Most hire problems aren’t machine problems — they’re site problems discovered on delivery day. Ten minutes of checking prevents nearly all of them.
1. Access widths — the whole path
Measure the tightest point between the delivery spot and the work area: gates, doorways, corridors, corners. The narrowest number decides the machine. See Narrow Scissor Lift Hire for Tight Access Jobs.
2. Ground conditions
Firm slab? Electric. Unsealed or sloped? Rough terrain. Lawns, pavers, soft or sensitive surfaces? Tracked. Check what the ground will be like on hire day — rain changes everything.
3. Floor loading (upper floors and mezzanines)
Scissor lifts are heavy — a 40ft electric especially. Any suspended slab, mezzanine or old floor needs confirmed load capacity before the machine rolls on. Building management or an engineer signs this off, not optimism.
4. Overhead hazards
Powerlines, awnings, pipework, sprinklers, door heads. Check clearances both for travel (stowed height) and for work (elevated height). Powerline clearances are legal minimums — plan around them.
5. Power for charging
Electric machines need an ordinary outlet and 8 hours of continuous overnight charging. No power on site? Tell us — that changes the machine recommendation.
6. Permits and inductions
Occupied buildings, centres and infrastructure sites often need dock bookings, inductions or after-hours windows. Sort these before delivery, not during.
7. People
Who’s operating? Trained and competent (Yellow Card recommended — see licence rules)? If not, select “Yes, please quote this” for an operator in the quote form.
Put the answers in the quote form message field and your quote lands right first time.
Need a machine for this job? Get a hire quote — tell us the job and suburb and we’ll quote the right machine and delivery. Or use Help Me Choose. Call 0472 721 234.