How to Plan Your Access Equipment Hire Duration

What the hire period needs to cover

The most common planning error is hiring for the duration of the task rather than the duration of the machine’s stay on site. Those are different numbers. The machine is on hire from delivery until off-hire is confirmed, and everything between those points, productive or not, is inside the period.

Delivery and collection

Delivery and collection each occupy part of a day, and the machine is typically delivered the day before work starts on jobs with early starts. Decide whether your period starts with delivery day or the first working day, and say so when quoting. How delivery works covers the day itself.

Site induction and setup

On managed sites, the machine and its operator both need to be inducted and the machine positioned before productive work starts. Half a day disappears here routinely. If the site has a formal plant induction process, find out its schedule before locking your dates.

Work sequencing

The machine is only productive when the work in front of it is ready. If your task depends on another trade finishing, sequence honestly: a machine standing idle waiting for the sparkies is on hire the whole time. Sometimes two shorter hires beat one long one; ask us to quote both ways.

Weather and access delays

Outdoor work loses days to rain and wind, and wind limits stop elevation even when the rain holds off. Ground can also close a site after heavy rain, as covered in ground conditions and equipment selection. A day or two of slack in the period is cheaper than an unplanned extension in a busy week.

Weekends and site closures

If the site is closed on weekends, a Friday finish saves you paying for machine days nobody can use. Conversely, if weekend access exists, a weekend inside the period can be the cheapest slack you can buy. Tell us how your site runs and we will shape the period around it.

Extending the hire

Extensions are usually straightforward with a day’s notice. In busy periods machines are booked back to back, so the earlier you flag an overrun, the more likely the same machine stays put. The expensive version is discovering on collection morning that you need two more days.

Off-hire confirmation

Off-hire is the moment responsibility for the machine ends and charging stops, and it happens when you confirm it with us, not when you park the machine. As soon as the work is done, contact us to book collection and confirm off-hire, and have the machine accessible for the truck.

Information to include in the quote

• First day the machine is genuinely needed, and whether delivery should land the day before
• Realistic last day of work, with your slack included
• Weekend and after-hours site access
• Induction requirements and their schedule
• Anything your dates depend on, like another trade or a delivery

Hire periods and responsibilities are set out in our hire terms; the quote states the period and what it includes for your specific job.

FAQs

Do I pay for days the machine sits unused?

The machine is on hire for the agreed period regardless of daily use, which is exactly why the period is worth planning. Shape it around real working days and confirm off-hire promptly.

What notice does collection need?

A day’s notice is usually comfortable. Same-day collection depends on trucks and distance; call as early in the day as you can.

Is a long hire cheaper per day?

Longer hires are generally more economical per day, but the structure depends on the machine and season. Quote the real period and we will price it properly rather than guessing from a rate card.