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Plant Hire Calculator
Estimate total plant hire costs including delivery, fuel, and operator
The supplier’s charge for one hire period (one day, one week or one month) before fuel, transport and operator.
How many hire periods. The hire rate is multiplied by this (e.g. 2 weeks = rate × 2).
One-off transport charge to deliver the plant to site. Added once, not per period.
One-off charge to collect the plant at the end of hire. Added once, not per period.
Diesel cost per running hour. The £3.50 default suits a small machine (≈4–5 l/hr at ~78p/l red diesel); a 5t+ excavator runs higher (≈£5–8/hr). Source: gov.uk Quarterly Energy Prices, Mar 2026.
Productive hours the machine runs each working day. Drives the fuel, operator and cost-per-hour figures.
Turn on if you are hiring an operator with the plant. Operator cost is billed per working hour (rate × hours/day × working days).
Optional damage-excess waiver, billed per hire period (typically £5–£15/day). Reduces or removes the £500–£2,000 excess if the machine is damaged.
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How We Calculate This
Frequently Asked Questions
Basic plant hire includes the machine and standard attachments. It usually excludes fuel, operator, transport (delivery/collection), insurance excess waiver, and consumables. Always check what is included before confirming the hire.
There is no statutory "plant licence", but PUWER 1998 and (for MEWPs) the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require operators to be competent. In practice most sites and insurers want documented proof — a CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme) or NPORS card for excavators, dumpers and telehandlers, and an IPAF PAL card or NPORS card for MEWPs (cherry pickers and scissor lifts). Mini diggers under 1t may not need certification on private land, but most sites still ask for evidence of competence.
Fuel consumption varies by machine size and workload. A 1.5t mini digger uses approximately 2-4 litres/hour, a 5t excavator 6-10 litres/hour, and a telehandler 5-8 litres/hour. Hard digging and loading increase consumption significantly.
Most hire companies charge a damage excess of £500-£2,000. The excess waiver (typically £5-£15/day) reduces or eliminates this. For expensive machines or inexperienced operators, the waiver provides peace of mind and is usually worth taking.
Yes - weekly rates are typically 3-4x the daily rate (not 5x), so you effectively get 1-2 days free. Monthly rates offer even better value at roughly 2.5-3x the weekly rate. If you need plant for more than 3 days, hire for the week.
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Last updated: March 2026
Verified against UK standards · estimates only, confirm with your supplier.