Plant hire day rates in 2026 — the numbers before you ring round
Ballpark self-drive day rates in the South East, ex-VAT:
- Mini digger (1.5t): £90–£110/day — most-hired machine in Britain
- 8t excavator: £160–£220/day
- 13t excavator: £240–£320/day
- 3t dumper: £70–£90/day
- Operated plant: add roughly £200–£250/day for a ticketed operator
The extras that catch people out
- Delivery & collection — usually £40–£90 each way depending on distance and machine size
- Fuel — most hires go out full and come back full, or you're billed at pump-plus
- Damage waiver/insurance — often 10–15% on top unless you carry your own hired-in plant cover
- Weekend rates — a "week" is usually 5 working days; ask what Saturday costs before you keep it
Rule of thumb: if the job runs past 3 days, ask for the weekly rate — it's typically 4× the day rate, so days 4 and 5 are effectively free.