Lawn Aeration Equipment: To Buy or To Rent?
November 12, 2021
Summary
At the beginning of every Spring/Fall season, it gets me thinking of how I first got into business, and a question that every part-time or full-time business owner asks themselves: Should I buy, or should I rent an aerator?
I first started in business through the unconventional way of lawn aeration, and then later I got into mowing and landscaping. I met another firefighter who was getting out of the business and purchased a walk behind Exmark aerator from him for $800.
At first this seemed like a lot, however, a new aerator would have been around $3,000 or more depending on some dealers. For the first few years I aerated lawns and made back my investment that I made in the equipment, and then I began saving for a stand on mower.
It was an unusual way to get into the business, however as a part-time business owner, I knew that I needed to keep my costs down and try to outright buy my equipment rather than taking on a loan and making payments on it being new in the business.
Some business owners might prefer to own equipment as it is an asset, and they might say taking a loan to buy equipment would be a smart idea. However, for some, an even smarter way to go about it may be to rent.
Over the past few years, I have found that renting a stand on aerator has become more beneficial for my business over owning a walk behind aerator, and for a few reasons.
4 Reasons Why You Should Rent Aeration Equipment
The cost of renting a stand on aerator for a day ($160 is what I pay) can easily be made up in as little as 1-2 aerations.
- Besides washing and gassing the aerator back up, I don’t have to worry about any of the maintenance each time I rent it. If you have any problems, you can take it back, and if they can’t fix it right away, they will get you set up with another aerator. So down time is very minimal and reduced for any unforeseeable issues.
- I can use the newest top of the line equipment each season, compared to one I own that continues to be outdated year by year. Everyone seems to want the newest and best. Why not be able to always use the newest and best without having to pay the thousands of dollars to do it?
- As lawn aeration is a seasonal service for my business, owning an aerator still costs money as there are other costs involved year-round. Even though I may not be using it, I still must utilize space to store it, pay insurance on it, and continue to maintain it so it is ready to go for the next season. Why not pass on those “costs” to someone else by renting one instead?
For some businesses, lawn aeration may be a service that they offer only a few times a year, and for others it may be a service they offer year-round. This is a question you need to ask yourself as well. Where do I fall when it comes to lawn aeration being a part of my business?
Unlike mowers, trimmers, and blowers, for most businesses aerators are not a piece of equipment that is going to continually generate income throughout the whole year, year after year. If it is, then buying an aerator may be more beneficial than renting one.
However, if you do opt to go and buy an aerator, always check with your local dealer or online to see if you can find a deal like I did. The savings you have can then be applied elsewhere in your business, such as marketing or equipment you use all the time which generates even more money.
We always ask ourselves as business owners, how can we be more efficient, increase our profits, and decrease our costs? Ask yourself: Would renting over buying be more beneficial for my business in the long run?