How this calculation works
This calculator compares the full life-cycle cost of renting tools or machinery against purchasing, taking into account delivery fees, sales taxes, ongoing maintenance, and residual resale equity.
Key formulas
- Total rental outlays: Daily rental rate multiplied by annual usage days, plus delivery or damage waiver fees per rental episode, multiplied by your comparison years.
- Total purchase outlays: Initial purchase price plus state and local sales tax, plus annual maintenance, blade replacement, and storage over the horizon.
- Ending equipment equity: Estimated fair market resale value of the tool at the end of the ownership horizon.
- Net cost to buy: Total purchase outlays minus ending resale equity. This reflects the true economic cost (actual depreciation + maintenance + sales tax).
- Break-even usage days: The number of days per year you must use the equipment so that annual rental charges equal your annualized net ownership cost.
Sources and benchmark dates
Rental rates and delivery fees reflect Home Depot Tool Rental and Sunbelt Rentals benchmarks. Equipment resale values and depreciation curves are informed by used machinery market data. Maintenance and storage overhead guidelines reflect American Rental Association (ARA) cost-of-ownership standards. Checked on 2026-10-12.
A planning estimate based on your inputs and the assumptions shown. Actual equipment longevity, repair costs, and local rental rates vary.