Excavator Hire | Everything You Need to Know

The benefits of choosing to hire an excavator over buying this expensive piece of machinery are endless. Rather than using up your entire budget on purchasing a large, costly piece of equipment, why not consider excavator hire? 

Here, we share everything you need to know about excavator machine hire, from the various types available to excavator hire rates. 

At MPH, we specialise in providing only the best plant hire solutions. Within our fleet, we’re pleased to include a range of exceptional, modern excavators for hire, perfect for your next project. 

With over 40 years of experience, we’re proud to have developed a firm reputation for supplying exceptional plant hire equipment. If you’d like to find out more about our services, please do get in touch. Call us on 0208 351 3434 and speak to one of our friendly team members today.  

 

Types of Construction Excavators 

Crawler Excavators 

The crawler excavator is most frequently used in mining and trench digging. Its name derives from the fact that it runs on two rotating tracks instead of wheels. If you’re looking to hire an excavator for steep, rough or muddy landscapes, the crawler is the perfect option for you. The chain wheel system allows it to balance on a range of surfaces, including uneven terrain. 

Wheeled Excavators 

The wheeled excavator is ideal for projects on flat surfaces. This excavator hire option is similar to the crawler, however, it has wheels instead of tracks. Because of this, the wheeled excavator is not suitable for sites with soft soil or hills and slopes. Nevertheless, wheeled excavators are faster than crawlers when used on smooth or hard surfaces. 

Suction Excavators

The suction excavator is commonly used on fragile digging jobs, debris cleanups and underground projects. Also referred to as “vacuum excavators”, this popular excavator hire option includes a suction pipe that functions as a high-pressure vacuum. Suction excavators are used by construction companies to complete jobs that require extremely precise excavation to avoid inflicting damage to the surrounding area. 

At MPH, we’re pleased to provide leading excavator hire services to our valued customers. Whether you’re looking for a Micro Excavator, 1.5 Tonne Excavator, or a 9 Tonne Excavator for larger projects, we’ve got the ideal option for you in our extensive, well-maintained fleet. 

How To Decide What Size Excavator to Hire

Trying to choose the right excavator hire for your project can be a daunting task. Picking the wrong size could result in a project being completed incorrectly, costing you valuable time and money. As previously discussed, there are multiple types of construction excavators, all of which fit into four main size categories. These are: 

  • Mini 
  • Midi 
  • Standard 
  • Large

Mini Excavator Hire

A mini excavator is the smallest excavator hire available, weighing less than 6 tonnes. Often used to fit into small spaces, this type of machinery is perfect for indoor projects, sewer repairs and other smaller tasks. If your project doesn’t require the power and reach found in larger models, a mini excavator is a sufficient option for you. 

Midi Excavator Hire

Midi excavators are an ideal choice for projects covering a small surface area, however, still require significant reach. Midi excavator hire is a great option for building construction and landscaping, offering the advantage of increased manoeuvrability thanks to their compact size. Due to their higher fuel efficiency over standard excavators, the midi is a great option for common construction projects. 

Standard Excavator Hire

A standard excavator is the most popular size used for commercial construction. Most commonly used on building sites, standard excavators offer both optimum power and reach. Also known as “crawler excavators”, these machines run on two parallel tracks that offer traction on uneven landscapes. They also provide low ground pressure, making them well-suited for environments with soft terrain. 

Large Excavator Hire

If you’re working on a big-scale construction or demolition project, the large excavator hire option is the perfect choice for you. Their superior power and speed make them the only worthy contender for projects in need of large-scale excavation applications.

Attachments For Excavators 

Looking to make the most out of your excavator? Thanks to the variety of attachments for excavators available on the market, they now hold so many more uses than simply digging. From cone splitters, grabbers and rotators, to stump shears and hydraulic hammers, the possibilities are truly endless. At MPH, we’re pleased to offer our customers a range of excavator hire options to suit a variety of projects. If you’d like to find out more about the various types of construction excavators we offer for hire, please get in touch.

Furthermore, if you’d like to receive expert advice on how to decide what size excavator to hire, we can help. Call us on 0208 351 3434 and speak to one of our knowledgeable, friendly team members today.