Looking at the current construction industry within the scope of small projects such as home improvement projects, industry observers have identified a new trend. This trend involves the practice of renting a wide variety of construction equipment and among the most popular equipment that are taken on hire includes compact track loaders, skid steers, mini excavators, dumpers and small cranes due to the savings that hiring such equipment bring to the table. It has been found that home renovation project managers are able to save up to 30 % of the cost of projects by hiring a skid steer or mini excavators. In this article there are five different types of heavy equipment that are examined with regards to their uses within the small project/ home improvement project spectrum. Having an understanding of how these machines support such projects based on their uses will help those managing the project to lower cost much more significantly.
The Multi-Purpose Mini Excavator
Excavators are not just earth moving machines as they were decades ago, these days they are deemed as multipurpose machines that are capable of performing a wide variety of tasks associated with not just construction, but also agriculture, trenching, dredging, mining and even forestry. A plus factor that pertains to the mini excavator is the fact that these machines are able to move around with a level of agility in tight spaces which make them the perfect solutions for small projects such as home improvement and landscaping. Mini excavators these days come with hydraulic couplers that enable them to accommodate different types of hydraulic attachments that render them as multipurpose machines.
For example, for small demolition jobs, the mini excavator could be fitted with a hydraulic jackhammer attachment that will save a lot of time in terms of labour hours which means that the cost is also lowered. For land clearing purposes the mulcher hydraulic attachment could be applied and they are still able to dig, lift and transport dirt. Mini excavators come with either tracks or wheels and this option mainly depends on the terrain the project is on. For landscaping, there are mini excavators that come with rubber tracks that minimize damage to the landscaped grounds. Additionally mini excavators for hire are cheaper than most other heavy machines.
The Dump Truck
Any home improvement project or landscaping project would definitely require a dump truck straight off the bat, at least once to carry away debris from the project site or for bringing in material to fill up an area that has been excavated. Hiring a dump truck however requires proper scheduling and thus make sure that everything is in place before the dump truck arrives. Dump trucks also have different versions such as the standard and articulated dump trucks that have the containers divided into two sections that move separately which offers better manoeuvrability especially in project sites that are not too generous with space.
The Crane
Much like excavators, there are numerous variations of cranes as there are smaller cranes that are generally for smaller projects such as home remodelling which are unlike the ones used for the construction of high-rises. However, they are only applicable if the remodelling project involves homes that have upper floors. Apart from moving materials or debris cranes such as the cherry picker are great for home renovation projects as they are mounted on trucks that allow the crane to move around the property (the basket moves in any direction) and commonly used for doing work on the exterior of the house. Among the most important thing about hiring a crane is determining the max height to ensure that the crane will go as high as the project requires it to go.
Concrete Mixers
Concrete work are almost always needed for home remodelling projects and mixers such as the concrete transit mixer that transports concrete direct from the batching location to the site are perfect in the event that the project requires large amounts of concrete. Usually, the cost of transporting the concrete is borne by the company that is supplying the concrete; hence the cost of transporting the concrete is included with the price paid for the concrete.
Skid Steer & Compact Track Loaders
Skid steers are much like the excavator in the sense that they have become multipurpose machines as the skid steer too is able to accommodate a variety of hydraulic attachments via the coupling system. The skid steer is another piece of equipment that is suitable for home improvement projects simply because of the fact that they offer value for money as project managers are able to use them to perform multiple tasks with just one machine. Generally they are used for clearing land or grading and moving debris, but add hydraulic attachments to their couplers and they are able to compact earth, drill, trench and wreck just to mention a few. Among the more popular hydraulic attachments that are generally used within the scope of home improvement projects or small projects include augers that are perfect for drilling through just about anything in existence, hydraulic breakers that are used for dismantling structures and grapples for lifting rocks or tree stumps. The main reason as to why the skid steer is often taken for hire is because of their compact size which allows these machines to move easily in the tightest of spaces.
Concrete Saw Cutters
The concrete saw cutter is essential for home improvement projects that require the cutting of concrete. This machine that is cheap to hire is used for precision cutting of concrete eliminating the need to break up entire concrete slabs (given the fact that most homes do have concrete slabs) With the saw cutter specific areas could be removed with precision which saves money on home improvement projects.
End Note
There are varieties of heavy equipment that are required for home renovation or home improvement projects and it is best to rent the equipment required as opposed to buying them as purchasing these expensive machines have the potential to pinch cash flow. This scenario is not good for small construction companies as it would disable their ability to accept new jobs due to shortage of cash. Apart from that although the rental costs may be prohibitive, but in retrospect renting equipment drastically reduces labour costs and time.
