
Choosing plant machinery can be overwhelming, but with the right advice and guidance, your project can go off without a hitch. With a huge range of plant machinery available, where do you start? In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about plant machinery for your project, to help you choose the right ones.
Keep reading to learn more.
What kind of project is it?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is what kind of project is it? There are many broad categories within construction, so it’s important to consider what category you are operating under and choose the correct plant machinery for the job. Below is a list of categories that can help you narrow down what types of plant machinery you might need.
General construction
Work that falls into the construction category such as landscaping, residential and small commercial projects can require a range of plant machinery including digger hire or forklift hire. These construction projects are typically conducted in smaller spaces in comparison to other projects. Therefore you can be somewhat constricted to what machines are appropriate. One of the most common pieces of plant machinery are excavators. These are commonly chosen for their compactness and versatility, meaning one piece of machinery can be used to carry out a range of tasks. You may also need loaders, rollers, and dumpers in general construction.
Industrial construction
In industrial construction, projects tend to span larger areas and more long-term timelines. This means that a wider range of plant machinery is necessary to maintain a high level of efficiency. On general construction sites, you may be more likely to use mini or midi-sized plant machinery, however, for industrial construction projects, you will typically need to deploy heavier, larger and more rugged machinery.
Infrastructure and civil construction
This is a much more complex type of construction. It includes building and upgrading railways, pipework, roads, tunnels, bridges, drainage systems and more, making it much heavier than the types of construction mentioned above. This is generally the type of construction that is conducted due to public interest and requires large-scale investments. Because of the nature and scale of these projects, it is common for specialist machinery to be required, including road pavers or cold planers.
Is versatility important?
Another aspect of understanding what plant machinery you require is knowing the finer details that may affect which plant machinery you will need to hire or purchase. Versatility is great because it can help save on costs and efficiency. Many small-scale projects may opt for a more versatile piece of plant machinery that can carry out a variety of tasks. However, larger projects may rely on a wider variety of plant machinery that is larger and heavier, although it is more efficient at carrying out its job.
Consider job site conditions
Another key consideration is the conditions of the job site. It's important to assess the scope of the project and site conditions and determine what kind of machinery may be appropriate. Consider whether or not your project involves a big job site or a small indoor area. This will impact the machinery you will need to hire. If the job site is outdoors, across various terrains and potentially water-logged areas, you will need all-terrain equipment that can manage this. However, smaller indoor job sites will not need the same kind of consideration. Factors you will need to consider include weather, terrain, type of equipment, and type of landscape.
Another thing to think about is the availability of spare parts. You’ll need to be aware of what is at your disposal at the worksite so you can be sure about what to buy, how long the tools last and how much you will need to budget. Facing a shortage of tools can lead to downtime while waiting for new tools or parts to arrive. This can drive up costs even further and put deadlines in jeopardy. Issues you should be aware of include:
- Shortage of construction materials
- Damage to or reuse of materials
- Leftover waste from construction materials
Required certification and training
Some construction equipment such as forklift hire and digger hire may require more complex training and certifications. This is something to be aware of as you may not be able to hire certain equipment without the right training. Think about the type of training you or your crew already have and whether you will need to invest more for the plant hire you have in mind. Additionally, if you attempt to operate machinery without the correct knowledge, this could be both expensive and dangerous. The equipment could break if not properly maintained and accidents are more likely to happen where there is a lack of training. Many pieces of plant hire machinery come with safety features such as emergency stop buttons, handrails and more.
Available attachments
Attachments can be an imperative aspect of your construction project as they enable you to use the same piece of equipment for a variety of different tasks. For example, skid steers can be equipped with attachments for boring holes, digging trenches, ploughing snow, clearing brush, spearing bales of hay as well as a variety of other tasks. This is helpful because it allows you to complete multiple jobs with one piece of machinery. Attachments can help to expand your team’s abilities with less equipment and open up your job site too. If you require the use of a skid steer, excavator or tractor for a certain task, check what attachments are available. Some attachments include:
- Augers: For digging precise holes
- Grapple buckets: For picking up and gripping material as you go.
- Mulchers: For chopping up vegetation and brush.
- Rakes: For uprooting plants and clearing brush.
- Blades: For grading, levelling, and removing soil, rocks, snow and more.
Size of construction equipment
Equipment size should also be a factor to consider when selecting your construction equipment. Heavy construction equipment will take up more space at a job site, creating crowded conditions that can lead to accidents and more difficult manoeuvres. However, you may also need oversized equipment such as telescopic boom lifts or wheel loaders to help you get the job done. Larger pieces of equipment use more fuel and could emit more fumes at your worksite, making it harder to stay sustainable and compliant. Large machines such as excavators, backhoes, skid steers, or forklifts may be required which are typically powered by diesel engines. However, you can opt for electric models that run more quietly and don’t give off exhaust, ultimately improving working conditions. These are better for spaces such as warehouses and can even be used outdoors.
The best equipment for common construction projects
If you are carrying out any of the following construction projects, here are the plant machinery you may need to hire.
- Marking and site grading: Opt for motor graders to build roads and grade surfaces and skid steer loaders for earthmoving tasks like digging, trenching, and excavating.
- Landscaping and demolition: You should choose backhoe loaders to dig holes for ponds, fences or trenches. Excavators help with demolition tasks or lifting heavy amounts of soil off the ground. Bulldozers can push, dig and excavate materials like boulders or stumps and wheel loaders can build roads or be used for digging.
- Transporting materials: For this job you can opt for forklift hire to lift and move materials such as pallets and crates over short distances. Cranes are best for lifting and carrying heavy materials for bridges or buildings and dump trucks are best for carrying loads of materials away from or onto construction sites.
Rocket Rentals: Plant Hire, Digger Hire and Much More
At Rocket Rentals, we offer a range of plant-hire machinery, to help you find the perfect tool or machine for any job. Whether you are carrying out extensive commercial construction projects or light weekend garden renovations, we can help. We provide digger hire, forklift hire as well as a range of other plant hire. If you want to learn more about the services we provide and what other tools and equipment you can get your hands on, get in touch today.
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