Crane finance for mobile and crawler lifting equipment
Crane finance can spread eligible purchase costs for lifting contractors and plant-hire businesses buying new or used mobile, crawler and other specialist cranes. Sorbus can discuss suitable lender options once the crane, ownership, inspection evidence and business case are clear. A lifting capacity or purchase value does not guarantee funding.
Request a conversationPurchase price and total funding requirement
Capacity, boom and jib package, counterweights, carrier configuration, hours and maintenance materially affect crane value. Delden’s UK crawler-crane business provides specialist market context, not a public whole-market cash-price range. Obtain an itemised quote including transport, assembly, testing and included accessories. A crane sold without essential counterweights is not a like-for-like price comparison. No generic low-value asset APR or deposit band is carried over into this guide.
Indicative only. Deposits, terms and structures depend on the asset, the business and funder criteria.
Before you commit to a supplier
- Supply full crane specification, boom and jib configuration, load charts, counterweight schedule and serial identifiers.
- Provide service, inspection and examination records, with independent technical advice for the intended lifting duties.
- Explain utilisation, work pipeline, contract responsibilities and cash flow after operator, transport, insurance and maintenance costs.
- Identify legal title, any existing security, import arrangements and the supplier’s payment and delivery conditions.
What lenders may ask about your business
Prepare filed and current management accounts, bank statements, cash-flow forecasts, existing commitments and the proposed deposit. Time trading, performance, credit history, asset valuation, supplier credentials and the commercial purpose all affect assessment. A recently established business may have fewer options. Criteria differ: neither approval, a particular term nor a rate is guaranteed. The amount financed can differ from the purchase price after VAT, trade-in settlement, deposits and costs the lender does not accept.
Financing a used mobile and crawler crane finance
Assess both carrier and superstructure on a used mobile crane; a roadworthy carrier alone is not enough. On crawlers, inspect undercarriage, structural components, reeving and configuration completeness. A lender valuation is not a safety certification. The required technical examinations and operating permissions remain the operator’s responsibility.
An illustrative example
Hypothetical example: a crane-hire operator plans an additional crawler for infrastructure work. It presents the crane and counterweights schedule, mobilisation budget and realistic contracted utilisation. Cash flow allows for weather disruption and maintenance rather than assuming every day is chargeable. A proposed balloon needs a defensible residual view and remains an end-of-term obligation.
Hypothetical scenario for illustration, not a real client or a quote.
Common finance options
- Hire purchase
- You pay instalments and title normally passes to the business only once all contractual payments, and any option-to-purchase fee, have been paid.
- Finance lease
- The funder owns the asset and you rent it for the agreed term. There is no automatic transfer of ownership; end-of-term options depend on the agreement.
- Operating lease
- Only possible where a funder will take a residual value view on the asset. Return conditions, hours or usage limits usually apply.
- Refinance / sale and HP back
- Releasing capital from equipment you already own may be considered, subject to valuation and the funder's criteria.
For VAT and tax treatment, speak to your accountant.
Questions about mobile and crawler crane finance
Can mobile and crawler cranes be financed?+
Both can be considered, but lender appetite varies by specification, value, age and applicant. A full configuration schedule is needed.
Can a used crane be funded?+
Potentially. Inspection, maintenance, title, resale evidence and business affordability are important. Valuation does not replace lifting-safety checks.
Can jibs and counterweights be included?+
They may form part of a documented package. Confirm what is actually supplied, owned and valued; missing components can change the working configuration.
Can imported cranes be financed?+
Possibly, with additional checks on supplier, ownership, delivery, currency and applicable compliance. Agree the transaction before paying a deposit.
Is crane refinancing available?+
Eligible owned equipment may be considered after valuation, title and existing finance checks. The outstanding settlement affects available equity.
Will a contract guarantee a crane finance approval?+
No. Lenders consider the contract, wider cash flow, commitments and crane value. One contract may not support the full agreement term.
Independent references
Research checked 21 October 2026. These are third-party references used for context; they do not review or endorse this page.
- Delden Cranes: crawler crane sales, hire and serviceUK specialist market context for crawler cranes. No relationship with Sorbus or machine-specific cash price is claimed.
If you know them, please include the estimated asset value, the supplier and your intended purchase date in the message field below. Leave them out if you are not sure yet.
Who you could speak to
Aiden Wootton
Construction & Engineering Specialist
Construction, engineering, manufacturing, plant and trades
- STEP 1
A conversation with a broker
You talk to a real Sorbus broker about the business, the purpose and what is affordable. No application at this stage.
- STEP 2
Credit placement
If you choose to go further, we prepare the case and decide which lenders on our panel of 150+ are worth approaching.
- STEP 3
Lender assessment
The lender, not Sorbus, underwrites and makes the credit decision. Approval is never guaranteed.
- STEP 4
Documentation
If a lender offers terms and you accept, we help coordinate agreements and payout paperwork with you.
Every step after the first is optional. You can stop after the conversation. Sorbus is a broker, not a lender.
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