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Directional Drill Finance

Spread the cost of horizontal directional drills from £25,000 to £600,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a directional drill?

Yes, directional drills are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £25,000 to £600,000, and most deals are written over 12–72 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–72 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£25k – £600k

Approval Speed

24–72 hours

Same-day for < £75k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a directional drill cost per month?

£150,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical directional drill price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 4.9% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Contractors wanting to own the rig outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.5% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim 100% of payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 5.2% APR
Term
Matched to contract length
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Contractors deploying a rig on a fixed-term pipeline job

Representative example

On a purchase price of £150,000: a 10% deposit of £15,000, then 48 monthly payments of £3,164 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £166,872, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Vermeer Navigator D10x15 S3 £70,000 – £120,000 Horizontal Directional Drill (compact/utility)
Vermeer Navigator D20x22 £150,000 – £280,000 Horizontal Directional Drill (mid-size)
Vermeer Navigator D24x40 £300,000 – £550,000 Horizontal Directional Drill (large/pipeline)
Mini horizontal directional drill, garden/short bores (specification class) £30,000 – £55,000 Mini Horizontal Directional Drill

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Tax benefits

Directional drills generally qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance, so the cost can typically be set against taxable profits in the year of purchase. As self-propelled mobile plant that moves between sites, directional drills are treated as moveable assets for capital allowance purposes, in the same way as excavators or trenchers.

Market context

Directional drills are bought by utility, telecoms and pipeline contractors installing cable and pipe beneath roads, rivers and other obstructions without open-cut trenching. Rig size is chosen to match the bore length and pipe diameter a contractor typically works on, from compact rigs for short utility connections through to large rigs used on cross-country pipeline work, and contractors often finance a rig against a specific type of contract they have secured or expect to win. Because a large rig represents a significant capital commitment relative to a single project's value, many contractors match the finance term to the length of a framework or pipeline contract rather than the rig's full working life, refinancing or moving on to the next contract once it ends. Replacement is generally driven by the drill string, mud system or engine reaching the end of its economic repair life, and a solid used market exists across all rig sizes, supporting both new purchase and refinance of an existing drill.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

What size directional drill do I need?
This depends on the bore length and pipe diameter your typical contracts require. A compact rig suits short utility connections and residential work, a mid-size rig covers most commercial utility and telecoms installation, and a large rig is needed for cross-country pipeline work with long bore lengths. Buying larger than your typical contract needs adds cost without adding useful capability.
Can directional drill finance be matched to a specific pipeline contract?
Yes. Given the significant cost of a mid-size or large rig, many contractors match the finance term to a framework or pipeline contract they have secured, so the agreement runs alongside the work generating the income rather than continuing after the contract ends. This is a common structure for lenders familiar with the utilities sector. This is a well-understood structure in the sector, and lenders who work with contractors in this space will usually price the agreement with that pattern in mind rather than treating it as unusual.
Can I finance a used directional drill?
Yes, a solid used market exists across compact, mid-size and large rigs. Lenders will typically want to see recent service records, drill string condition and running hours before agreeing terms, particularly for the larger and more expensive rig classes. A clear paper trail matters more than age alone, so gather whatever records the previous owner can provide before applying. Buyers who skip this step sometimes find financing takes longer, not because the equipment itself is a problem, but because the lender has to chase the paperwork separately.
What deposit do I need for directional drill finance?
Hire purchase usually asks for a 10-20% deposit, while finance leases are often available with no deposit at all. Given the higher price of mid-size and large rigs, some lenders ask for a larger deposit or a personal guarantee on bigger deals, particularly for newer contractors without an established trading history. Repeat customers financing a second or subsequent piece of equipment with the same lender often find deposit requirements ease over time as a trading relationship builds.

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