Author Topic: Hiring a digger and operative, how much? (Read 49939 times)

MikeM · « **on:** September 12, 2012, 11:50:16 am »

we have an area of land to clear for a concrete slab, and initial digging has shown it to be harder going than I was expecting (lots of big lumps of stone that were used as the previous, poorly laid sub base) so I'm thinking of hiring a mini digger and operative (never used one, so self hire is probably out), anyone know roughly what it may cost to hire somone for the day?

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2012, 12:11:18 pm »

Don't know about Devon but up here (N Yorks) in our neck of the woods, its between £15-20 per hour depending on size of machine inc operator.
HTH
mandy

MikeM · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2012, 12:22:51 pm »

yup, it does. That's kind of the figure I had in mind. Thanks

tobytoby · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2012, 01:14:09 pm »

I can get a JCB + driver for £17 p/h - you can hire a small 1.5t mini digger for about £150 per week self drive. You will have some fun learning if time is not that important.

If you are near any building sites, go and speak to the machine driver, tell him what you want done and offer him £50 cash. He will bite your hand off and probably be over after his shift. Just have a look at what type of work he is doing 1st - to check his quality. I guarantee that if he is over 50 he will be spot on.

robert waddell · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2012, 09:44:59 pm »

bangbang · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2012, 10:15:49 pm »

Up here JcB and driver £35/hr, mini digger hire £300/week
If using someone who has NO insurance then you will be liable for
any unforseen happenings etc. Powerlines, drainage, BT at worst Fibre-optic cables.

Economic times will dictate the costs in certain areas.

robert waddell · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2012, 10:21:31 pm »

no wonder the country is going tits up

MikeM · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2012, 09:26:41 am »

thanks for the helpful replies all.

bazzais · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2012, 02:37:35 am »

All the rates listed seem to be mates rates - if you want to get a professional in then its going to cost at least what you would pay yourself an hour - ie £15 odd quid an hour - that just a few quid over someone who is only trained to much out a barn or do the washing up for you - plus deisel and then the cost of the mini digger, insurance, taxes etc etc

I'd say for an operative + equipment you are looking at at least £25 per hour - but for that youd expect not to pay for the unloading, waiting messing about time - just for some good graft.

An if your not used to driving a digger - they will get it done in 1/10 of the time of you hiring and trying it yourself.

MikeM · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:24:54 pm »

that was kinda my thinking. I ended up hiring a breaker drill for the week (I had the skip hired for the week anyways) so that was my timeframe. So far it's proving to be not to bad, using the breaker to break up the surface then shovelling it by hand, at least it's a good workout.

robert waddell · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2012, 03:51:41 pm »

what would you expect to pay for a plumber with a couple of spanners a hacksaw and a pocket of yorkie fitting then a hod it and dod it (joiner ) and you expect to get a machine and OPERATOR for less than it costs to put the man on it i hope you do get them at this ridiculous price and his nick name will be tulip because everything will be sprouting up after he has put the bucket in the ground not to mention the gable ends of walls that will be damaged
a jcb 3c will be about £26 per hour when working plus you pay for diesel used and the traveling time getting there and back and if there are punctures that is your responsibility

tracked machines have a delivery and uplift cost plus diesel and they can vary in hourly rate depending on the size of machine

minimum hire is usually 8 hrs but sometimes this can be reduced if it is an owner operator if it is an employed man it will be 8 hours minimum to cover his wages

don't try to short change an operator it will cost you more to repair the damage the genuine storeys i could tell you of those that did this would have you getting your 1RB with a wooden jib
out

you could get a farmers son with a machine but he is more used to shovelling s**t than working to fine tolerances and wont have insurance

some drivers the nearest they will come to being an operator is if they slept with one

a jcb3c or equivalent costs in the region of £50,000 and a 15 ton excavator from £65,000
and that is before you add in the insurance and some will insist that you have site insurance it wont be the first time that a machine has been stolen

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2012, 06:41:35 pm »

£200 a day all in (apart from diesel) down here. thats a mini digger and experienced operative.

digit · « **Reply #12 on:** September 15, 2012, 08:38:10 pm »

I do ground work, got my own machines, diggers,dumpers and lorry.A 3 ton mini digger with operator is £170 a day.

bazzais · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2012, 08:07:53 pm »

Alot of places wont hire mini diggers out now or any equipment of that size as there have been so many numpties thinking they can drive one and then finding they cant - bent rams, turning them over, smashing window, breaking telegraph poles, ploughing water mains, knocking walls down, driving through the front of barns in reverse, knocking the bucket on parked cars, smashing the lights off barn roofs. - these are all things I have done btw - cos I am a numpty

Glad your getting the work done though - to be honest a mini digger would have been a bit crap for just taking the surface off something unless you had the proper fitments - but even then youd be lifting the s**t out by hand unless you like changing attachments.

I like the sound of your services digit - sounds a fair price and talking to the man with the gear - a good package.