A mini-excavator is an excellent choice of machinery to handle heavy work without taking up too much space on-site. Whether for a construction project or landscaping, renting one is more cost-effective than buying. Before committing to equipment rental, below are three things to guide your decision-making.  

A Guide to Renting Mini-Excavators

1. Determine the Scope of Work

Excavators come in different sizes, so figure out your workload requirements. If you're unsure, speak to an equipment rental company representative to determine if a mini-excavator is enough to get the job done. They’ll ask about your needs based on factors like reach, digging depth, and dump height. 

Sometimes, they may have to visit the work site for proper assessment, especially to determine the necessary attachments for the rented mini-excavator. You’ll have to choose from buckets, hammers, rakes, grapplers, or multi-processors to determine the most effective one for your application.   

2. Choose Between Hiring or Operating It Yourself

When you rent a mini-excavator, it doesn’t automatically come with an operator. Either you hire someone or learn how to run this piece of equipment. If you choose the latter, the equipment rental company may provide instructions on operating and safety procedures. 

As there’s a learning curve to operating a mini-excavator, do test it out before having it delivered. A dry run gives you a feel for the equipment and enough time to ask the rental company any questions, particularly if there’s anything off about its operation.  

3. Inspect the Equipment

Before using the rented mini-excavator, perform an inspection first. Look for signs that it may require maintenance by the rental company, and notify them of any issues prior to usage. This prevents you from being liable for pre-existing damage.

4. Request a Detailed Quote

Always get a quote outlining the terms and conditions of the equipment rental. In addition to the rental fee, know the charges for delivery, return, insurance, and additional days. Some projects run longer than their target completion date, so you may want to estimate how much a longer will cost you.

When you need a mini-excavator for your project, turn to the trusted equipment rental company ABC Equipment Rental & Sales. Serving Brunswick, Cleveland, and northeastern Ohio, they offer rental and sales of construction and landscaping equipment as an authorized dealer of Kubota® and other leading brands. Browse their inventory online or call (330) 220-4545 today.