Construction contractors are getting rolling into another busy year, and 83% of those who responded to Equipment World’s Tech & Spec Survey plan to buy new equipment in 2026.Â
The new 2026 survey gives a detailed look not only at how much equipment they plan to buy, but such things as:Â
The brands they're most likely to purchase.Â
The specs they plan to focus on for each type of equipment, be it compact track loaders, skid steers, excavators, wheel loaders, dozers, backhoes or articulated dump trucks.Â
How many hours they put on each type of equipment before replacement.Â
Their preferred purchase options of cash, finance or rent.Â
How they dispose of their equipment, by trade-in, private-party sales or auction.Â
The survey also reveals contractors’ plans for performing their own repairs versus relying on dealers.Â
On the technology side, the survey reveals their views on 2D and 3D machine control and fleet-management software — why some are adopting the technology and why others aren’t.Â
Responding contractors also detail the types of equipment features and tech they’d most like to see, as well as the equipment changes that could help them attract and retain young operators.Â
So if you’ve ever wondered what contractors are thinking before they buy equipment, what they’re looking for and what they most need, as well as how they manage the machines in their fleets, fill out the fields below to download the results of our 2026 Tech & Spec Survey:Â