Equipment Cost Per Hour Calculator: Owning and Operating Cost
An equipment cost per hour calculator answers a simple question: what does each loader, truck or crusher hour really cost you? Most owners know the fuel number. Fewer count the purchase price, financing and insurance spread across the hours they run.
This free Equipment Owning & Operating Cost-Per-Hour Calculator from LiveFixPro Bookkeeping estimates owning cost per hour and operating cost per hour from your own numbers. It suits mining and quarry operators, contractors and anyone who runs heavy equipment.
It runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, sent or stored, and it works offline once the page is open.
No account and no uploads. This tool sets no cookies and has no analytics of its own.
What the calculator asks for
Every number is your own, and nothing is preset.
Owning costs
Purchase price ($).
Expected resale value at end of life ($).
Expected life (total hours).
Hours you use it per year.
Financing cost (% per year). The loan rate, or what your money could earn.
Insurance per year ($).
Storage and other yearly costs ($).
Operating costs (per hour of use)
Fuel used (gallons per hour) and fuel price per gallon ($).
Maintenance and repair costs ($ per hour).
Tires, wear parts and attachments ($ per hour).
Other operating costs ($ per hour).
Operator cost ($ per hour), optional. One figure you enter.
Want a quick look? Tap Load a sample.
What you get back
Result cards: owning cost per hour, operating cost per hour, and the total per hour with no operator. If you enter an operator cost, you also get a total per hour with the operator.
A line-by-line table: value used up per hour, financing, insurance and other yearly costs, fuel, maintenance, wear parts and other costs.
A plain-English summary with the estimated cost per hour of use, the years of life at your yearly hours, and the cost over a year of use.
Print or download a CSV.
How it's worked out
Value used up per hour = (purchase price minus resale value) divided by life hours.
Financing per hour = average value times your % divided by hours per year.
Yearly costs, such as insurance and storage, are divided by hours per year.
Fuel per hour = gallons per hour times price per gallon.
This is a planning estimate, a straight-line view of cost. It isn't an accounting method, and your books may record the equipment differently.
Ways to use the number
Compare it with what you charge for the machine, or with the rate quoted to rent or hire one.
Run it for each major unit. Hours of use change the answer a lot, so use real hours from your logs.
Track equipment costs by unit in QuickBooks®, so maintenance and fuel numbers come from the books.
What this tool is not
It's for cost planning only. It gives no safety or regulatory guidance. For mine and quarry safety rules, use the MSHA website (msha.gov).
Want equipment and job costs tracked in your books?
LiveFixPro Bookkeeping's published prices are $1,999 fixed for Cleanup for QuickBooks® Users and $499/mo for monthly bookkeeping. What each includes is confirmed on the free consult. Book a free consult and we'll talk through where your books stand.
FAQ
What does an equipment cost per hour calculator include?
It adds owning cost per hour and operating cost per hour. Owning cost spreads the purchase price (less resale value), financing, insurance and storage across your hours. Operating cost adds fuel, maintenance, wear parts and other costs per hour of use. The calculator does the math from your numbers.
What is the difference between owning cost and operating cost?
Owning cost is what the machine costs you whether it runs or not, spread over your hours. Operating cost is what you spend for each hour it runs, such as fuel and maintenance.
Should I include the operator?
It's optional. Enter an operator cost per hour and the calculator shows a total with the operator as well as the total without.
Is this an accounting method?
No. It's a straight-line planning estimate from your own numbers, and your books may record the equipment differently. The tool gives no safety or regulatory guidance.
Does it upload or store my numbers?
No. It runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, sent or stored.
Run your numbers now
Use the calculator above to estimate your cost per hour, and book a free consult if you'd like help getting equipment costs tracked in your books.
QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit.
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QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit.