Small plant hire delivered to site

Small builders, landscapers, groundworkers, farmers and homeowners taking on a big garden or driveway project.

Daily, weekend and weekly hire rates per machine, plus delivery and collection charges and sometimes a damage waiver fee. Each machine earns back its cost over time.

• Basic machine maintenance
• Safe towing and loading
• Customer service and clear paperwork
• Keeping a booking diary

• Insurance for hired-out plant, public liability and goods in transit, check the policy is written for hire use
• Towing: check your driving licence category covers the trailer and load weights
• Machines may need regular inspection and servicing, check what applies to each type, and consider joining a trade body such as the Hire Association Europe for guidance
• Make sure customers are competent to operate machines, and check whether training such as CPCS or NPORS is expected on their sites
• Theft of plant is common, so check security and storage requirements for your insurer
• Check whether storing machines at home needs permission from your landlord, lender or council, and whether a yard needs planning consent

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on how many machines you buy, whether they are new or used, plus a trailer or van, insurance and security.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £7,500 in our estimates, depending on the size of your fleet, hire rates and how often machines are booked out. Around 15 hours a week is a possible starting point.

Check that insurance is written for hire use, your driving licence covers the trailer and load, and what inspection and servicing applies. Check customer competence and training expectations, security and storage requirements, and any permissions for storing machines.