Job-site material handling is a different world than warehouse material handling, and the equipment that works in a distribution center will get stuck in the mud before lunch on a construction site. Rough terrain, grade changes, soft ground, and the need to reach a second-floor deck or a rooftop material drop require equipment that was designed for these conditions, not adapted from a warehouse environment.
We financerough-terrain forklifts, telehandlers, andmasted rough-terrain unitsfor general contractors, framing crews, masonry contractors, roofing companies, and construction material handlers. The minimum is $50,000. Single units priced roughly $80k–$150k are common in this segment, and we fund individual units as readily as multi-unit deals. New or used, B/C credit considered, funding generally lands within seven to fourteen days.
Construction financing has a project rhythm that bank lending does not accommodate well. You win a contract, you need equipment by mobilization date, and a financing process that takes six weeks loses you the window between the award and the first day on site. We work on a short-cycle timeline because that is what the job requires.
Job-Site Equipment We Finance
The telehandler is the most versatile material handler on a commercial construction site. A 10,000-pound telehandler with 55 feet of reach handles pallet drops at height, steel placement, material staging at the slab, and deck work that would otherwise require a crane or a separate man-lift. Major telehandler brands in this capacity range include JLG, Manitou, SkyTrak, and Merlo, and we finance all of these with our equipment desk.Telehandler financingfor construction is one of the most common transactions we close.
Rough-terrain forklifts handle the flatter yard moves and pallet staging at grade that a telehandler would be oversized for. A 6,000 to 8,000 pound pneumatic rough-terrain unit in LPG or diesel is the utility player on a site that has both grade-level material handling and is not necessarily doing high lifts. We also fund diesel rough-terrain units, which see heavy use on sites where refueling is coordinated with other diesel equipment on site.
Masonry contractors working on commercial projects often run heavy-capacity units for block and stone placement. Ahigh-capacity forkliftrated for 15,000 pounds or more handles full stone cubes, precast panels, and block delivery pallets that a standard 5,000-pound unit cannot safely manage. These are higher-cost units with a more specialized buyer pool, and we work with lenders who understand the masonry contractor market rather than applying warehouse forklift valuation logic to a heavy-spec job-site unit.
How Construction Equipment Financing Works Here
The process starts with the equipment choice and the dealer or seller you are buying from. Tell us the unit, the seller, and the approximate purchase price. We open the application, you provide recent business operating statements, and we issue a credit decision typically within one business day. For deals under $400,000, that is the full document requirement. No tax returns, no audited financials, no project revenue projections.
Construction companies with project-based revenue that shows spikes and valleys in the bank statements are not a problem. We see this pattern regularly in the general contracting segment. The question is whether the business has adequate volume over the three-month window to support the monthly payment on the equipment. If the statements show it, we can structure it.
Payment structures that align with project cash flow are available through select lenders. A contractor who gets paid at project milestones rather than on a monthly cycle may benefit from a structured payment schedule that front-loads payments lighter and catches up at milestone payment events. Not all lenders offer this, but we know which ones do and we match the deal accordingly.
Adollar-buyout leaseis the most common structure for contractors who want to own the iron at the end of the term. You make the lease payments, the equipment is yours for a dollar at lease end, and you own a clear-titled asset with no residual payment surprise. Contractors who want to capitalize the equipment fully and take the Section 179 deduction may prefer a loan structure instead, and we can show you both side by side before you choose.
Other Structures That Work for Contractors
Contractors who own job-site equipment outright and need capital for a bonding requirement, a project deposit, or an equipment purchase ahead of a contract start can use acash-out refinanceon the existing iron. If you have three paid-off rough-terrain units sitting on your yard, that is real equity, and we can turn it into working capital without selling the equipment. The trucks stay in your fleet. You get the cash in about two weeks. Monthly payment on the refinance replaces the zero payment you had before.
Used construction equipment financing is also a substantial part of our volume in this segment. A used JLG telehandler or a used Manitou rough-terrain unit with reasonable hours is a legitimate financing target. Used construction forklifts priced roughly $50k–$150k at auction or through dealer used-equipment programs are bought on the same application process as new units. We fund private-party and auction purchases in this segment regularly.
Contractor Financing Questions
Get the Equipment Before Mobilization
Tell us the unit, the dealer, and when you need it on site. We work on a short-cycle timeline from application to funded, which is tight enough for most project schedules. Construction operators needing material handling at the site also look atbuilding materials and lumber yardsfor coordinated supply and equipment. Either way, the site does not wait on the financing process.