What type of excavator do I need?

If you’re planning your next construction, roading or utility job; you might want to hire an excavator. Hiring an excavator is a cost-effective way to make sure you’ve always got access to the right machine: without having to purchase a digger of your own.

There are plenty of different types of digger out there and you might be wondering which is best for you. In this article we take a look at the different types of excavator available to hire in Hawke’s Bay, and explain the key characteristics that set them apart from the rest.

Do you need to hire a mini digger and trailer?

Small diggers range in size from 1.7T up to 3.5T and mini diggers refer to the smallest in this group – the 1.7T and 2T excavators. If you hire a 1.7T or 2T Yanmar Digger from Allways Hire for a Hawke’s Bay job, you can take it to your site on the handy trailer that will attach to the back of your ute or truck.

Mini diggers have a range of advantages that make them a popular hire choice. They are small, which means they’re less likely to damage any surfaces you’re working on. It also makes them easy to get into a tight space and great for manoeuvring when you’re working close to buildings or obstacles. Mini diggers are also easier to operate than larger diggers.

These are a versatile range of machines for both construction and roading tasks. Mini diggers are well suited to a huge range of jobs. You can find out more about what they’re good at and when you might choose to hire one in our article When is a small digger right for the job.

A mini digger offers a winning combination: it’s easier to operate, can be transported on a trailer, and is great for tight spaces.

Should you hire a medium excavator?

Choosing between a smaller excavator and a bigger model is often just a matter of assessing the size of job that’s on hand. A medium sized digger will do many of the same jobs as a small digger but much faster due to bigger bucket size and more power. Being bigger it needs more space to be able to access the site and operate effectively.

Medium excavators can effectively dig, trench and excavate for a range of tasks on construction sites, landscaping projects and for utility installations. Their size allows them to perform quickly without having to compromise on the mobility and manoeuvrability that you get from a small sized digger.

Medium sized excavators also offer increased reach capacity with a longer boom, making it possible to dig deeper and also reducing the need to manoeuvre as often. This can both save time and improve efficiency on the job site.

Explore the range of diggers available for hire in Hawke’s Bay from Allways Hire. Need help getting your digger to your work site? We can deliver and pick up the digger that you hire – just book it in when you speak to our team.

Is a suction excavator the right hire for your next job?

Suction excavators, also called vacuum excavators or vacuum trucks, use suction technology to excavate and remove materials. Wet suction excavators (like the Master Hydro Vacuum Excavator) use water with a powerful vacuum system that sucks up soil, debris, or other materials through a large hose into a tank.

Do you need to dig a hole near pipes or utilities, or are you dealing with soft soil or challenging access to your digging site?

Suction excavators are particularly useful in sensitive environments, such as urban areas or around utilities, as they allow for more precise and non-destructive excavation. They are often used to expose underground utilities like cables, pipes, or delicate infrastructure without causing damage.

The Master Hydro Vacuum Excavator uses water to dig. That makes it a safer option if there are utilities nearby and offers precision if you’re digging in soft soil.

What other types of excavators are available?

There are a huge range of excavators available to purchase but not all of them are currently available to hire in Hawke’s Bay. If you’re dealing with a specific task and need a different machine, contact Jeremy and he can talk you through what’s available.

We’re always interested in your suggestions for machines that could be added to the Allways Hire fleet: email jeremy@allwayshire.co.nz

Dry suction excavators

A dry suction excavator operates like a big vacuum machine that uses compressed air to loosen soil and then excavates holes by sucking soil, debris or other materials into a storage tank. It’s a very safe and efficient way to excavate a hole and is particularly effective for sensitive excavations, such as those carried out in soft soil or around utilities or buildings.

One of the main benefits of dry suction excavation is that the waste materials generated can be easily disposed of, wherever is convenient. For wet suction excavation the waste materials need to be offloaded at specifically designated council locations.

Wheeled excavators

Wheeled excavators move on wheels instead of tracks. This is good if you want to move your excavators by road as wheeled excavators can travel at normal speed without damaging the road surface. However, when off-road, wheeled excavators can struggle on softer ground. That’s because their weight is concentrated on a smaller surface (wheels rather than tracks) so they suffer from an increased risk of getting stuck.

Apart from the difference of wheels, wheeled excavators are very similar to track excavators and can be used to perform the same tasks.

Looking for an easier way to get an excavator to your work site? Allways Hire offers a transport service on all of its equipment hires across Hawke’s Bay. Just ask our staff for details when you book your hire.

Long reach excavators

A long reach excavator is a specialised type of excavator that differs from a normal excavator because it has an extra long dipper arm and/or boom. Long reach excavators are specifically designed to reach farther and deeper, allowing them to perform tasks in areas where standard excavators might not be able to reach.

The extended arm and boom of a long reach excavator make it possible to access areas that are further away horizontally or deeper vertically. This makes it an ideal machine for challenging jobs like excavating trenches, dredging rivers or ponds, working on slopes, reaching over obstacles, or performing tasks in bodies of water.

Long reach excavators are commonly used in applications such as dredging, shoreline work, deep excavation for foundations, and tasks requiring extended reach while maintaining stability.

Is a long reach excavator the right machine for your next job? Contact Jeremy today to find out about hire and availability.

The long reach boom attachment on this excavator delivers the extra reach required for jobs like pond or river dredging.

Ready to hire? Call Allways Hire today

Allways Hire has a wide range of excavators available to hire from our Napier and Hastings branches. These include mini diggers, Master Hydro Vacuum Excavators, and diggers ranging in size up to 13T. We also have an extensive range of digger attachments available to hire.

Explore our range online or contact our team if you need support choosing the best size of excavator or type of attachment for your next job. We’re experts on how our equipment can be used to get the best results every time.