Mini excavators are frequently taken for hire by construction firms for a wide variety of tasks across various industries (construction, agriculture, clearing, demolition, etc.) due to the versatility, power and practicality that these machines bring to the table. Nevertheless, as it is with any other construction equipment hire requires a thorough project assessment revolving around the size of the mini excavator, the configuration of the project site in terms of surface type, congestion or even the type of task the machine is meant to tackle.
There are two categories of hires, mini excavator dry hire rentals, meaning the machine is self-operated by the hirer, or wet hire, whereby the excavator is provided with an operator. Mini excavator hires (especially for dry hires) competency/licensing is needed by the rental company. Generally, this is not a formal license for mini excavators, however, these rental companies would insist on some form of proof that the hirer is competent enough to operate the machine mainly for safety reasons.
When it comes to choosing a mini excavator for hire, it would naturally be dependent on project needs and would generally revolve around not just the type excavator that would be most suitable, but also the type of hydraulic attachments that would be needed. Choosing the right excavator and hydraulic attachment would be hinged on the kind of work that the excavator is expected to perform.
For instance, if it is only going to be used for digging and moving earth, then a standard bucket attachment would suffice, however if there are other tasks involved such as drilling for installing fences or compacting surfaces for building a driveway, then an auger attachment and a compactor attachment would be needed to be taken for hire along with the mini excavator.
Moving towards the hiring process, hirers must have adequate understanding of the terms of the hire involving elements such as insurance implication, daily costs or additional costs and also delivery, arrangement with the construction equipment rental company.
Project Assessment & Planning
Prior to hiring an excavator, it is crucial for contractors to assess project requirements that revolve around the machines such as excavation depth, volume, terrain (tracked vs. wheeled), and site access as tight spaces or congested project environment would require mini excavators which are also generally available for hire at a much lower cost compared to standard sized machines.
Another crucial aspect of using excavators, especially when it involves home improvement projects, is to locate and mark areas that have underground utilities before digging. Planning the schedule related to machine hires is also important as it supports cost effectiveness.
Dumpers for instance, should only be hired when the first phase of digging is completed otherwise, the dumper will be left idling during the first phase of digging which in essence is unnecessary cost and impacts profit negatively.
The same concept should be applied to all machinery or equipment hires throughout the duration of the project to keep the budget within bounds.
