As summer gets under way, you may be thinking that now is the perfect time to kickstart your home DIY project. As the sun continues to shine, it is likely that you’ll want to spend more time in the garden, where a landscaping or renovation project could help you to achieve the outdoor relaxation hub of your dreams.
If this is the case, you may already have all the tools you need to complete your project. But dig a little deeper and you might find that you’re in need of some more heavy duty equipment. A mini digger can help you to make major changes to your space with ease, where hiring a vehicle means that this is made possible at a reasonable price.
Read on to find out more about the many benefits of mini digger hire, with a look at this vehicle’s various uses for your home project.
What Is A Mini Digger?
Also known as a compact or mini excavator, a mini digger is a type of construction vehicle that can be used for a range of commercial and domestic projects. It consists of either tracks or wheels which allow it to be driven over mixed terrains. Mini diggers generally also have a boom, dipper and bucket connected to a rotating cab.
As indicated by the name, a mini digger is a compact version of a full sized digger, where it will have a reduced operating weight of approximately 0.7 to 8.5 tonnes. These vehicles can then be fitted with a range of different attachments which allow them to be used for various purposes. Common attachments include forks, buckets, cutters and concrete breakers, where these can be hired alongside your digger.
Benefits Of Choosing A Mini Digger
Mini diggers can offer a wide range of benefits for your home and garden projects, where these can include:
Minimal Damage
Because mini diggers weigh much less than larger machinery, you can expect them to cause minimal damage to your property. Larger vehicles can tear up your garden and cause deep trenches to form, where this can be avoided with a more lightweight alternative. They can also be manoeuvred more carefully due to their compact design, reducing damage to surrounding structures.
Year Round Uses
A mini digger is the perfect tool to assist you throughout the year. Not only can a mini digger help with landscaping projects in summer, it can also be used in winter to clear snow from your property. This can be useful to assist with ongoing construction work, or if you simply need to clear your driveway following a heavy flurry.
Fit Into Tight Spaces
The main benefit of choosing a mini digger compared to a larger alternative is that it can be handy for accessing tight spaces. Its smaller size and weight means that it is ideal for domestic projects where larger machinery would not be practical, where a mini digger is easier to control and direct.
Benefits Of Excavator Hire Compared To Buying Your Own
As mini diggers sound so impressive, you may be tempted to buy your own vehicle. But there are numerous reasons why hiring a digger or excavator is much more beneficial. Some of these benefits include:
Reduced Costs
Buying a digger means you have to prepare for large upfront costs, whilst hiring can be more cost effective in comparison, especially if you’re only working on short-term projects. Hiring also means you can try the vehicle without commitment, so you don’t waste money purchasing something you won’t use.
No Storage Issues
If you hire a mini digger, then you don’t have to worry about where you’re going to store it. The hiring company will take care of long-term vehicle storage on your behalf when you’re not using the digger, so you don’t need to think about keeping it secure during the cold and wet weather.
Maintenance & Servicing
In addition to storing your digger, your hiring company will also take care of the vehicle’s maintenance and servicing needs when it’s not in use. This helps you to cut down additional costs, and ensures your digger is always in good working condition.
Improved Safety
It is also the responsibility of your hiring company to ensure that your mini digger is fully safety checked. If you buy your own digger, it is easy to overlook and neglect safety precautions, whilst hiring a vehicle means that you can use the digger without worry.
Training Included
Some hiring companies will also offer training or instructions when you take on a vehicle. This means that you can feel comfortable using your digger for home projects without having to teach yourself its basic functions.
Top Uses For Your Mini Digger
There are many different ways you can use a mini digger for your home and garden projects, where some of the top DIY uses include:
Digging Holes & Trenches
Most evidently, the top use for a mini digger is digging holes. This is essential if you’re digging to make space for fencing posts or pillars, where you can also use this kind of vehicle for digging irrigation trenches.
Landscaping
Mini diggers have a wide range of landscaping uses, where these include tearing down and moving trees, as well as removing tree stumps. This kind of vehicle is also the perfect tool for relocating soil deposits or re-levelling your garden, where it’s lightweight design won’t inflict unnecessary damage on your outdoor space.
Small Demolition Projects
Major demolition projects are usually best left to the professionals, but smaller tasks can be accomplished at home using a mini digger. Demolition projects that involve disassembling sheds, treehouses and decking can all be completed using this kind of vehicle.
Debris Removal
If you’re doing any kind of DIY, you’re bound to end up with lots of debris that needs to be moved and gathered up. A mini digger can help with this, whether you’re clearing out garden waste or tidying up following a construction project. For this kind of project, it’s best to choose a corresponding bucket or scooping attachment that will allow you to manoeuvre waste to a nearby skip.
Digging Foundations
For more ambitious home projects, mini diggers come in handy for digging and preparing foundations, where these could be for an extension, a conservatory or to make room for decking. This vehicle can also be used to create drainage pits for a large pond or swimming pool, where the digger’s compact size is ideal for accessing these tight spaces.
Key Safety Tips
Despite their compact size, mini diggers should be handled with care just like their more heavy-weight counterparts. It is important to proceed with caution at all times when handling a construction vehicle, where top safety tips include:
Wearing appropriate clothing – protective equipment such as proper shoes, eyewear, ear defenders and helmets can keep you safe during your work
Following user guidance – always utilise your vehicle in accordance with its instructions or under the direction of your plant hire team
Know your limits – never undertake a digger project that you don’t feel comfortable with, where it’s always best to have some knowledge of the task at hand before proceeding
Enlist expert help – it’s important to know when it’s time to enlist professional help, where electrical works in particular should not be undertaken by amateurs
Take breaks – it’s easy to overdo it when working on a DIY project, where you should remember to take regular breaks and remain hydrated at all times
Tool Care Hire: Affordable Vehicle & Drilling Tool Hire In Your Area
At Tool Care Hire, we’re proud to offer you a broad array of plant hire machinery, including a selection of mini diggers. You can also choose from our range of rollers, dumpers, compressors and generators. In addition to this, we’re equipped to supply commercial as well as residential construction projects with large scale access platforms, storage containers and welfare units.
Our range also extends to a variety of construction and plumbing tools, including ladders, pumps and welding equipment. Contact us directly today to find out more.