There are many jobs which require a mini-digger or for which hiring one saves a huge amount of time and effort. Often when assessing a smaller project such as digging a pond or landscaping your garden, it is easy to underestimate how much soil needs removing, and the time and effort this will take.
Hiring a mini digger will make short work of projects including:
- garden landscaping and ponds.
- Tree stump removal digging trenches for electrical cables or drainage.
- Preparing a solid base for patios paths and driveways.
- Levelling lawns and bringing in topsoil ready for seeding or turfing.
- Digging a new soakaway
- Digging footings for an extension.
How much does it cost to hire a mini-digger?
Mini digger hire prices will vary according to make, model length of hire , size of digger and whether you hire out just the digger or an operator as well.
In this article I am going to point out what to think about, consider any hidden costs which might not be immediately obvious so that you chose the right route for your needs.
What size of digger do I need for my project?
Most small jobs need a 1.5-ton operating weight. This size of digger is manoeuvrable in smaller spaces whilst being strong enough to tackle jobs such as digging footings. Track width can be reduced to fit side passageways. Remember to consider head height of the digger you will be using too if there are any restrictions on height for access. A mini digger will dig up to 2.3 metre depths depending on their specification whereas a micro digger can usually only dig to around 1.6 metres.
On average a mini digger hire cost per day (Based on local prices for self-Drive)
| Estimated Hiring cost weekdays | Estimated cost for Weekends | Estimated Hiring cost extra day | Estimated hiring cost per week | |
| Mini-Digger 1.5 ton | £70-£145 | £70-195 | £50-60 | £220-250 |
Additional costs you MUST consider
- Deposit – this is usually a percentage of the day rate.
- Drop off fees which are usually between £10-30
- Damage waiver
- Insurance – third party theft and liability – this can be quite high for self- hire – remember you are responsible to any damage to the digger itself, property cables underground services etc. Always read the small print of hire agreements before signing up as you could make a costly mistake if not fully insured.
- Cost of accessories – breakers additional buckets
- Fuel costs.
Do you need an operator?
Unless you have experience using a digger it is highly recommended that you hire with an operator. Their experience will get the job done faster, freeing up your time to do other things and reducing the time you have the machine on hire, they have the appropriate equipment to assess risk of underlying cables and services for safety and are fully insured should the unforeseen arise. An operator may cost between £150- £200 a day.