Excavator Hire in South Africa
Free quotes from plant hire companies across South Africa. One request, no obligation.
- Size class
- 13–50 t
- Gets to site
- On a lowbed
- Job stage
- Dig & load
Excavator hire gives you a tracked machine with a long boom and bucket for bulk digging, deep trenches and loading trucks at speed. PlantHiring.co.za is a free quote service. You send one request and we pass it to independent plant hire companies near your site, who quote you directly. We do not hire, operate or transport any machine ourselves, and there is no fee or obligation. Tell us the size of machine you think you need, the type of ground and how long the work will run.
Excavator sizes and what they suit
Excavators are grouped by operating weight. As a rough guide:
- 13–15 t: services trenches on estates, stormwater lines and smaller platforms
- 20–24 t: the workhorse for bulk earthworks, basements and loading tipper trucks
- 30–36 t: deep sewer and pipeline trenches, large cuts and harder ground
- 45–50 t and up: quarries, mines and big civil cuts where output matters most
For very tight sites or work under about eight tonnes, see mini excavator hire. Wheeled excavators exist and suit some urban roadworks, but most South African fleets run on tracks.
Excavator hire prices and 50 ton excavator hire rates
Excavator hire prices depend mainly on machine size and hours worked. Bigger machines cost more per hour but move far more material, so the cost per cubic metre can drop. 50 ton excavator hire rates are usually quoted per hour, or monthly against a guaranteed number of hours, with an operator. Other lines on a quote include:
- Lowbed transport each way, plus an abnormal-load permit for the widest machines
- Operator, fuel and daily servicing
- Attachments such as a rock breaker, ripper tooth or tilt bucket
- Standing time, weather days and the monthly hour guarantee
Ask whether rates include VAT and how hours are measured before you sign.
Excavator hire near me: transport and access
An excavator cannot drive on public roads, so it arrives on a lowbed. Searching for excavator hire near me helps keep the float cost down, especially on short jobs where transport can be a large share of the bill. Check that the lowbed can reach the site and turn, and that the offloading area is firm and level. Overhead power lines, trees and narrow gates all matter.
On site, plan where trucks will stand. A 20-tonne excavator loads a tipper truck quickly, and too few trucks leaves an expensive machine standing idle.
Excavator plant hire and safety on site
Most excavator plant hire is wet, with an experienced operator. Under the Construction Regulations 2014, excavation work needs a risk assessment and a competent person to inspect it, and deeper trenches need shoring or battered sides. Before digging in a road reserve, get municipal wayleaves and locate existing services. In clay areas, summer thunderstorms can flood trenches overnight, so allow for pumping and stand-down days. To spread and shape the spoil, pair the excavator with a dozer or front end loader.
What to include in your request
- Give the machine size or describe the job
- Say how deep and how much you are digging
- Mention rock, water or soft ground
- Check lowbed access to the site
- State the hire period and hours per day
Excavator Hire on different jobs
- House plots and renovations: digging a basement, large pool or cut-and-fill platform on a sloping residential plot
- Housing estates and townships: deep sewer and stormwater trenches and bulk cut and fill for new stands and roads
- Shopping centres, offices and schools: basement excavation and bulk earthworks for shopping centres, office blocks and parking
- Factories, warehouses and logistics parks: cutting and filling large warehouse platforms and terraces, and loading trucks with spoil
- Roads, pipelines and civil works: cuts, drainage, culverts and pipeline trenches along road and bridge projects
- Mines and quarries: large excavators loading haul trucks, building stockpiles and cleaning pit benches
- Farms, dams and game lodges: digging farm dams, deep drains and reservoirs, and clearing large stumps and rock
Frequently asked questions
Does PlantHiring.co.za hire out excavators?
Which size excavator do I need?
Can I hire an excavator without an operator?
How is monthly excavator hire charged?
Excavator Hire by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Lephalale
- Kimberley
- Kathu
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
More plant and equipment for hire
Dig & load
Machines that excavate, trench, load and clear
Haul & lift
Trucks that move material, machines that lift it
Compact & finish
Level, compact and mix for layer works and slabs
Site power & tools
Power, breaking, small plant and access
Plant hire services
Hire with operators, rates and buying equipment