One of the most important pieces of equipment at many industrial and construction sites is the skid steer loader, an engineering vehicle with long loading arms attached to a large bucket for scooping up loose debris and building materials like gravel and concrete.

For a small-scale construction job, the most economical strategy may be a skid steer rental rather than a purchase. This way you’ll get the machinery you need for only as long as you need it, without having to worry about maintenance, insurance, or other expensed.

On the other hand, if you’re planning to use your skid steer loader for a long time, you may want to invest in owning one yourself. If so, keep in mind that the best value may not be a brand-new loader. There are plenty of used skid loaders for sale on sites like eBay at prices far below what you’d pay for one new.

In fact, many used loaders have been restored to near-new condition. These will be advertised as reconditioned skid steer loaders, and combine some of the savings you’d get with a used model with the assurance that the loader’s been returned to perfect working condition.

One thing you may not know about skid loaders is that they can perform a number of different tasks beside scooping and loading. With skid steer attachments such as drills, tree shears, snow blowers and stump grinders, your loader can be transformed into a multi-purpose utility machine!