Piling rig finance
Piling rigs are among the most specialised assets in construction, and funders price that specialism into everything from the advance to the inspection.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a piling rig?
Yes, though piling rigs need a funder who understands them rather than a general plant lessor. Rigs are high-value hard assets with an international used market, and both new and used are fundable. What shapes the deal is that a rig is nothing without its tooling: augers, casings, kelly bars, hammers and drill strings can represent a very large share of what you are actually spending, and unless they are itemised on the same invoice the funder is only securing the base machine. Piling contractors routinely underestimate this and end up self-funding the tooling.
Used kit: Yes. Used rigs are funded regularly, commonly up to around ten years, with hours, tooling condition and recent overhaul history driving the valuation.
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What would a piling rig cost per month?
Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
How lenders treat it
Piling sits with specialist heavy plant funders and, frequently, with sale and leaseback structures rather than straight purchase finance. Security is real: Bauer, Soilmec, Casagrande and Junttan rigs sell internationally and values are well tracked. But the domestic buyer pool is tiny, transport is a major exercise and a repossessed rig needs a specialist sale, so funders assume a long disposal and structure conservatively. Tooling is the recurring issue — a rig without matched tooling is worth far less, and funders increasingly want the tooling inside the agreement. Established piling contractors with a visible order book and a track record get funded readily, including through refinance of existing rigs to support working capital. What fails is a civils contractor with no piling experience buying a rig for one scheme.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Soilmec SR-45 | Rotary bored piling rig |
| Soilmec SM-14 | Compact multipurpose piling rig |
| Bauer BG 24 H | Rotary drilling piling rig |
| Bauer BG 15 H | Mid size rotary piling rig |
| Casagrande B125 | Rotary piling rig for bored piles |
| Casagrande C6 XP | Compact drilling and piling rig |
| Junttan PM20LC | Hydraulic driven pile rig |
| Movax SG-75 | Excavator mounted side grip vibro |
| Liebherr LRB 18 | Piling and drilling rig |
| Dando Terrier | Compact site investigation rig |
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Who buys one
Specialist piling contractors, ground engineering and underpinning firms, and larger civils businesses who pile their own foundations on repeat housing or infrastructure work. The trigger is usually a sustained order book rather than a single job — a housebuilder framework, a run of basement schemes, or ground conditions across a region that keep generating piled foundation solutions — combined with a subcontract piling bill that has become impossible to justify.
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We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in plant and construction.
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Piling rig finance questions
Can the augers and casings be included in the finance?
They should be. Tooling can account for a very large share of the total spend and a rig without matched tooling is worth substantially less. Ask the supplier to itemise augers, kelly bars, casings and hammers on the same invoice so the funder secures the working package rather than just the carrier.
Is sale and leaseback common for piling rigs?
Yes, more so than in most plant sectors. Piling contractors carry significant capital in owned rigs and releasing it against the fleet is a recognised way to fund working capital or a new rig. The funder values the rig, takes title and leases it back. Order book strength supports the amount available.
Can a mini piling rig be funded more easily?
Generally yes. Restricted access and sectional flight auger rigs are lower value, more numerous and bought by a wider set of underpinning and basement contractors, so the assumed disposal period is shorter. They still go to a specialist desk, but the underwriting is less demanding than for a large rotary rig.
Do I need piling experience to be approved?
In practice, yes. Funders are very reluctant to back a first-time entrant into piling because the operational and insurance risks are serious and a rig cannot be redeployed to other work. A contractor with piling history, trained operators and a visible order book is a completely different application.
How long does specialist rig finance take to arrange?
Longer than a standard plant deal. Expect a proper underwriting process, likely an inspection, and questions about tooling and order book. Starting early matters, particularly where a rig is being imported or where a sale and leaseback needs a valuation. Bring us in before you commit to the purchase.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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