A rig mounted core drill hires for roughly $75 to $150 a day, and the bit is a separate charge that can pass the machine's rate on a wide hole. Hand held units cost less and are limited to small diameters. What the yard needs from you is the hole size, the material and how many holes.
The machine, the stand and the bit are three prices
The rate covers the motor and usually the rig it bolts to. Diamond core bits are hired or sold by diameter, with a wear charge on the hired ones based on how much you cut. A four inch hole through a slab takes a modest bit; a twelve inch hole through a foundation wall takes a serious one.
Anchored, vacuum base or hand held
A rig anchored into the slab is the steady way to drill and needs a small anchor hole beside the core. A vacuum base saves that anchor on a smooth, sound surface and will not hold on rough or cracked concrete. Hand held drilling suits small diameters only and asks a great deal of the operator.
Water is part of the job, not an option
Wet drilling cools the segments, clears slurry and keeps dust down, so the machine needs a hose or a pressurised bottle and somewhere for grey water to go. Indoors that means a slurry ring and a vacuum. Cutting concrete dry releases respirable silica, which is what the water is there to control.
Before the bit touches the slab
Rebar slows a bit and ruins a cheap one, and post tension cable turns a hole into a structural problem. Scan the slab or ask whoever owns the building. Check the supply too, because a large drill motor wants a circuit of its own and will trip a shared household breaker again and again.
Questions people ask about core drill rental
How much does a core bit cost to rent?
Bits are usually priced per hire day plus a wear charge set by diameter and depth cut, so a day of six inch holes can cost more than the drill under it. Ask for the wear rate before starting, and cut the smallest diameter the fitting allows.
Can I core drill without water?
Some bits are made for dry cutting with a vacuum attached, and they are the exception rather than the rule. Wet drilling is standard because it cools the diamond segments and keeps silica dust out of the air. Dry cutting concrete with no dust control is exactly what the silica rules address.
What size hole can a rented core drill make?
Yard rigs commonly cover about one inch to fourteen inches, with larger diameters needing a heavier motor and a properly anchored stand. Give the counter the diameter and the depth, since a deep core in reinforced concrete may call for a different machine than a slab penetration.