Here at All Star Access Hire & Scaffold, we're your local access hire specialists.
When you’re planning construction or maintenance work, chances are you’ve had to weigh up whether it’s better to buy or hire your access equipment. It’s not always a straightforward call, especially when timelines shift, budgets tighten, or project requirements change from one site to the next.
Local conditions also play a part. Melbourne’s commercial and high-rise works increasingly rely on electric machinery, while Geelong’s mix of retail warehouses, industrial sites, and residential builds calls for flexible access solutions. Over in Adelaide’s fast-growing industrial hubs, many businesses need reliable, near-new equipment that can support long-term or recurring work. What makes sense for one worksite may not be suitable for another.
That’s why our local teams across Victoria and South Australia offer free onsite assessments and practical guidance. And whether you decide to hire or buy, you’ll have access to ongoing support, including regular maintenance, 10-year testing, 24/7 breakdown assistance, and reliable equipment transport.
Choosing between hiring and buying usually comes down to how long you’ll need the equipment, how often it will be used, and how much responsibility you want to take on for maintenance and compliance.
The table below gives you a clear side-by-side look at the three main pathways, highlighting the differences between hiring, purchasing a well-maintained ex-hire unit from our fleet, or buying new equipment from a dealer.
| Hire access equipment | Buy ex-hire equipment | Buy brand-new equipment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront costs | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
| Ongoing maintenance | Servicing, repairs, and inspections included. | Downtime and costs for routine servicing every 3–6 months, unplanned repairs, and inspections. | Downtime and costs for routine servicing every 3–6 months, unplanned repairs, and inspections. |
| Flexibility | Can upsize or downsize equipment as project needs change. | Fixed to the machine purchased. Less adaptable if project requirements shift. | Fixed to the machine purchased. Upgrading means buying again. |
| Best for | Short-term work, seasonal demand, shutdowns, fit-outs, and changing job requirements. | Fleet expansion for businesses with predictable equipment needs and repeat tasks. | Large-scale or specialised operations requiring specific new models or features. |
| Safety + compliance | Fully managed by All Star. Equipment arrives compliant and ready, with all required paperwork. | Must be managed internally after purchase. | Must be managed internally after purchase. |
| Transport + logistics | Delivery, pickup, and all logistical paperwork handled by All Star. | Delivery and all logistical paperwork handled by All Star. You manage long-term storage. | You arrange all transport, any required paperwork, and storage for your machines. |
| Equipment availability | Instant access to our modern fleet across Melbourne, Geelong & Adelaide. | Limited to current ex-hire units available for sale. | Dependent on dealer stock levels and delivery lead times. |
Hiring access equipment becomes the more cost-effective and efficient option when your project demands flexibility and minimal administrative load. Here’s when hiring delivers the most value for your worksite:
For equipment that’s only needed for a defined period or for occasional tasks, hiring keeps costs predictable and easy to manage. Instead of paying to own a machine that sits idle between jobs, you only pay for the time you actually need it with set hire charges that are simple to budget for. There’s no depreciation, no interest or finance commitments, and no long-term capital tied up in machinery.
This approach works particularly well for short construction phases, one-off maintenance tasks, shutdown programs, or seasonal workloads.
Project requirements rarely stay the same from start to finish, and hiring makes it easy to adapt as those needs shift. When one stage calls for a compact scissor lift for indoor work, and the next requires a rough-terrain boom or greater working height, you can swap machines without being locked into a single model.
This adaptability is especially useful on worksites where access conditions change, heights vary, or multiple job types happen simultaneously.
Hiring removes the admin and downtime of keeping a machine compliant and operational. All Star handles:
All of this is managed by All Star behind the scenes, so your equipment arrives onsite, safe and ready to work.
When you hire access equipment, we handle the entire transport process for you. We’ll deliver the equipment to your site, pick it up when you’re done, manage any changeovers, and take care of all logistical paperwork. There’s no storage needed and no admin for your team. The equipment arrives ready to use and is collected just as smoothly.
Equipment issues can quickly derail a project, especially when timelines are tight. With hired equipment, you’re protected from unexpected delays thanks to 24/7 breakdown support and rapid onsite response. You can call anytime, and a technician will be onsite within 2 hours. If it’s not a quick fix, we’ll provide a replacement unit to keep the job moving.
Buying access equipment becomes the better long-term choice when your team relies on the same machinery regularly or works within predictable project cycles. Whether you choose a well-maintained ex-hire unit or invest in brand-new equipment, the best option comes down to the type of work you do and the equipment you’ll need for the long haul.
Although buying requires a much higher upfront investment than hiring, the cost of buying access equipment can be offset by how often you use it. Ex-hire units usually deliver the quickest return because they cost less upfront and have already passed their steepest depreciation. We even offer different finance options on our range of EWPs for sale.
Brand-new machines, on the other hand, cost more at the start but offer a longer lifespan and the latest features. Both options can also benefit from tax deductions and asset depreciation, helping offset the investment.
Ownership makes sense when your team depends on the same specialised equipment day in, day out. If a particular scissor lift, boom lift, or specialist model is built into your regular workflows, having your own machine onsite removes any delays. It ensures the equipment is always available when you need it, without waiting on hire schedules or availability.
Owning equipment adds value to your business and gives you the option to resell or upgrade when your needs change. Machines kept in good condition hold strong resale value, and you can continue booking servicing, inspections, and testing with All Star to maintain performance over time. Whether you buy ex-hire or new, ownership gives you a long-term asset that continues delivering value well beyond the initial purchase.
Whether you’re on the lookout for the latest EWP for sale or wondering about access equipment hire, All Star is the name to know. We’ll help you weigh the options, considering the nature and duration of your project, budget constraints, and how frequently you’ll need each piece of equipment, to find the best solution for you. No matter what you choose, you’ll get the best equipment on the market and access to our comprehensive services. Get in touch with the team today to find out more.