Sometimes you do not need a landscaping contractor, you need a machine and somebody who knows how to use it. We hire out our plant with an operator by the day or the week — to builders, farmers, estate managers and homeowners who have a job that needs digging.
PHOTO TO ADD: Your own machines, clean and on a job. This page sells the operator as much as the plant, so a photo of the machine working beats a photo of it parked. (delete this note once the image is in)
Why operated hire, rather than self-drive
Self-drive hire looks cheaper right up until something goes wrong. An operator who has spent years in the seat digs a trench faster, to a truer line and a consistent fall, and knows what a change in the spoil colour means before the bucket is through it. They also know where services are likely to run — and clipping an unmarked water main or an electricity supply costs vastly more than the day rate ever would.
With operated hire, the insurance, the maintenance and the competence all sit with us. You get a machine, someone qualified to run it, and a job that moves.
What we run
- Micro and mini excavators — narrow enough for a standard side gate, which is what most domestic gardens actually need
- Midi excavators — for footings, drainage runs and larger dig-outs
- Tracked and wheeled dumpers — for moving spoil and materials on soft or sloping ground
- Breaker, auger and grading attachments
Access is the first thing we ask about, because on a Lakeland property it is usually the deciding factor. Tell us the narrowest point the machine has to pass and we will tell you what will fit.
Typical work
- Footings and foundation digs for builders working without their own plant
- Drainage runs and service trenches
- Digging out driveways, patios and garden levels
- Post holes and fence line preparation on rocky ground
- Farm tracks, gateways and hardstanding
- Clearing and grading after demolition
- Moving muck, stone and topsoil around a site
Insurance and paperwork
We are fully insured and provide RAMS documentation, risk assessments and method statements for commercial sites. If your principal contractor needs paperwork before we come through the gate, ask and we will send it over in advance.
Common questions
Do you charge for transport?
Machine transport to and from site is charged separately and shown as its own line on the quote, so you can see exactly what it is. Within the South Lakes it is usually a modest addition.
Can I hire for half a day?
For local jobs, often yes. Because transport is a fixed cost either way, a half day sometimes works out at more than half the price of a full one — we will be straight with you about whether it is worth it.
Do you locate services before digging?
We ask for any service drawings you have and carry out a visual and cable-avoidance check before breaking ground. On sites with unknown services we will recommend a proper survey — it is far cheaper than a strike.
Can you supply just the machine?
We hire operated. Keeping our operators with our machines is how we know the work is done properly and the plant comes back in one piece.
Get a price for your job
Tell us the job, the site and the access, and we will tell you which machine you need and what a day will cost.
Free quote
Tell us about the job
Fill this in and we will ring you back to arrange a site visit — usually the same day. No obligation and no hard sell: if it is not a job for us, we will say so and point you at someone who does it.
In a hurry? Ring the mobile. If we are on a digger we will call you straight back.
07919 448092
