The use of excavators has become an inseparable part of construction works, and construction companies can rent excavators for both short-term and long-term projects. On top of that, excavating contractor have different pricing options for different types of excavators and their usage.
So, how do you know you are paying the fair rental fees for an excavator?
Generally, excavators can cost somewhat between $40 to $270 per hour. The pricing depends upon factors like the size, load-bearing capacity, presence of operators, etc.
To help you negotiate while renting the excavator and pay the minimum price for your project, this article gives you an insight into the pricing of excavators.
How much is an Excavator per Hour?
There are two types of hiring packages for excavators- the dry hire and the wet hire.
The dry hire price includes the rent of an excavator, along with the charges of its operation. On the other hand, wet hire prices only cover the rental fees, and you will have to separately hire an operator.
The rental rate of an excavator is measured by multiplying the equipment’s costs by x 5% / month x 13 x 80%, and this will indicate the yearly amount of money a renting company wants to achieve. So, by knowing the price of an excavator, you can find out its ideal rent.
However, if you want to skip the calculation, just find the average rental charges of excavators depending upon their size in the below tables.
Excavator Weight | Average Costs of Dry Hiring per Hour (Excluding the Goods and Service Tax) |
1 to 2 Tonne | USD 40 |
3 to 4 Tonne | USD 50 |
5 to 6 Tonne | USD 55 |
7 to 9 Tonne | USD 60 |
9 to 10 Tonne | USD 65 |
12 to 14 Tonne | USD 70 |
15 to 19 Tonne | USD 75 |
20 to 25 Tonne | USD 90 |
26 to 30 Tonne | USD 105 |
30 to 35 Tonne | USD 120 |
36 to 40 Tonne | USD 165 |
Uo to 50 Tonne | USD 180 |
Excavator Weight | Average Costs of Wet Hiring per Hour (Excluding the Goods and Service Tax) |
1 to 2 Tonne | USD 115 |
3 to 4 Tonne | USD 120 |
5 to 6 Tonne | USD 125 |
7 to 9 Tonne | USD 130 |
10 Tonne | USD 135 |
12 to 14 Tonne | USD 140 |
15 to 19 Tonne | USD 140 |
20 to 25 Tonne | USD 170 |
26 to 30 Tonne | USD 180 |
30 to 35 Tonne | USD 190 |
36 to 40 Tonne | USD 225 |
Up to 50 Tonne | USD 270 |
Minimum Hiring Hours of Excavators
As we have mentioned in the earlier section, the pricing of different excavators depends upon their sizes. Not only that, but the minimum hiring hour of an excavator also varies depending on its size.
For example, if you hire a mini excavator for one of your home improvement projects, a few hours will be enough to complete the task. On the other hand, an excavator might be needed for days in a construction field. So, you see, the minimum renting hour caters to both the renting company and the client.
The minimum wet hiring hours are:
Mini Excavators: These excavators weigh between 1 to 3 tonnes and the minimum hiring hours are 3. 2 hours for working and 1 for moving the excavator.
Smaller Excavators: Excavators weighing from 3 to 8 tonnes fall under this segment. You must hire these for at least 4 hours; 3 at work and 1 for travel.
Medium Excavators: 8 to 14 tonnes of excavators are medium-sized, and their minimum hiring hours are the same as smaller excavators.
Larger Excavators: Excavators weighing more than 20 tonnes are considered large, and they are hired for a full day. They can be operated for 8 hours, and their traveling can take up to 2 hours.
Dry hiring, on the other hand, most often comes in daily rates. The minimum dry hiring hours are-
Mini Excavators: 4 hours at work and a full day for pick up.
Smaller Excavators: Same as mini excavators.
Medium Excavators: One to three days.
Larger Excavators: At least a week.
It is important to note that these minimum hours are not fixed. We observed the average minimum renting hours of popular companies, and most companies tend to follow the hours mentioned in the table. However, the numbers may vary depending on the policy of different companies.
The Travel Cost of Excavators
There are no travel costs included in the rental fees for dry hires, as you would separately assign people to bring the excavator to your site. But in the case of wet hiring, the operator will travel with the excavator, and you will have to pay some additional charges based on how far your construction site is from the rental company.
These travel costs are measured in hourly rates, and for wet hiring, you should acknowledge the cost from the rental company. In general, the hourly pay of an excavator operator is 20$ to 50$.
Even though excavators are essential to construction works, buying an excavator is not practical for many construction companies. You will only need to use the excavator for a limited time, and renting it is a much more budget-friendly option for that.
A mid-range excavator can cost between $100000 and $200000, which is way above the budget of the most construction project. So, smart builders opt for renting instead.
By now you have got the answer to “how much is an excavation per hour?” Now, you can easily compare the prices offered by different companies, and get the most reasonable deal.