Financing Commercial Equipment for Inspectors

While small business owners, including inspectors, may want to avoid incurring additional debt whenever possible, financing expensive purchases will help them maintain a positive cash flow. This is essential for any company’s survival, especially in the current economic climate that’s seeing so many small businesses close their doors.

Perhaps the inspector needs to outfit a new office with a copier, computer system or furniture. Or, s/he might need field gear, such as photography equipment to document inspections, or a thermal imaging camera to detect and measure heat loss from a building envelope. Inspectors who are in the market for a work vehicle or other high-ticket capital purchases for their expanding inspection business would do well to finance such acquisitions using a commercial equipment loan. In some cases, the inspector may opt for a lease instead. Before paging through any online catalogs and loading up the virtual shopping cart, the inspector should do some homework first to find the best financing deal to maintain financial flexibility and a healthy bank account.

Depending on the equipment, financing a lease instead of a purchase may make more sense.  Items based on technology, such as computers and copiers, for example, tend to undergo manufacturers’ updates and revamps more frequently than, say, furniture and other items that are built to last.  When a piece of equipment will stand the test of time, it’s a reasonable move to finance its purchase.  If the item is subject to planned obsolescence, it’s more savvy to lease.  For commercial equipment, there are several considerations that the inspector should explore.

There are a few different options available when it comes to leasing, and most lenders offer them.

A deferred lease allows you to skip the first two or three months of payments, as well as any down payment. This is useful for people with strong credit and the need to acquire expensive commercial equipment right away, but without the cash flow for immediate loan servicing. Once the repayment kicks in, the amount tends to be higher than with other types of leases.

A step-up lease is similar to a deferred lease, but no initial payments are skipped; they are simply lower, and the amount increases as the term progresses. Start-ups, and small business owners whose cash flow situation is sluggish but not dire, opt for this type of lease, with the advantage that subsequent payments are increased, compared to the first several payments, but they’re still manageable.

A skip lease allows the borrower to skip different months of repayment during the term while interest still accrues. This is a typical choice for businesses that experience seasonal slow periods, and prevents them from defaulting on their lease agreements or having the financed equipment repossessed.

There is no right or best option across the board for the inspector or any small business when it comes to commercial loans. Your smartest choice will depend on your company’s unique circumstances, as well as the equipment you have your eye on. But some generalities regarding commercial equipment financing can be summed up in the following lists.

• You own the equipment.
• You can expense the purchase during the first year.
• Commercial loan rates are generally manageable, especially if your credit history is solid and you use an SBA-backed lender.  Generally speaking, the more high-ticket the item is, the lower the interest rate will be, and the loan term will tend to be longer, as well.
• The item is considered a capital asset, which speaks to your company’s overall financial fitness.
  
  

The Downside of Purchasing:

• Because the item starts depreciating in value after the first year (check IRS rules and regulations), the buyer may not be able to secure 100% financing using a commercial loan, and may be required to finance part of the purchase out-of-pocket as a down payment.
• A commercial loan generally means that the item purchased is named as collateral, so it can be repossessed if the borrower defaults on the loan.
  
  

The Upside of Leasing:

• Up-front cash for application and other fees is minimal, usually between 10% and 20%.
• Business owners with weak credit histories can obtain leases more easily than financing for purchases with commercial loans.
• You can contract short-term for more high-end equipment whose cost would ultimately be prohibitive as a financed purchase. 
• Maintenance on the item is taken care of by the vendor.
• Depending on the item leased, it can generally be upgraded at the end of the term with a lease renewal. This is especially important for computer systems, and even service vehicles.
• Under a “true lease,” the item may be purchased outright at fair market value or at a discounted rate at the end of the contract while expensing the payments during the term of the lease.
  
  

The Downside of Leasing:

• In the long run, leases are more expensive than other types of financing options because of the higher interest rate charged over a comparatively shorter loan term.
• Additional charges for delivery, set-up, training and service calls may be built into the financing agreement.
• If you purchase the item at the end of the lease term using a conditional sale or “rent-to-own” lease, also known as a finance lease, you can’t take advantage of tax breaks since you will own the item by the end of the lease term. 
• Breaking a lease before the end of the contracted term can cost the borrower significant penalties.
• Without the proper lease agreement, default means repossession, and a ding on your credit.