Upgrades and Safety Innovations to Heavy Construction Equipment

What to Ask a Company When Considering an Excavator Hire

26 January 2016

Veronica Leon

Hiring or renting an excavator can make quick work of any digging job you need to have done on your property, and a contractor may be able to easily expand their own services when they are able to rent excavating equipment for each type of job rather than investing in that equipment on their own. When you're ready to arrange an excavator hire, note a few questions to ask a company so you get the right equipment and know what to expect about the hire or rental.

1. Ask if a soil sample should be taken on your property or jobsite first

An excavator hire company may be very familiar with soil conditions in a certain area, so they may be able to advise you on the type of excavator and bucket or other accessories you'll need. For example, they may know that a certain subdivision in a certain city often has very moist soil because of a nearby water feature. They may know that a jobsite in the city will have rocky soil, as they may have rented an excavator for a nearby site. Before you have a soil sample taken to know what's under the topsoil, discuss your options and the jobsite or work to be done with the excavator hire company and don't hesitate to ask for their recommendations.

2. Note the size of the jobsite

The reason you want to note the size of the jobsite is because you want to ask the excavator hire company the size of the equipment you'll need. Many residential jobs will require a mini excavator, but even these choices may vary according to whether you're digging for new plumbing pipes or for an in-ground pool. Each excavator will have a certain size bucket and arm length, so note the jobsite and reason for the dig and then ask the excavator hire company what equipment they would recommend rather than trying to figure this out on your own.

3. Always ask what to do in case of a breakdown or stoppage

If the excavator you hire stops working, don't assume you can or should start trying to fix it yourself. The motor and other parts of an excavator are usually very different than your car and even the forklift you might operate at your place of employment. An excavator hire company may also require you to simply call an emergency number of theirs rather than try to fix a problem, as their insurance policy may stipulate that only certain contractors can address even minor problems with the excavators.

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