Heavy Equipment Appraisal Pricing

Transparent pricing ranges for USPAP-compliant heavy equipment appraisals. Choose a desktop or on-site scope, then we confirm your exact fee based on asset count, complexity, location, and deadline.

Starting at $500–$850 (desktop) and $2,500+ (on-site). Exact quote after we confirm intended use, effective date, and scope.

USPAP-Compliant Nationwide Coverage Since 2009 Desktop / On-site / Hybrid Starting-At-Ranges Add-Ons & Rush Options
See Pricing Menu How Pricing Works

Send your asset list (or photos), location, intended use, and deadline—we’ll confirm your exact fee and turnaround within 1 business day (usually faster). Prefer phone? Call (844) VAL-UATE.

Typical response within 1 business day.

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What You Receive

A reviewer-ready report package that documents what was done, what was relied on, and why the conclusion is supportable. So you don’t get stuck in lender/auditor back-and-forth.

1. Reviewer Summary Page

Intended use/users, value premise, effective date, scope, and conclusion. Stated up front so a reviewer can validate fit-for-purpose fast.

2. Scope & Inspection Disclosure

Exactly what was inspected (or not), by whom, and how condition was determined. So the report can’t be attacked for hidden assumptions.

3. Equipment Identification & Specs

Serials/VINs, hours/miles, attachments, configuration, and photos. So collateral is uniquely identified and traceable.

4. Condition Documentation

Observed wear, functionality notes, and photo support. Tied to what was actually observed vs what was assumed.

5. Market Support & Comps

Closed sales/auction results with source notes and relevance. So the evidence chain is reviewable (not “trust me”).

6. Valuation Rationale & Adjustments

How evidence was normalized (hours, year, condition, geography, attachments). With explainable adjustments a reviewer can follow.

7. USPAP Certification & Limiting Conditions

Signed USPAP certification, assumptions & limiting conditions. This is the compliance layer lenders/auditors look for first.

What You’re Really Paying For

Why pricing isn't "just a quick report": Most of the work is the analysis and documentation, not the photos. The point of this package is defensibility under third-party review, not a number that falls apart under scrutiny.

Pricing Menu (Starting Ranges)

Our equipment appraisal fees are scope-based and quoted as a fixed project fee before work begins. No surprise hourly billing. These ranges are informational. Your exact fee is confirmed after we validate intended use, effective date, and inspection scope.

Desktop

Best for: clean asset list + complete photos/serials + straightforward intended use.

  • Single asset (desktop): $500–$850
  • Small set (2–10 assets): $1,200–$2,500
  • Larger sets: priced by volume after scoping

Desktop note: If a third party must verify existence/condition, desktop may not be an acceptable scope.

Desktop Quote

On-Site

Best for: lending, litigation exposure, higher-value collateral, complex fleets, messy records.

  • On-site minimum: $2,500+ (mobilization + field day economics)
  • <20 assets (typical): $2,500–$3,800
  • 20–50 assets: $4,000–$6,500
  • 50+ assets: $7,500–$15,000+ (often shifts to day-rate structure)

On-site includes (short list): verification + photos/data plates + condition notes + market support + reviewer-ready narrative.

On-Site Quote

Fleet

Best for: portfolio, multi-location, large fleets, dispersed assets, or mixed categories

  • Day rate (field): $1,200–$1,600/day
  • Rule of thumb: 1 field day typically produces ~1 to 1.5 office days (analysis + report build)

Volume discount: Large homogeneous fleets can price more efficiently than mixed one-offs.

Fleet Quote

Add-Ons

Best for: when scope or timing changes after intake. Prevent rework, delays & reviewer pushback.

  • Rush delivery: +25% (48-hour) / +50% to +100% (24-hour)
  • Multi-location logistics: priced after we confirm site count + travel plan
  • Litigation support / testimony: billed separately (retainer required)
Add-Ons Quote
No Contingent Fees

We never price appraisals as a percentage of value. USPAP requires appraiser independence, so our fees are scope-based and set up front, not contingent on the value conclusion.

Add-Ons and Common Upgrades

Quoted up front after scope confirmation. So there are no surprises.

Rush Delivery*

  • 48-hour turnaround: +25%
  • 24-hour turnaround: +50% to +100%

* (Requires complete asset data at intake.)

Multi-location logistics

Added sites are priced after we confirm site count, access rules, and travel plan.

Data cleanup / missing documentation

When lists are incomplete (missing serials, hours, attachments, or usable photos), we scope additional time to avoid "assumption stacking."

Retrospective effective date

Back-dated effective dates require market reconstruction and source support; quoted after we confirm date + reporting standard.

Litigation Support

Separate scope. Retainer required. Work is billed under an expert-support structure (not bundled into standard appraisal pricing).

REvisions Triggered By Scope Change

If the intended use/users, effective date, or asset list materially changes after start, we re-scope before proceeding.

Are You Ready?

If you want the cleanest quote, send the asset list (or photos) and locations first.

Get Quote

What We Need to Quote & Start

Fixed fee quote after we confirm scope. No surprises.

Asset Identifiers

  • Equipment type(s) (e.g., skid steer, excavator, crane)
  • Make + model
  • Model year (if known)
  • Serial number or VIN (required for a defensible report)
  • Hours / meter reading (and whether the meter is working)

Condition & Configuration

  • Attachments and options (buckets, forks, grapple, hammer, 3rd valve, coupler, etc.)
  • Undercarriage / tires / tracks (remaining life, obvious wear)
  • Hydraulics + engine notes (leaks, smoke, faults, recent repairs)
  • Known damage (impact, cracks, bent components, cab damage)

Location & Access

  • Asset location (city + state is enough to start)
  • Site type (jobsite, yard, dealer lot, port, auction yard)
  • Access constraints (security gate, escort required, operating hours, lift/transport limits)

Photos & Documents

Best-case photo set (fastest desktop routing):

  • 4 corners (walk-around), serial/VIN plate, hour meter, cab / controls
  • Tracks/tires, undercarriage, boom / stick / bucket linkage, attachments
  • Any damage close-ups + one wide shot for context

Helpful documents (if you have them):

  • Service / maintenance records, recent invoices
  • Build sheet / spec sheet, attachments list
  • Insurance claim notes (if applicable)
  • Prior appraisal (if updating)

Intended Use

Tell us what the appraisal is for so the scope matches the decision-maker:

  • Lending / SBA / refinance
  • Insurance / total loss / scheduled equipment
  • Estate / divorce / litigation
  • Tax / donation / asset management

Deadline & Contact

  • Your deadline date (closing, claim, court, auction)
  • Best contact method (email/phone) and who the report is for (you, lender, adjuster, attorney)
QUICK START

If you do not have a clean asset list, send photos of data plates and meter readings and we will build the list as part of scoping.

Proof / Case Results / Testimonials

Our equipment appraisal reports don’t just check a box, they get used in real decisions. SBA and community lenders, local governments, contractors, turnaround teams and donors have used our equipment appraisals to support lending, purchases, and charitable contributions. Here are a few examples of how our work has been put to use:

  • Community bank lending
    "I was very pleased with the speed and thoroughness of your work and will recommend you to others needing appraisal services."

    Case result: Supported a loan modification for a local farm with collateral coverage of roughly 300% of the loan, using a desktop appraisal of ~90 pieces of equipment and trucks that satisfied internal audit, credit and appraisal review requirements.
    Don Parsons headshot
    Don Parsons
    VP (retired), Community Bank of the Chesapeake
  • Local government finance
    "The information provided was timely and assisted tremendously in our decision on the machine. We will look to Heavy Equipment Appraisal for future needs of our organization."

    Case result: Enabled the Solid Waste Committee to purchase used Bomag compactors within the 5% price tolerance required by Tennessee law, based on a series of desktop appraisals on landfill compactors and a dozer documenting fair market value under Tennessee Code Annotated.
    Heavy Equipment Appraisal Review by Chad Marcum, White County finance director
    Chad Marcum
    Director of Finance, White County, TN
  • SBA / business lending
    "Thanks for the quick turn and the professional approach to getting this done for all concerned."

    Case result: Allowed CRF to satisfy SBA requirements and close a business loan before month end, using a rush on-site appraisal of a 100+ unit excavation fleet after a prior desktop review was rejected by the SBA.
    Brian Burke testimonial
    Brian Burke
    VP of Business Lending (former), Community Reinvestment Fund
  • Construction contractor
    "I am looking to buy another machine and NEED your equipment appraisal services again."

    Case result: Helped his credit union finance two used machines at prices thousands below supported fair market value, through desktop appraisals of a 2005 Ingersoll-Rand ZX-75 midi excavator and a 1995 Cat D3C LGP dozer that reinforced his negotiations.
    Brandon Keiffer, Construction Contractor, Tennessee
  • Non-profit & tax documentation
    "Their staff is very professional, responsive and detailed. We couldn’t be more pleased and highly recommend their services."

    Case result: Documented a like-kind charitable contribution to a religious non-profit for income tax reporting, via a desktop appraisal of a low-hour 2007 Case 580M II loader backhoe and a completed IRS Form 8283.
    Stephen Farrow, Equipment owner making a charitable contribution
  • Turnaround / partner buyout
    "The report looks good to everyone. Thank you for being so professional and accommodating throughout the process."

    Case result: Provided a USPAP-compliant third-party valuation to price a partner buyout, with an on-site appraisal of ~150 trucks, trailers, loaders, tractors and lifts in New Mexico that was shared with the owners’ attorney, accountant and lenders.
    Halo Services Inc logo
    Sheri Vaughn, Halo Services, Inc.

If you’re facing a similar lending, tax or transaction decision and need defensible equipment values, you can start an appraisal now.

FAQ

If you’re skimming, start here.

These FAQs cover appraisal cost, scope (desktop vs on-site), what we need from you, typical turnaround time, and the value drivers that change results for this equipment type.

Or, call us at (844) VAL-UATE!

Get Quote

Our pricing depends on asset count, site count, travel, purpose (financing, insurance, tax, litigation), and report detail. Expect $500–$2,500 for a small, single-site scope (10–50 assets), $2,500–$10,000+ for multi-site or high-volume scopes (200+ assets), or $150–$400+ per hour for complex/forensic work. Avoid percentage-of-value fees.

We quote a fixed fee up front for defined scopes and bill hourly for undefined or complex work. Fixed fees typically apply to single-site projects with a known asset count and clear report requirements. Hourly billing, often $150–$400+ per hour, applies to litigation support, consulting, or scopes that may expand.

The main difference between a desktop appraisal and an on-site appraisal is inspection time and travel cost. A desktop appraisal often costs 20%–60% less because it uses provided lists, photos, and records with limited verification. An on-site appraisal typically adds $500–$3,000+ for travel and field time, and it increases total fees for large sites or tight timelines.

Provide asset scope, locations, purpose, timeline, and documentation to get an exact equipment appraisal quote. Send an asset list with counts, categories, and age, plus site addresses and access constraints. Specify the valuation use (financing, insurance, tax, litigation), required standards, and report format. Include photos, serial numbers, purchase invoices, maintenance records, and any prior appraisals.

We can quote your project with a messy or incomplete asset list, but the price could increase to cover data cleanup and verification. Incomplete data may also require contingency pricing or a not-to-exceed estimate until scope is confirmed.

The number of machines directly affects total pricing and lowers the per-asset appraisal cost as volume increases. Small projects with 10–25 machines often average $75–$150 per asset due to minimum fees and setup time. Mid-size projects with 50–200 machines often average $40–$90 per asset. Large portfolios with 300+ machines can drop below $25–$60 per asset because fixed costs spread across more units.

Heavy Equipment Appraisal often charges travel, mobilization, and field expenses when on-site inspection is required. We usually handle these costs as pass-through reimbursables (airfare, hotel, mileage, per diem) or as a fixed mobilization line item (often $500–$3,000+ per trip). Our quotes state travel separately, cap it with a not-to-exceed amount, or bundle it into a fixed fee for local jobs.

Rush equipment appraisals usually cost 15%–50% more than standard turnaround because they require schedule priority, overtime, and faster report production. A 3–5 business day deadline often adds 15%–30%. A 24–72 hour deadline often adds 30%–50%+ or shifts work to hourly billing at $150–$400+ per hour. Rush fees increase with travel, multi-site inspections, and messy asset data.

A retrospective effective date often increases our cost because it requires historical market research and backdated comparable sales analysis. Every assignment is different, but expect a 10%–35% fee increase for dates 1–3 years prior, and higher adjustments for older dates or limited data markets. Complex retrospective assignments may also shift to hourly billing at $150–$400+ per hour.

Intended use can change our pricing because it changes the required standard, documentation, and liability. Lender and IRS/tax appraisals usually cost more than internal-use reports because they require stricter compliance, supportable market evidence, and clearer limiting conditions. Litigation work costs the most because it adds expert-level analysis, rebuttal support, and testimony time.

If your appraisal scope changes after our engagement, the fee adjusts to reflect added time, travel, assets, or reporting requirements. Minor changes often trigger a written change order with a fixed add-on fee. Major scope increases, such as more sites, 50+ additional assets, or litigation support, can raise fees 10%–40% or shift work to hourly billing at $150–$400+ per hour.

We never price appraisals as a percentage of value. USPAP requires appraiser independence, so our fees are scope-based and set up front, not contingent on the value conclusion.

"What is My Equipment Worth?"

Tell us what you own, where it’s located and why you need a heavy equipment appraisal. We’ll respond within one business day with pricing and next steps for a desktop or on-site assignment.

Start My Appraisal Quote