Cost guide · Forklift hire
What does forklift hire cost in Ireland?
An honest breakdown of how daily, weekly, monthly and contract hire rates are built, what's included, and the point where hiring stops being cheaper than buying.
Why we don't publish a single price
Six things decide your hire rate
Any supplier quoting a headline weekly figure without asking these questions is guessing. Here's what actually moves the number.
Hire duration
The single biggest lever. Weekly rates undercut consecutive day rates, monthly undercuts weekly, and contract hire spread over years is the lowest cost per week of all.
Truck type & capacity
A 1.5 t pedestrian pallet truck and a 3.5 t diesel counterbalance are different worlds. Mast height, side-shift and specialist attachments all add to the base rate.
Power source
Electric trucks carry a higher rate but far lower running cost. Diesel and LPG cost less to hire but you carry the fuel bill — worth modelling over anything longer than a month.
Hours per week
Rates assume single-shift use. Multi-shift or 24/7 operation increases service frequency and therefore the rate, so tell us the real pattern up front.
Delivery distance
Transport is quoted from our Rathcoole depot in Co. Dublin. Dublin and Leinster are the cheapest to serve; Cork, Galway and the west carry a longer haul.
What's bundled in
AWE rates include preventative maintenance, servicing and statutory Thorough Examination. Compare like for like — a cheaper headline rate that excludes servicing rarely is.
Which term suits you
Day, week, month or contract hire
Cost per week falls sharply as the term lengthens, because delivery, setup and service planning are spread further.
| Short-term (1–7 days) | Weekly / monthly | Long-term (6–24 mths) | Contract hire (3–7 yrs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | One-off lifts, cover for a breakdown | Seasonal peaks, shutdowns | Projects, new sites, growth | Core fleet replacement |
| Relative cost per week | Highest | Lower | Lower again | Lowest |
| Maintenance included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thorough Examination included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Truck specified to your application | Optional | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fixed monthly budget | No | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Capital outlay | None | None | None | None |
Hire or buy
Where the break-even sits
A practical rule of thumb from 40 years of quoting Irish operations.
Under 3 months
Hire
No capital tied up, no residual-value risk and the truck goes back when the peak ends. Short-term hire is almost always the right call.
3 months – 2 years
Long-term rental or contract hire
Fixed monthly cost, maintenance bundled, and you can flex the spec as the operation changes. This is where most growing Irish sites land.
Over 2 years, single shift
Buy, lease or contract hire with option
Full-time long-term use starts to favour ownership — or contract hire with a purchase option if you'd rather keep it off the balance sheet.
How to get a real number
From enquiry to fixed quote in one working day
Tell us the job
Heaviest load, lift height, indoor or outdoor, aisle width, hours per week and how long you need it.
We spec the truck
We match capacity, mast, tyres and power source to the application rather than quoting whatever is on the yard.
Itemised quote
Truck rate, transport both ways, what's included and what isn't — all on one page, within one working day.
Delivered and inspected
Delivered with a current Thorough Examination certificate and a handover to your operators.
FAQs
Forklift hire cost questions
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Forklift hire
The full hire offer — short-term, long-term and contract hire across Ireland.
Learn moreFinance & leasing
Lease, hire purchase and contract hire structures for buying rather than renting.
Learn moreServicing & maintenance
What's included in the maintenance bundled with every AWE hire agreement.
Learn moreGet a real hire figure, not a guess
Send us the loads, the hours and the location — we'll come back with an itemised quote within one working day.