Many people ask "what is the best machine out there - what is the best make?", and so I'll answer this from my perspective now and why I am with Utiform.

I've had, owned, and used many machines during my career. I don't know about you, but at the end of the day, I've always been in the business of plastering and rendering to make really good money. And because of this (and because I do know about business), some years ago now I performed an actual breakdown on individual (average) machine costs per square meter per year (over a 5 year period). This encompassed servicing and repairs, consumables (rotor & stators, mixing shafts, stator plates, solenoids, sensors etc...), generator diesel, and actual machine component failure, including loss of earnings per meter that day in the event of machine failure, and 'depreciation'. Every machine was assessed using the same criteria over a 5 year working span.

You want to know the result? Okay, here it is:

The Duomix (for example, and which I still have by the way) cost on average £1.37 per square meter to run on day in day out external rendering - all costs averaged over a 5 year period, as detailed above.

The Quattro cost on average £0.87p per square meter to run on day in day out external rendering - all costs averaged over a 5 year period.

Now you do the maths! Assuming that you're in external rendering work everyday (and you SHOULD be if that's your industry!), your machine will be doing roughly 50 meters per day (on AVERAGE) and anywhere from about 10-15,000m2 per year, depending on how many in your workforce and how you are set up.

12,000 X £1.37 = £16,440 per year (used continuously over 5 years)

12,000 X £0.87p = 10,440 per year (again, continuously over 5 years)

Both machines earned us FANTASTIC money (again, do the maths) but one plastering machine was costing £6000 per year more to run. And this is simply because there was a lot more to go wrong with it. Serving and serviceable parts are generally more expensive. And when the machine does goes wrong, it costs a lot of money to put right.

To some people reading this, these figures are going to sound high. It depends specifically on just how much rendering you do with your machine each year, and in fact if you've used it continually over a five year period. If you you only spray on 5000m2 per year, then the running costs (respectively and in direct ratio to earnings)will be lower.

So that's my standpoint and why I back Utiform machines. They cost very little to maintain, and as a renderer, I'm £6000 richer every year because of it.

I'd be interested to hear of anyone else's costings over a five year period as a comparison.

That's a lot of rendering Scott! Can throw some my way if you like!

Actually reading this makes a lot of sense. I have never done a breakdown of costs for my g4. Im going to look through my last years accounts and top this up in relation to meters sprayed and let you know.

A guy we do work for has an Mtec Duomix as well and he says the same thing. Great machine but a real pain in the backside. expensive to service and repair and sensors and solenoids always giving grief.

What rate of depreciation do you factor in then?

Yeah good question Brian. What depreciation do you factor? And secondly why? The machines make money, end of. What do you mean depreciation?

Well it's the sort of thing you'd discuss specifically with your accountant. But about 15% is common for construction plant. See what they can do for you.

I'll write a new thread on it. Because if you don't factor in depreciation, then naturally you're not getting the tax advantage. And that's the whole point! And to offset the equivalent margin of profit for the purchase and acquisition of new construction plant in the future. Therefore by reinvesting in new assets equal to depreciation of existing you always have (or should have) new and up-to-date well functioning construction plant ready to work.

have you worked out the running costs of a PFT machine , lets face it most parts will fit most machines so the running costs will be about the same , and he PFT machines are built using the best products

goto agree with bigun PFT lead the rest follow end of

PFT rocks and the rest smell like my socks:P

See, exactly my point in the other post which you wrote in. With a comment like this there is now way you are a machine plasterer. Because a machine plasterer, a real one, who has worked all over the world, knows that many machines are good YOU ARE PFT. You have a vested interest in selling PFT machines. And it is so obvious. This is not what plastering or machine plastering forums are about. I hope the administrator bans you.

yeah i do have a vested interest but i have used plenty of machines , mtec putzmeister turbosol and dare i say it pft.........but its because of all the others that i prefer orange machines the others are good machines and they all do what they say , as for being a real machine plasterer what are you on about mate i use a machine day in day out on jobs ranging from 150m2 to over 5000m2

ivor who do you think you are this was such a pleasant forum until you and youre pft bullies came here. you cant be a plasterer because you want everyone to have pft. leave us alone.
ps what mechanical whisk you using these days

shut up big nose funnily enough mr jones i have a PFT mechanical whisk

what a boring thread, can anyone in their right mind honestly say they looked at the cost of running a machine before they got one. i just seen a machine that would mix pump and apply the crap i was wasting loads of time on. Dont anylize it just get the machine, get on with your work and if youre not earning more than you were by hand throw you re tools away cos you just dont make the grade the rest of us do

what about factoring the amount of bodies needed to lug the machines about. DFT - one man( no really one handed too) G5 duo mix etc - two men. Does the Quattro at 215kg as opposed to 250-60kg make much difference in the fun getting on and off the van, around site etc?

darren , i think realisticly you need 2 men to run a machine , i run my G4 with just me and a labourer, a DFT monojet or similar or a ritmo are all easy enough to move around on your own but you just make hard work for yourself if you have to bag the machine as well as spray rule bead mask up etc