Starbend Commercial Capital, a funding service in Las Vegas, NV, explains equipment financing for Clark County, NV businesses: loans and leases secured by the equipment purchased. The page covers how equipment financing works, used equipment, commercial restaurant and contractor equipment, loans versus leases, soft costs, and the quote details partners review.
| Collateral | The equipment itself |
|---|---|
| Structures | Own it, lease it, or use an EFA |
| Start with | A written vendor quote |
| Full-service restaurants, county | 1,739 (CBP 2023) |
| Dental offices, county | 964 (CBP 2023) |
| Building finishing contractors, county | 643 (CBP 2023) |
How equipment financing works
A business loan to buy equipment is sized against a vendor quote. The partner pays the vendor, files a lien on the equipment, and you repay over a term roughly matched to how long the equipment will earn its keep. Because the equipment secures the deal, partners care about what it is, whether it holds value, and whether it can be resold if needed.
Equipment financing takes three main forms. An equipment loan or equipment finance agreement makes you the owner from the start, with the partner holding a lien. A lease lets you use the equipment for a period with options at the end, such as buying it, returning it or renewing. Which suits you depends on how long you expect to use the equipment and how you want it treated in your books; your accountant should weigh in on the tax side.
Used equipment financing
Used gear is financeable, but partners look harder at it. Expect questions about age, hours or cycles, condition and the seller. A dealer purchase comes with an invoice and serial numbers; for private-party sales, a bill of sale, proof of ownership and photos help. Terms on used equipment can be shorter, because its remaining useful life is shorter.
Used equipment financing partners can differ in which assets they accept and how old an item can be. A clear quote that lists make, model, year and serial number answers those questions up front.
Commercial restaurant and kitchen equipment
Clark County, NV had 1,739 full-service and 2,308 limited-service restaurants with employees in 2023 (CBP 2023). Kitchens finance ranges, hoods, walk-in coolers, ice machines, dish machines and point-of-sale systems. Two practical points come first: Southern Nevada Health District plan review may affect what you install, so confirm with the district before ordering; and installation, hood work and utility hookups can be a large share of the real cost. The SNHD food permit guide covers that sequence.
The restaurant page covers kitchen cash cycles, the coffee shop page covers espresso and refrigeration, and the post on espresso machine financing walks through a single machine quote. Salons and barbershops can read salon furniture and station financing.
Contractor and construction equipment
Construction equipment financing companies fund excavators, skid steers, lifts, trailers, compressors and specialized tools. Clark County, NV had 3,588 construction employer establishments in 2023, including 643 building finishing contractors and 631 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors (CBP 2023). A contractor might finance a machine against an awarded contract; the contract and the bid schedule help a partner see how the machine will be paid for.
Health practices: chairs, imaging and diagnostic gear
Medical, dental, chiropractic, optometry and veterinary practices can finance treatment chairs, imaging, sterilization and diagnostic equipment, sometimes bundled with installation and software. Clark County, NV had 964 dental offices with employees in 2023 (CBP 2023). The dental practice page covers chairs, imaging and practice purchases.
Soft costs: the non-equipment lines on a quote
Soft costs are the parts of an equipment project that are not the equipment itself: delivery, installation, electrical or plumbing work, training, software licenses and extended warranties. Some partners include a portion of soft costs in the financing; others finance only the hard asset and expect soft costs from cash. Ask before you sign the vendor's order, because soft costs can be a large share of a kitchen or clinic install.
- Delivery and rigging
- Installation, hookups and electrical work
- Software, training and setup
- Service contracts and warranties
- Sales tax on the purchase, where it applies
Comparing equipment offers
Compare total payback across the term, the end-of-lease options, any balloon or residual, insurance requirements and whether a personal guarantee is part of the deal. The six-option comparison shows how equipment financing differs from a general loan; industry pages cover gear in each trade; the Las Vegas, NV page has local business counts; and how a request works explains what to send.
By Starbend Commercial Capital · Updated