5 Common Mistakes DIYers Make When Hiring a Digger

DIY garden renovations are drastically on the rise, especially across Gloucestershire. But when it comes to equipment, there are several common mistakes DIYers make when hiring a mini digger—costing them time, money, and a lot of unnecessary stress.

Whether it’s relandscaping your garden, setting out your footings for an extension or installing some needed drainage, a mini digger can save a huge amount of time and effort. At WHC Hire, we’ve been helping homeowners across Gloucestershire, Cheltenham and the surrounding areas avoid these issues for over 25 years.

Choosing The Wrong Size Digger For The Job

This just so happens to be one of the most common mistakes that DIYers make when hiring a digger. Choosing the wrong size digger can lead to a mountain of issues such as project delays, equipment damage, and additional costs.

For the most common tasks, either a Micro or Mini digger is likely to be your best solution. Micro diggers are ideal for tight, compact spaces – think narrow alleyways or compact gardens in town centres. Whereas mini diggers are more powerful and offer a larger reach and dig depth, perfect for driveways or larger rear gardens.

If you are still not sure which machine is suitable, then check out our other article, “Micro vs mini digger for garden projects”, or speak to our team directly, who can provide you with equipment dimensions to help.

Not Understanding What’s Included

It’s common for many DIYers to assume that everything is included when hiring a mini digger. However, the truth is that this is completely dependent on your supplier. Additional attachments, delivery, fuel costs and deposits can catch many first-time users out.

At WHC Hire Services, we provide a clear and transparent mini digger hire service including:

Cost of hiring the equipment
What attachments or buckets are included as standard
Delivery charges (where applicable)
Fuel charges
Security deposits
Temporary insurance cover and where to obtain it. Read more

We’ve all heard of those terrible nightmares of hidden charges. However, by taking the time to read the terms and conditions of your hire agreement, you are sure to be fully informed before hiring a mini digger. If you are ever unsure, just ask your supplier directly.

If there is a question that you have about digger hire that we haven’t already answered in our knowledge vault, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at hire@whchire.com.

Skipping The Handover & Safety Information

Now that your mini digger rental has arrived, it can be extremely exciting to jump straight on and have a go. Just because these machines look simple to use, doesn’t mean you should skip reading the operator’s manual and the handover.

The handover is a small briefing that is given by your rental provider on the controls of the equipment. This will help familiarise you with the controls of the machine before you get started. Other common demonstrations include:

How to start the digger
How to change the bucket
Machine walkthrough
Daily checks of the machinery.

Taking your time to digest all of this information in a short period of time can be overwhelming. Therefore, rental companies will often direct you to a number of resources they provide to help.

At WHC Hire Services, our award-winning “QR Enabled” digital self-help service is available on all our mini diggers to help with a wide range of digger troubleshooting. Get access to our free tutorial vault on our website.

In addition to the handover is understanding the safety information. Sure, after a quick briefing, you’ll be eager to get stuck in. However, it is vital that you take the time to read the safety information regarding the mini digger you are using. This can be found in the operator’s manual that will accompany the machinery.

Ensure you are wearing the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) and adhere to the guidelines set out in the operator manual.

Overfilling The Bucket & Working The Digger Too Hard

Now that you’ve got the swing of things, we need to talk about how hard you push the machinery. It’s easy to get carried away. However, improper use can lead to accidents and breakdowns. Just another one of the mistakes DIYers make when hiring a digger.

So, what should you be looking out for?

To start, is overfilling the bucket or digging too deep with each scoop. This can cause stress to the machine’s hydraulic system while also making hitch hoses vulnerable to being snagged by debris when excavating. Thus, leading to unwanted bursts and equipment breakdown.

When extracting soil and debris, always work down in layers. Allow the blade of the bucket or teeth to do the work, and don’t overfill it. This will only lead to the spoil falling out of the bucket and potentially damaging the machinery.

Further to this is overworking the digger. This can also be caused by overloading the bucket, as well as using the machinery improperly. For some DIY tasks, a larger mini digger may be required to provide you with the adequate reach and dig depth needed. If you are ever unsure, you should ask your supplier directly.

Poor Planning For Waste Removal

The last os the common mistakes DIYers make when hiring a digger is around planning for waste removal. After all, it’s not worth the hassle if you haven’t organised a method of removal. This ultimately can lead to major issues and project delays if not carefully planned out.

Top things to consider if you are extracting soil.

How much are you removing?
How are you getting rid of the spoil?
How are you transporting it from the digging area to the resting place?
What space do you have to work with?

Without considering each of these factors, you’re likely going to box yourself in, become overrun and bring your entire project to a halt.

The most efficient way to excavate soil is to limit the amount of time you need to move the spoil. This is easily overcome by pairing an excavator with a small tracked or wheeled dumper, depending on your excavator size and working site restrictions. Need a recommended pairing? Speak to your supplier directly.

Here are a few ways you can remove or repurpose excavated soil from your diy project.

Reuse on property- Repurpose the soil for flowerbeds, levelling ground or lawn, as well as planters and pots.

Disposal options- For large soil removal, always opt for a grab lorry or soil removal service. Skip hire is better suited for small soil extractions.

Waste collection- Contact your local waste collection to see if they provide a service to suit in your area.

Recycling centres- Most local recycling centres will accept soil for disposal.

How To Avoid Mistakes DIYers Make When Hiring a Digger

Hiring a mini digger for your DIY project is a smart and efficient way to boost productivity. By choosing the right machine, understanding what’s included in your hire, taking time to familiarise yourself with the controls, avoiding overworking the equipment, and planning how you’ll manage spoil, you can complete your project with confidence and ease.

If you are ready to make your DIY project a breeze, then WHC Hire Services are here to help.

Why DIYers In Gloucester Choose WHC Hire For Mini Digger Hire.

Common mistakes DIYers make when hiring a mini digger

WHC Hire Services in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, offers a wide range of mini and micro diggers to hire from our large independent fleet. This includes mini diggers suitable for small access projects as well as larger building constructions.

With a large stocklist of machines, WHC offers fast delivery across Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Worcester, Tewkesbury and the Cotswolds. Allowing DIYers easy and swift access to mini diggers at a moment’s notice.

To support DIYers during their hire, WHC’s equipment handover and digital tutorials are available to every customer, ensuring they remain supported throughout every step of their hire. This helps users boost their efforts while avoiding getting stuck. Should a problem occur with any mini digger during hire, WHC employs in-house engineers who can attend the scene swiftly to rectify any mechanical issues. Meaning DIYers will only deal with the same company throughout their hire.

Finally, and most importantly, is the transparency. WHC Hire Services provides clear transparency on hire terms and additional costs on all its products. All of which can be found in their hire agreements or by speaking directly to one of the team.

Ready To Hire A Mini Digger?

Don’t let the small mistakes slow you down when it comes to getting your home DIY project completed. Contact WHC Hire Services today to book your mini digger and get access to:

A wide range of mini digger sizes
Fast delivery and expert advice
Hire with complete confidence

Call your local depot today to arrange delivery of your mini digger or visit our website for more details.