Having a mini backhoe on the project has a myriad of benefits as they are versatile equipment ideal for small tasks.
But your need for this is just temporary. What will you do then? The answer is to rent. Renting a backhoe comes with a lot of advantages including fast acquisition and reduced cost.
But if you’ve never rented one before, it can be a daunting task. This is why we came up with this article – a short guide perhaps on how to rent to help you through the way.
You might also be thinking what are the questions to ask for and how to go about the process of renting one – we gave everything here in detail so that you can start the job and finish it in the soonest possible time.
In this article we also tackled the factors that affect the rental cost and the ways you can do to save money – after all, we want the project done while keeping the overhead expenses at the minimum.
So let’s start by knowing how much does it cost to rent this equipment...
How Much You Can Rent a Mini Backhoe
The mini backhoe can be rented on hourly, daily, weekly and even on a monthly basis. The general rule is when you’re planning to hire a mini backhoe for just a short period of time, choose a basic model that is enough to complete the project, on the other hand, when you want to rent it in long-term, you may choose a model with more versatility so that it can do variety of tasks.
The cost of renting a backhoe varies from a rental store to a rental store but it ranges from $150 a day to several hundred. If the term is lengthy, the rental rates are much lower. The rental stores usually have packages for long-term rental of the equipment.
Here are the other factors that affect mini backhoe rental rates:
- The rental cost of a mini back will depend on how long you want it for, the size of the machine, and the make and model of the equipment.
- Consider the mobilization or transport to the job site when estimating the cost of renting a mini backhoe. The standard rate of delivery is $4 per mile so the cost to have the equipment transported will depend on the distance of the job site.
- Other factors that come into play are the fuel cost it needs to operate, servicing and maintenance, excessive wear or damage if that exist after use, demobilization or return of the rental store, and other hidden rates that the rental store did not tell you about at the beginning of the process.
- If you need an attachment for the backhoe, it is an added expense. If you need an attachment for your backhoe, it is separately computed, again the cost depends on what attachment you need.
- The operator fee Also Adds to the cost. If you don’t have a worker to operate the equipment, the rate for the operator is between $30-60 an hour. You can talk to the rental store as they can include the operator wage to the rental fee.
How to Rent a Mini Backhoe For Your Application
- Survey rental stores near your locations, find their contact details so that you can keep in touch with them later on after knowing other details and when you’re ready.
- Accurately determine what size and bucket capacity you want your machine to be equipped with. If you not sure about these specifics, you can ask the rental store representative to visit your project to evaluate your need.
- Decide whether you want an operator to come with the rental backhoe or you need only the equipment and you are the one responsible for its use. We highly recommend that the operator has the training and experience in using this machine.
- Contact a rental store. This is when knowing the details and specifics of the machine you need come in handy. They will surely ask for this in order to assess your requirement. Again, it would be appropriate to visit your site to make the best evaluation.
- When everything has been done right, you will be asked to sign the rental agreement. Again, make sure to check several times the provisions stated therein.
- Wait for the equipment to arrive at your job site, it make a couple of days to get it transported. You may contact the rental store once in a while to check on the status.
Ways You Can Do to Save Money
Don’t just settle on one dealership – survey as many rental stores as you can to find the best rental price of the backhoe you’re looking for but be sure not to sacrifice the value and quality of equipment with affordability.- In as much as possible choose a rental store near your job site – the reason is obvious – you can easily dispatch a mini backhoe rental to your job site when one in your fleet breaks down. You would not want to delay the completion of the project as it cost money when it doesn’t get completed on time. You also save transport.
- Let the professionals visit your job site – in as much as possible let the pros do it for you especially if you need several of this equipment –let the trained people from the dealership visit your job site and assess your application to come up with the right size and type of mini backhoe that is suited for the job. If you do it yourself, you are prone to committing mistakes and it will cost you a lot of time and money.
- Test the equipment because the condition is a big factor – don’t rush and take time to test the equipment before getting it transported to your job site, I know you want it badly, but make sure that it runs perfectly. Again, you don’t want an equipment breakdown as it causes a delay in the scheduled project completion.
- Determine how long you want the equipment on your job site – if it is in a long-term basis, you can negotiate with the rental store to give you competitive rental rates. Always remember the longer you need it, the lower is the rental fees.
- Look for newer backhoe models – if you’re thinking that renting an older model of mini backhoe will save you money because of its cheaper price, you’re making a mistake. Older models have been used extensively that makes them prone to breakdown. Older models are not fuel-efficient thus you’ll be wasting money as opposed to newer models.
- In renting you can test out a particular model of mini backhoe if later on you want to purchase this. This is what most purchasers do prior to acquiring equipment. Doing so will give you the best chance to study if that particular model is ideal for your need.
- Make sure that the mini backhoe you’re planning to hire is insured. Rental stores do make additional profits in selling insurance for the equipment, you may find their offers more expensive than others. So it is worthwhile to find an alternative that offers a much lower premium.
- In addition, when renting a mini backhoe, you should be aware of the provisions in the contract. It is important to understand if there are additional fees aside from the agreed rental rates. Some rental stores are the culprit in covering hidden fees in the rental contract.
- Ask for a breakdown of all the expenses you’re going to pay – again, to avoid hidden fees, ask the rental store to give you details of the expenses and in as much as possible have them itemized it to avoid overpaying.
Do You Prefer to Rent a Particular Make & Model or Any Will Do?
You may have a particular brand or model in your mind; that is good because you have something to tell to a rental store when you are asked about it. The correct model will depend on the application where it is to be used.
Just make sure that the rental backhoe has the horsepower, bucket capacity and operating weight to finish the job at hand.
The rental store may recommend to you to have the more powerful and versatile model after all you don’t want to make a mistake in hiring equipment that is underpowered and cannot accomplish the job – it is a big hassle to have it replaced.
What Size of Mini Backhoe Do You Need?
First off, once you’ve decided that you need a mini backhoe for your project, the second thing that would come to your mind is what size of mini backhoe suited for the application.
One size doesn’t fit all, please do remember that. That’s why you need to be accurate for the size of equipment needed so that you can save not only money but other resources as well.
When sizing, consider also the dig depth and maximum operating weight as they affect the performance of the equipment.
If you’re not sure which size of the mini backhoe is right for your project, talk to the rental store, they will assist you in determining your needs to give the best equipment for the job.
How is the Equipment Get Delivered to Your Site?
The rental company can deliver the mini backhoe to your job site but will take some time to arrive. Another you can do if you need the equipment in the fastest time is to pick it up at the dealership.
The dealership will allow you the pick as long as you have the adequate-size trailer and chains and binder to secure the equipment.
If you let the dealership do the delivery, the cost to have that equipment delivered to your job site depends on the distance and its size/weight.
If you were to ask us, we suggest to let the pros do the delivery to avoid any damage to the equipment as you’re the one who will shoulder for it. Aside from that, it is convenient, you are assured that everything is according to plan without the hustle.
How to Choose a Rental Store or Dealership
If you’re planning to rent a backhoe for your current project, you might want to select the right rental company, here are some tips to help you and a few red flags to avoid:
- Visit a rental store near you. You can easily find one just do a simple google search, there you could find a rental company closest to your location. Renting from this is not only fast but also saves money.
- Look for a rental store that has a low-hour backhoe and let you test the equipment.
- Find a rental store that has extensive selections of equipment that way you can easily find the right equipment you are looking for.
- Find a rental store that has professional technicians so that when the equipment breaks down, they can easily service it avoiding delay in your part.
- Ask colleagues and other friends in the industry for their honest opinion; they usually have the first-hand experience and will refer to the best rental company.
The red flags to avoid:
- When you visit a rental store, look for the equipment’s maintenance record to see its service history. If they have excuses and don’t want to show you this, it is a tell-tale sign that it has been in bad condition. Move on and find another store.
- Read the rental contract thoroughly before signing to avoid hidden charges as they usually conceal those in the contract. If they didn’t tell you this in the beginning, and later on you got to know about it, you may have second thought hiring from them again.
- When the equipment arrived at the site, check if this is the right one the rental store promised to give you. If something is not right, you won’t be making anymore deal with them.
The Bottom Line
If this is your first time renting a backhoe, the process doesn’t have to be complicated. But do keep in mind that there are other things you should know in order to make everything smooth.
Without understanding those, you could end up wasting money and we don’t want that. Hope this guide helped you to come up with a decision and make it a success.
The cost of how to rent a backhoe is just a small investment but has significant benefits.
