Within the sphere of the construction industry which could range from the construction of a skyscraper, to a small neighbourhood home improvement project or even a landscaping project for a golf course or a backyard swimming pool project it would be easy to assume that bigger is always better.
However, this may not be as trues as for a vast range of projects, the real heroes of such projects are the compact, versatile machines we refer to as mini excavators. Despite their small sizes, these nimble, powerful and agile workhorses pack a serious punch that offers a level of efficiency and capabilities that match up to their standard sized counterparts.
It is due to this reason that on a comparative note, contractors prefer taking a mini excavator for hire instead of standard sized excavators for most construction related tasks – in essence it is seen as the most practical choice that professionals and DIY enthusiasts go for.
Compact Design vs. Power
The definition of a mini excavator varies and within this category there are sub categories, however, generally any excavator that weighs six metric tons or less is deemed as a mini excavator. There is no doubt that the compact sizes of these machines are their greatest asset as this factor allows the machine to be easily navigated through tight access areas by operators.
They are able to fit through gates which are crucial for home improvement projects; they could also be placed between buildings, or into fenced-off yards which are scenarios where larger machines become impractical.
Using a small excavator rental for such scenarios eliminates the need for expensive manual labour to move earth, dig, drill or clear inaccessible areas which is a critical factor when it comes to streamlining project workflow.
The smaller footprint of mini excavators also means less ground disturbance and this is a critical factor when they are utilized on finished lawns, or sensitive urban sites, or landscaped surfaces. Coupled with their lighter weight, the potential damage to the surrounding project environment attributed to weight and size is greatly reduced. From a business point of view, this is cost savings as it saves time and money on post-project restoration work which has a negative impact on profit.
The size of a mini excavator might trigger most into thinking that these machine’s lack power, which is totally untrue as the modern mini excavators are seen as engineering marvels that are not only capable of managing a surprising variety of tasks, but are also packed to the brim with torque. Most come with quick-change attachments which means that a single mini excavator would more than suffice to handle multiple jobs in a single day.
Generally, when mini excavators are taken for hire, they are fitted with a standard bucket attachment, however, the standard attachment can be easily swapped for other hydraulic tools such as a hydraulic breaker, augers, crushers or even hammers that allow the mini excavator to tackle concrete demolition