Survey Equipment Finance

Surveying equipment finance is business lending that lets you buy total stations, GNSS systems, laser scanners, survey drones and related software and pay for them over a fixed term instead of upfront. The equipment acts as security for the loan. Most files are written as a chattel mortgage over three to five years, with repayments set to suit your cash flow.

Total stations (manual, robotic and scanning), GNSS rover and base systems, network RTK kits, 3D laser scanners, survey drones with LiDAR or photogrammetry payloads, digital levels, field controllers, tablets, tripods and prism kits. Perpetual software licences bought with the hardware can often be included too. If it has a serial number and a clear business purpose, there is likely a lender who will fund it.

As a rough guide, a manual total station starts around $15,000, robotic total stations typically run $30,000 to $70,000 or more, a GNSS rover kit starts around $20,000 and a full base and rover setup can pass $60,000. 3D laser scanners run from about $50,000 to well over $150,000, and survey drones with LiDAR payloads usually sit between $40,000 and $80,000 as a package.

Often, yes. Perpetual licences for processing, CAD and field software bought alongside the hardware can usually be bundled into the same facility, although most lenders cap how much of the total can be software rather than physical equipment. Annual subscriptions and RTK correction services are generally paid as operating costs rather than financed. We check each lender's position before submitting.

It can be. Dealer promotional finance is sometimes genuinely competitive, but a low headline number can be offset by a higher equipment price, and some programs tie you to one brand or a set upgrade cycle. Ask the dealer for the cash price, then compare the total cost of both options. If the dealer offer comes out ahead, take it.

Paying cash avoids interest but ties up working capital that a surveying business usually needs for wages, vehicles and slow paying clients. Finance keeps cash in the business and spreads the cost across the years the equipment is earning income. Depending on the structure, interest and depreciation may be tax deductible, so it is worth confirming with your accountant.

Yes. Used and ex demo instruments from authorised dealers are straightforward, particularly with a recent calibration certificate and a dealer tax invoice. Private sales are harder because lenders want to verify serial numbers, ownership and condition, and older instruments can fall outside some lenders' age limits. We match used purchases to lenders whose policy fits the equipment.

Yes. Surveyors leaving a firm to start their own practice are a common file for us. Lenders look at your years in the industry, your qualifications or registration, any work already lined up and your personal credit history. A deposit or property ownership widens the lender pool considerably, but neither is always essential.

Yes, bad credit is workable. Prior defaults, judgments or a thin credit file narrow the lender pool rather than close it. Specialist non bank lenders assess the full picture, including what caused the issue and how the business is trading now. A clear explanation and recent bank statements go a long way.

For most files under $150,000 you need an ABN, GST registration, your driver's licence, recent business bank statements (typically three to six months) and the dealer quote or tax invoice. Larger files or newer businesses may also need financials, a current BAS or an accountant's letter. We tell you exactly what is needed before you provide anything.

Terms typically run from one to five years. Many surveyors match the term to their upgrade cycle, which is often three to four years for GNSS and total stations. A balloon payment is optional. It lowers the regular repayment in exchange for a lump sum at the end, and whether to use one is entirely your choice based on cash flow and upgrade plans.

Yes. Survey drones with LiDAR or photogrammetry payloads are financed as income producing equipment, not consumer electronics. The aircraft, payload, spare batteries, base station and processing software are best bundled into one facility. Lender appetite is strongest when the drone is operated commercially by a business holding the appropriate CASA approvals.

Rental suits short projects, one off specialist jobs, or trialling an instrument before committing. If the gear is used on most jobs, rental costs add up quickly and financing usually works out cheaper over the life of the instrument, while building equity in an asset you own. Many firms own their core kit and hire specialist gear like scanners as jobs require.

Straightforward files with clean credit and a dealer quote are typically approved within 24 to 72 hours. New ABN files, private sales or larger amounts take longer, usually up to one to two weeks, because they need a fuller credit narrative. Once documents are signed, settlement is paid directly to the dealer.

Chattel mortgage is the most common because you own the equipment from day one and GST registered businesses can generally claim the GST on the purchase price. Finance leases and hire purchase can suit some tax positions better. Your accountant is the right person to confirm which structure fits, and we set up the application accordingly.