Equipment Cost Per Hour Calculator for Contractors and Owner-Operators

Know Your True Owning and Operating Cost

Price Every Job With Confidence

Built for Skid Steer, Excavator, Dozer, Mini Excavator, and Heavy Equipment Operators

TRUEHOUR is the mobile app that calculates your true equipment cost per hour. It factors in depreciation, insurance, taxes, fuel, oil, filters, tires, tracks, undercarriage wear, repairs, operator wage, and business overhead to give contractors and owner-operators an accurate hourly rate for every machine in their fleet. Stop guessing. Start pricing with confidence.

Features

  • Owning and Operating Cost Calculator for all construction equipment types
  • Business Overhead Center with automatic per-hour allocation across your fleet
  • Job Estimating and Quote Builder with profit margin targeting
  • AI Job Pricing Advisor with market rate benchmarking
  • Job Tracker with estimated vs actual cost comparison
  • Tax Summary with IRS Schedule C categorization and PDF export
  • Equipment Comparison with side-by-side cost analysis
  • Annual Review with year-over-year performance dashboard
  • Available on iOS and Android

Who TRUEHOUR Is For

  • Owner-operators with skid steers, compact track loaders, and mini excavators
  • Small construction contractors managing 1 to 10 machines
  • Equipment rental operators calculating true cost per hour
  • Landscaping and site work contractors pricing jobs accurately
  • Dozer, excavator, and wheel loader operators in site development
  • Trucking and hauling operators tracking cost per mile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is TRUEHOUR?

TRUEHOUR is a mobile app that calculates the true cost per hour to own and operate construction equipment. It factors in depreciation, insurance, taxes, fuel, maintenance, operator wage, and business overhead to give contractors and owner-operators an accurate hourly rate for every machine in their fleet.

How do I calculate my equipment cost per hour?

TRUEHOUR walks you through a simple setup wizard that collects your purchase price, salvage value, useful life, fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and overhead expenses. It then automatically calculates your total owning and operating cost per hour so you always know your break-even rate before bidding a job.

What types of equipment does TRUEHOUR support?

TRUEHOUR supports all types of construction equipment including skid steers, compact track loaders, mini excavators, full size excavators, dozers, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, motor graders, dump trucks, and any other hours-based or miles-based equipment.

Can TRUEHOUR help me price jobs more accurately?

Yes. TRUEHOUR includes a Job Estimating tool that builds detailed quotes using your actual equipment costs, labor rates, materials, permits, and profit margin targets. You will never underbid a job because you guessed your equipment costs.

What is the difference between owning cost and operating cost?

Owning cost includes depreciation, insurance, taxes, and storage — costs you pay whether the machine runs or not. Operating cost includes fuel, oil, filters, tires, tracks, undercarriage wear, and repairs — costs tied directly to machine use. TRUEHOUR calculates both and combines them into your true total cost per hour.

Does TRUEHOUR include business overhead in the calculation?

Yes. TRUEHOUR's Business Overhead Center lets you enter all your business expenses including insurance, marketing, office costs, and utilities, and automatically allocates them across your fleet on a per-hour basis so your pricing always covers your full cost of doing business.

Is TRUEHOUR available on iPhone and Android?

Yes. TRUEHOUR is available on both iOS and Android devices.

How much does TRUEHOUR cost?

TRUEHOUR offers a free tier for single machine owners and a Pro subscription for unlimited machines, job estimating, AI pricing guidance, and advanced reporting.

What is an O&O cost calculator?

An O&O cost calculator, or owning and operating cost calculator, is a tool that combines all costs associated with owning and running a piece of equipment — including depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and overhead — into a single cost per hour figure. TRUEHOUR is the most comprehensive O&O cost calculator available as a mobile app for contractors.

How do I know what to charge per hour for my excavator?

To know what to charge per hour for your excavator, you need to calculate your total owning cost, operating cost, overhead allocation, and desired profit margin. TRUEHOUR automates this entire calculation and tells you your break-even rate and recommended billing rate based on your target profit margin.

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