A small excavator rental means a mini excavator of roughly one to six tons: tracked, with a boom and bucket and a blade at the front. Digging depth runs about 6 to 13 feet across that range and day rates about $250 to $600. The class you need is set by dig depth, access width and what the machine has to lift, in that order.
The classes as yards list them
Around one to two tons is the gate machine: narrow, sometimes with retracting tracks, digging six to seven feet. Three to four tons is the general-purpose size for footings, drainage and small pools, reaching nine to eleven feet. Five to six tons digs past twelve feet and lifts real weight, but needs a proper trailer and an open route in.
Dig depth is a specification, not an estimate
Maximum dig depth is measured from the tracks on level ground with the standard boom and bucket. Working on a slope, over a shoring box, or with a shorter dipper all reduce it. Take the deepest point of your trench, add a foot for bedding and tolerance, and hire from that number rather than from the average.
Getting it to the site
A one to two ton machine goes on a small trailer many pickups can pull, and some yards let you collect. Past three tons you want the yard's delivery, quoted each way on distance. Check the route on site too: an overhanging roof, a step or a soft verge stops a delivery truck more often than the gate does.
What is under the day rate
Fuel returned full, a standard bucket, and an optional damage waiver. Extra buckets, a breaker, an auger or a thumb are separate lines, and a breaker often needs an auxiliary hydraulic circuit the smallest machines may not have. Confirm the attachments and the circuit when booking, not when the truck arrives.
Questions people ask about small excavator rental
What size excavator do I need for a house footing?
A three to four ton machine handles most residential footings and drainage: it digs nine to eleven feet, takes a range of bucket widths, and still fits down a normal side access. Below three tons you lose depth and the lift capacity to place pipe or shoring.
Can I collect a mini excavator myself?
For one to two ton machines, often yes, with a suitable trailer and a hitch rated for the load. Ask what the combined trailer and machine weight is, and whether the yard requires brakes and a specific tie-down arrangement.
How deep can a mini excavator dig?
Roughly six to thirteen feet depending on the class. Any trench a person enters at those depths brings excavation protection requirements into play, and the trench box or shoring is hired separately from the same yard.