $125,000.
There are a few barriers to entry for an equipment rental business. Your biggest challenges will be:
Now that you know what’s involved in starting an equipment rental business, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market.
Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.
Research equipment rental businesses in your area to examine their products, price points, and what rents best. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a business that rents wet tile saws, or party supplies and party equipment like bouncy houses and karaoke machines.
You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as construction equipment or larger tools for the do-it-yourself-er.
This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away.
You’ll just need to determine what equipment you want to rent. You should specialize in a certain type of equipment so that you can focus on a certain target market. You might want to call construction or remodeling companies to see what they are most likely to rent. Read how Lenny Tim innovated in the mobility scooter rental business and glean insights that could revolutionize your entrepreneurial approach.
Prices will vary based on the type of equipment that you rent. Check local market prices to make sure you’re competitive. You should aim for a profit margin of about 80%.
Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.
Your target market will either be construction-related companies or homeowners. You should spread out your marketing to include TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out a storage space for your equipment. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.
When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:
Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:
Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool below. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these.
Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.
Here are the key components of a business plan:
If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.
Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.
Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business!
Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to equipment rental.
If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state.
Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your equipment rental business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely.
Here are the main options:
We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization, and answer any questions you might have.
Choose Your State
The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN.
Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.
The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist, and taxes can be filed online.
It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.
Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:
Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding an equipment rental business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.
Starting an equipment rental business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.
Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits.
You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more.
You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package. They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.
This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.
If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.
Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account.
Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your equipment rental business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.
Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.
Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.
Here are some types of insurance to consider:
As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business.
Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.
You may want to use industry-specific software, such as Rental 360, EZ Rent Out, or Point of Rental, to manage your inventory, schedule, invoices, and payments.
Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.
You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.
They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google.
Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:
Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your equipment rental business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire.
Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your equipment rental business could be:
You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running an equipment rental business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in equipment rental for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections.
The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in equipment rental. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership.
If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for an equipment rental business include:
At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need.
Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed, Glassdoor, or ZipRecruiter. Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent.
An equipment rental business is a great opportunity to start a company that can grow. You can run your business from home and make an excellent living. Start with small stuff, work your way up to larger items and someday your business could rival United Rentals, the largest equipment rental company in the world!
Now that you understand the business of equipment rental, it’s time to head to the hardware store and start shopping so you can start your successful entrepreneurial journey.
Yes, you can make good money from equipment rentals since your ongoing expenses will be low. The key is to purchase the equipment that people will be most likely to rent.
It is important to establish a maintenance schedule and set procedures for handling repairs, including regular inspections and preventative maintenance, as well as prompt response to customer complaints or concerns.
Yes, it is possible to start an equipment rental business on the side, although it may require significant time and effort to manage both the business and your other commitments. It is important to carefully consider your available time, resources, and expertise, as well as the potential demand for your services and the competition in the market.
Renting out heavy machinery or specialized equipment may be subject to additional regulations and safety requirements, depending on the type of equipment and the industry in which it is used. It is important to research and comply with all relevant regulations and safety standards, and to ensure that your staff and customers are trained and educated on safe operation and handling of the equipment.
To increase customer retention for your equipment rental business, you can focus on providing exceptional customer service, including prompt response to inquiries and complaints, flexible rental terms, and personalized attention to each customer’s needs. You can also offer loyalty programs or incentives for repeat business, and regularly communicate with customers to stay top of mind and offer new promotions or deals.
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