Construction work requires a lot of machinery. A task could mean you need everything from excavators and dumpers to generators and access platforms. And while in an ideal world a construction company would own all the relevant equipment to get the job done, this is not always the case for many businesses. This is where plant hire comes in handy.
But what is plant hire, and what are the benefits of utilising it for construction work? Here at Tool Care Hire, we offer dependable plant and equipment hire to customers in the South West of England, so have put together this helpful guide on plant hire.
Read on to find out more.
What Is Plant Hire?
While familiar to those in the construction industry, many people outside this industry are probably unaware of what the term plant hire means. And no, it has nothing to do with the flowers in your garden. Plant hire is essentially when a company rents out the machinery, tools and equipment it has to another company.
This could be a dedicated plant hire company that specialises in renting out equipment to other people, or a company wanting to make the most of its machinery by renting it out when they are not currently using it for construction work.
The Benefits Of Equipment Hire
There are plenty of reasons that companies utilise plant hire for their business, so here are some of the main benefits of plant hire.
Cost-Efficient
One of the biggest benefits of plant hire is cost efficiency. Renting equipment for a certain period of time is definitely a lot more cost-effective than buying a piece of machinery outright. Machinery that will be used in construction work can be incredibly expensive. For example, a used excavator will still potentially cost you over £10,000 to buy outright.
Renting equipment is a lot less expensive than this, as you’ll probably find yourself paying a couple of hundred pounds at a time when renting a piece of equipment like an excavator. The only instance where this isn’t cost-effective is if you’re frequently renting a piece of equipment and the money starts to add up to over the cost of buying the piece of equipment. In all other instances however, utilising plant hire will often save you thousands of pounds.
No Maintenance
As you don’t own the equipment that you’re renting, you don’t have to worry about all of the servicing and maintenance that goes along with it. As you use a piece of machinery, there is always a chance that its performance will get worse or parts will start to wear down. When this happens, you’ll have to shell out for maintenance.
Maintenance for machinery can be quite an expensive thing. First, you need to find a specialist who is adept at repairing plant machinery. This is more of a specialist field than a general mechanic, so they often charge a bit more for their services. Parts for plant machinery are often more specialised than general parts for something like a car, so may cost more to source.
Apart from emergency maintenance when there’s an issue, you’ll also have to pay for regular servicing. This will ensure that your machinery is running as well as possible and prevent any pricey emergency repairs from taking place.
The Best Equipment
You may not be able to afford top-of-the-line plant machinery to use for your construction project but what you can do is rent out this top-of-the-line equipment. Plant hire will enable you to get access to the best equipment possible, making your construction work way more efficient and practical.
If you want to buy equipment, you’ll probably have to compromise on price by buying second-hand equipment which may not be as reliable as renting a piece of top-of-the-line equipment. Hiring will get you better quality equipment to perform tasks to a higher standard. All the equipment provided by plant hire companies will be quality checked by professionals to ensure it is the best it can be, which you might not get if you decide to buy second-hand equipment instead.
No Storage
Machinery is often incredibly large, making it difficult to store at construction sites and wherever you store the rest of your tools. Plant hire means you don’t have to worry about the storage of equipment when you’re not using it. You simply hire the machinery for the period of time you need, and then when you’re done with it you return it to the company. So you don’t have to worry about storing any equipment when you’re not currently using it.
Great Selection
One benefit of plant hire is that there is a great selection of machinery on offer. If you purchase a piece of equipment, you’re stuck with it and might have to use it for occasions where a more specialist piece of equipment will get the job done. When using plant hire, you can pick a piece of equipment you want from a wide range of products, so you can get something that suits your needs.
You can also compare all of the options available to find a product that suits you, helping you to make an informed decision on which one is appropriate for you. Most plant hire companies are also run by experts, so they can also help you make a decision using their detailed knowledge of the machinery.
No Worries About Reselling
As soon as you buy a piece of equipment, it will start to depreciate in value. This means you’ll never make any money in profit when you decide to sell it on. You can protect your finances by renting your machinery for much cheaper prices, and then you don’t have to worry about reselling.
Flexible
Plant hire is a very flexible service, which can make it very beneficial for businesses. Often you don’t need a piece of equipment for the entirety of a construction work, so plant hire can be used to rent the piece of machinery for when you need it, and then you return it when you don’t need it. If you think you need the equipment for longer, you can arrange to hire it for a specific amount of days, and can even extend this if you think you need it for a lot longer.
Environmentally Friendly
Renting machinery can actually be more environmentally friendly. By using existing machinery, resources do not have to be used up to produce more equipment. Instead, equipment that is already in the rotation will be used over and over, so no extra machinery will be produced.
Typical Machinery Available
While you can get a wide range of equipment from a plant hire company, there are a few items that stand out that are normally available from these services. You can typically get excavators and diggers in a wide range of sizes, as different models will be more suitable for different tasks. Telehandlers are another common plant hire item, suitable for moving and lifting items across worksites.
A forklift is a versatile piece of machinery that is rented by plant hire companies, being able to move and lift goods into hard-to-read places. Other machinery you can expect includes storage tanks, compressors, compactors, fuel bowsers and more.
Excavator Hire, Roller Hire & More From Tool Care Hire
So if you’re on the lookout for plant hire for your construction work, get in touch with the team at Tool Care Hire today. We are a reliable plant and tool hire company with depots in Exeter, Exmouth, Torbay and Okehampton, meaning we’re able to offer our services to clients across the South West of England.
We have been supplying our clients with a wide range of plant and equipment for over 30 years, providing quality hire work to both DIY and trade customers during this time. We are constantly updating our stock, aiming to give our clients the best options when they need them. This is how we have built up a loyal customer base who keep coming back to us whenever they’re in need of plant hire for their construction work.
You can come to us whenever you need a wide range of plant hire, stocking everything from dumpers, excavators and rollers to access platforms, telehandlers, compressors and generators. We have offices in Exeter, Exmouth and Torbay, as well as our operated plant office near Okehampton, so visit our website now to get in touch with the office most convenient for you.