Generator finance
Generators are bought by contractors who cannot wait for a grid connection and by hire fleets who know a genset earns every day it is out.
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Yes. Site generators are funded as plant on hire purchase, whether that is a single silenced set for a contractor or a batch for a hire fleet. New and used both fund, and recognised makes such as Atlas Copco, JCB, Stephill and Himoinsa have an established second-hand market. The thing worth getting right is the distinction between a mobile site genset and a fixed standby installation. A skid or trailer-mounted machine is portable plant a funder can recover; a set installed into a building with switchgear and ducting is closer to a fixture, and that changes which funders will take it.
Who finances this
Groundworks and civils contractors on sites without a temporary supply, event and festival power suppliers, rail and highways contractors working away from the grid, and plant hire companies where generators sit among the most consistently utilised items on the fleet. The trigger for a contractor is usually a site with no connection and a programme that will not wait for one; for hire fleets it is replacing older, noisier and dirtier sets that main contractors no longer accept.
How lenders see it
Generators split neatly for a funder. Trailer and skid-mounted sets are proper portable plant, serial numbered, identifiable, resaleable to contractors, hire companies, events suppliers and farms, and they fund straightforwardly, often on a small-ticket basis for single units and as a block for fleets. Fixed standby installations are a different matter: once a set is bolted into a plant room with associated switchgear it is difficult to remove and sell, so it behaves more like a soft or fixture asset and belongs with funders who write installed equipment. Hire fleets are assessed on utilisation and fleet age. The emerging factor is emissions specification: older sets that cannot meet the standards main contractors now require are losing hire demand, and funders have started to price that into residuals.
Buying used
Yes for portable sets, typically up to around eight years. Rarely straightforward on used fixed installations, which are hard to recover and resell.
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Stage payments and retention
Flowzo funds the gap created by stage payments, long terms and retention, the cash flow problem the plant itself does not solve.
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Machines we have funded
| Atlas Copco QAS 25 | Small towable diesel generator |
|---|---|
| Atlas Copco QAS 60 | Mid size silenced diesel generator |
| Atlas Copco QAS 150 | Large site diesel generator |
| JCB G60QS | Silenced towable diesel generator |
| JCB G115QS | Larger silenced site generator |
| Stephill SSDP10000 | Portable diesel generator set |
| Stephill SSDK25 | Silenced skid mounted generator |
| Himoinsa HFW-60 | Canopied diesel generator set |
| Generac Mobile MGG 100 | Towable diesel generator set |
| Prolectric ProPower | Solar and battery power unit |
Portable, standby or prime-power generator: what are you buying?
These describe different aspects of a generator: portability is a layout, while standby and prime describe duty ratings. Compare the specified output at the duty you need.
| Option | When to consider it | Cost considerations | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable generator | A generator that needs to move between suitable locations. | Include leads, distribution and transport or handling arrangements. | Check output, starting loads, phase, connection requirements and the intended duty. |
| Standby-rated generator | Backup power at the rating and operating conditions specified by the manufacturer. | Include transfer equipment, installation, commissioning and maintenance. | Have the required loads and starting surges assessed before selecting a model. |
| Prime-rated generator | Use requiring the manufacturer's prime-power duty rather than a standby-only rating. | Compare the specified duty, fuel provision and service requirements. | Check the rated output for the actual load profile and manufacturer operating limits. |
Buying guidance checked 31 October 2026 against Caterpillar generator sizing, Caterpillar generator duty ratings. Compare the exact specification and a complete supplier quotation. Existing dated asking-price examples are separate from this guidance.
What a generator actually costs to buy
Prices for a generator advertised by UK suppliers run from £1,300 to £120,000 (checked 28 October 2026).
Rated kVA does not predict price. Stuart Group's own stock has a 2030kVA Cummins (XP20002) at £53,000 selling for under half the price of its own 1250kVA Cummins at £120,000, and Bellwood Rewinds' 150kVA Bruno GX150P (£10,800 inc VAT) undercuts its own 50kVA Airman SDG60AS-7B1 (£12,000 inc VAT). Engine brand, running hours and acoustic/canopy spec move price far more than the kVA rating printed on the nameplate.
| Machine | Asking price | Seen at |
|---|---|---|
| Pramac P6000 diesel generator (portable, single phase, as listed) | £1,300 +VAT | autotrader.co.uk |
| Sutton Power 9kVA diesel generator, used | £5,760.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Powerland 30kVA Cummins diesel generator, used | £6,500.00 inc VAT | powerland.co.uk |
| Sutton Power 9kVA diesel generator with extended fuel tank, used | £6,600.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Bruno 40kVA rental-spec diesel generator, used | £7,140.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Used Harrington 66kVA 52.8kW diesel generator | £7,500.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Bruno GX22P 20kVA diesel generator on trailer, used | £8,340.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Himoinsa HFW-60 T5 silenced diesel generator, used | £9,600.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Bruno GX150P 150kVA silenced diesel generator, used | £10,800.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Bruno GX72FE 60kVA diesel generator, used | £11,400.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Airman SDG60AS-7B1 50kVA super-silent diesel generator, used | £12,000.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Used Cummins 220kVA 176kW diesel generator (XP22049) | £12,750.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Teksan 275kVA silenced diesel generator, used | £15,300.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Used Volvo 275kVA 220kW diesel generator (XP27562) | £19,500.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Used Cummins 320kVA diesel generator | £24,000.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Broadcrown 350kVA diesel generator, model BCJD380-50, used | £24,600.00 inc VAT | bellwoodrewinds.co.uk |
| Used MTU 795kVA 636kW diesel generator with drop-over canopy (XP80036; an identical XP80037 is also listed at the same price) | £39,500.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Used MTU 860kVA 688kW diesel generator (XP85011) | £40,000.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Used Cummins 706kVA 565kW diesel generator (XP70019) | £47,500.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Used Cummins 2030kVA 1624kW diesel generator (XP20002) | £53,000.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
| Used Cummins 1250kVA diesel generator | £120,000.00 VAT not stated | stuartgroup.co.uk |
Prices checked 28 October 2026 on autotrader.co.uk, bellwoodrewinds.co.uk, powerland.co.uk, stuartgroup.co.uk. These are asking prices observed on dealer and marketplace listings, shown as examples. They are not a quote or an offer of finance, and they move with the market. Check the current advert before budgeting.
How finance works on a generator
The prices above are what a seller is asking. What a funder will actually do with the purchase is a separate question, and it is the one that decides whether the deal happens.
| Question | Typical answer |
|---|---|
| Term available | 12 to 72 months. Most agreements sit between 24 and 60 months; anything shorter or longer needs a funder check before you rely on it. |
| Age of the asset | There is no single cut-off. It depends on the asset class, and condition, hours and resale value are underwritten rather than the year alone. Tell us the age and we will say before you commit. |
| Buying from a private seller | Often possible, but case by case. It needs a funder who will write it, an inspection and proof of ownership, so say whether the seller is a dealer or a private seller when you enquire. |
| Deposit | Frequently nil where the credit profile is standard. Where it is not, typically 10–20%, nearer 20% if a default is recent. |
| VAT on the purchase | Both approaches exist, depending on the funder. The agreement is commonly written on the ex-VAT price with the VAT paid upfront and reclaimed, though some funders will include the VAT in the agreement. |
General guidance from our own funder panel as at 31 October 2026, not a quote and not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status and to the funder's own criteria.
Is a fixed standby generator funded the same way as a site set?
No. A portable set is plant a funder can recover and resell; a standby set installed into a building with switchgear is effectively a fixture and much harder to remove. Installed equipment goes to funders who write that specifically, often with a landlord waiver if the premises are leased.
Can I finance a battery hybrid power unit?
Yes, and funders are increasingly comfortable with them. Battery energy storage units paired with a small genset are now standard on carbon-conscious sites and hire demand is strong. The technology is newer, so residual evidence is thinner, but the hire rates and contractor demand support the case well.
Do emissions standards affect generator finance?
Increasingly yes, on the residual side. Main contractors and city authorities now specify cleaner sets, so older units are losing hire demand faster than they once did. A funder taking a view on what a set will be worth part way through an agreement has to allow for that, which affects older stock more than new.
Can a hire company fund a batch of generators?
Yes, and it is the normal route. Multiple units on one invoice with each serial itemised makes a properly sized agreement. Many funders will provide a facility allowing drawdowns as sets are delivered, based on utilisation figures and the age profile of the existing fleet rather than unit-by-unit applications.
Are generators covered by standard plant insurance?
Portable sets normally sit under a plant all risks policy with the funder’s interest noted, the same as any other plant. Installed sets may need to be covered under the buildings or business interruption policy instead. Check which applies before delivery, because cover has to be in place before the funder releases payment.
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