The rate follows the operating weight. A 3 to 5 ton machine commonly hires at $300 to $550 a day, an 8 to 12 ton at $450 to $800, and a 20 ton class at $700 to $1,200, with the week priced at roughly three to four days. Transport is quoted separately and is charged in both directions.
Size by the trench and the access, in that order
Depth and reach decide the class, then the gate decides whether that class can get in. A 5 ton machine digs to roughly 12 feet and passes through a wide gateway; a 20 ton machine reaches past 20 feet and needs a driveway it will not destroy. Renting a size too large costs twice, in rate and in reinstatement.
Attachments are hired, not included
The machine arrives with a digging bucket. A grading bucket, a breaker, an auger, a thumb or a compaction plate are each a separate line, and a breaker in particular carries its own daily figure and its own wear charge. Ask whether the machine has hydraulics plumbed for the attachment before you book it.
Call 811 before the bucket touches ground
Utility locating is free and it is the one step that turns a cheap week into an expensive one. The national call before you dig number is 811, and the marks take a couple of working days to arrive. Book the machine for after the locate, not before, and keep the ticket while the excavation is open.
The lines that follow the rate
Delivery each way, fuel returned at the yard rate if the tank is short, a damage waiver charged as its own item, and an environmental or recovery fee. Hours are metered on the larger machines, and a day is a set number of engine hours rather than a calendar day. Read the meter reading on the ticket at both ends.
Questions people ask about rent an excavator
Do I need a license to rent an excavator?
No license is required to hire one in the United States, and yards rent to homeowners as well as contractors. What the yard does check is that you can transport it or pay for delivery, and that whoever runs it has been shown the controls. Training is the employer responsibility on a worksite.
How deep can a rented excavator dig?
Roughly 8 to 10 feet for a 2 to 3 ton machine, about 12 feet at 5 tons, and past 20 feet in the 20 ton class. Anything deeper than five feet where people enter the trench needs a protective system designed for the soil, which is a separate hire and a separate decision.
Is it cheaper to rent for a week than three days?
Usually. Most yards price a week at about three to four day rates, so the third and fourth day are close to free. If the job might slip, booking the week and returning early is nearly always cheaper than extending a day hire twice.