Quick answer: the hire period has to cover more than the work: delivery, induction and setup, the work in its real sequence, weather and access delays, weekends and site closures, and collection. Plan around when the machine can start being useful and when it can genuinely leave. Under our hire agreement, charges continue until the machine is properly off-hired with us (you contact us and get an off-hire number) and is available for collection, not when you stop using it.
Give us your dates with some honest slack and we will quote the period that fits.
Get a Hire QuoteWhat the hire period needs to cover
The most common planning error is hiring for the length of the task rather than the length of the machine’s stay. The machine is on hire from delivery until it is off-hired and available for collection, and everything in between, productive or not, is inside the period.
Daily, weekly and project hire
| Job shape | Usually suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| One visit with a clear finish: a ceiling repair, a sign install, a light change-over, a single inspection | A short hire quoted for your dates | Delivery and collection are a bigger share of a short hire, and the minimum hire on the quote applies |
| A few days to a few weeks of steady work | A hire for the whole period, with slack for weather | Idle days waiting on other trades are still on hire |
| Fit-outs, racking, services rough-in and multi-trade jobs used on and off for weeks or months | One machine kept on site; our long-term rates start at 3 months | A long-term rate is a rate for that commitment, not a day price for a short hire |
Sometimes two shorter hires beat one long one; ask us to quote both ways. Short-term or longer hire covers the planning questions, and scissor lift hire costs covers how rates and delivery add up.
Delivery, setup and sequencing
Delivery and collection each take part of a day, and on jobs with early starts the machine often arrives the day before. Decide whether the period starts on delivery day or the first working day, and say so when you ask for a quote. See equipment delivery, site access and collection.
On managed sites the machine and operator are inducted and the machine positioned before productive work starts, which can take half a day. The machine is only productive when the work in front of it is ready: one standing idle waiting on another trade is on hire the whole time. On a staged handover, see coordinating collection on a staged site handover.
Weather, weekends and extensions
Outdoor work loses days to rain and wind, and wind limits stop elevation even when the rain holds off (see wind limits and weather for EWPs). Ground can close a site after heavy rain; see ground conditions. A day or two of slack is usually cheaper than an unplanned extension.
If the site is closed on weekends, a Friday finish avoids paying for days nobody can use. If the job may overrun, tell us as early as you can: machines are often booked back to back, and an early call gives the best chance the same machine stays. Changes to the period can change the rate under the agreement, so ask us to re-quote when the dates move.
When off-hire is effective
Under the hire agreement, the hire ends when both of these are true:
- You have contacted us directly and received an off-hire number or confirmation.
- The machine is available for collection (or returned to us): clean, accessible, safe to collect and in acceptable condition.
Stopping work, leaving the machine on site, telling another contractor or assuming we know the job is finished does not end the hire. As soon as the work is done, call us to off-hire and book collection, and keep the machine accessible for the truck.
Information to include in the quote request
- The first day the machine is genuinely needed, and whether it should arrive the day before
- A realistic last day of work, with slack included
- Weekend and after-hours site access
- Induction requirements and their schedule
- Anything your dates depend on, such as another trade or a delivery
- Who will call the off-hire
Hire periods and responsibilities are set out in our hire terms; the quote states the period and what it includes for your job.
FAQs
Do I pay for days the machine sits unused?
Yes. The machine is on hire for the period whether or not it is used each day, which is why the period is worth planning. Shape it around real working days and off-hire as soon as the work is done.
What notice does collection need?
Call as soon as the finish is firm. Collection timing depends on trucks and distance, and the hire continues until the machine is off-hired and available for collection.
Is a long hire cheaper per day?
Yes. Our published long-term rates apply from 3 months; see long-term equipment hire. For shorter periods, send the real dates and we will quote them.