Owned vs Contractor Calculator
Should you buy machinery or hire a contractor? Get an instant verdict based on your real costs.
Track ownership costs and depreciation against every asset in your fleet — free.
Annual saving
£7,380
30.8% cheaper
Owning
Contractor
Break-even: at ~42 days the costs are equal. You're already past break-even.
Task Details
Your Machinery (1)
Running Costs — Labour & Fuel
Include your own time
Contractor Rate
UK average: £150–£550/day for most plant operations
When Owning Wins
Typically favours owning:
- · High usage (800+ hrs/year)
- · Multiple tasks per machine
- · Tight timeliness windows
- · Long-term fleet expansion
Typically favours contracting:
- · Low usage (<500 hrs/year)
- · Specialist one-off jobs
- · Limited capital / high rates
- · Variable workload
Typical UK Rates 2026
Should You Own Machinery or Hire a Contractor in 2026?
With new plant and vehicle prices climbing and finance rates elevated, the buy-or-hire decision is one of the biggest financial choices for any fleet operator. This calculator builds the full cost picture on both sides so you can make it with confidence.
What the calculator includes
The owned cost covers straight-line depreciation (purchase price minus salvage value over working life), annual maintenance, labour at your specified rate, and fuel. Where a machine does multiple jobs, you enter total annual use so only the proportional cost is attributed to this task. The contractor cost is simply your quoted rate multiplied by volume.
Track Every Asset's True Cost of Ownership
FleetBolt lets you store key specs and costs against every vehicle and machine, free to get started.
Get Started Free