Grader Hire in South Africa
Free quotes from plant hire companies across South Africa. One request, no obligation.
- Size class
- 120–200+ hp · 3.6–4.3 m blade
- Gets to site
- On a lowbed
- Job stage
- Compact & finish
Grader hire brings a machine built for one job done well: cutting, spreading and trimming material to an accurate level and shape over long distances. PlantHiring.co.za is a free quote service. You complete one form and we forward your request to independent hire companies near your site, who quote you directly. We do not hire, operate or transport any plant ourselves. Tell us the area or road length, the material and the finish you need, and local suppliers will come back with prices.
What grader hire is used for
A grader's long blade, set between the front and rear axles, lets it trim to fine tolerances that a dozer or loader cannot match. Typical work includes:
- Spreading and trimming gravel layers for roads and parking areas
- Cutting side drains and shaping road camber
- Levelling building platforms and estate roads
- Blading and maintaining farm roads, mine haul roads and firebreaks
- Mixing stabilised material in place
Graders work in a team. A water truck brings the layer to the right moisture and a roller follows to compact it.
Motor grader hire with an operator
Most motor grader hire in South Africa is wet hire: the machine comes with its own operator, because good grading is a skill that takes years to learn. An experienced operator can hold a level layer to within millimetres and read the material as it moves. Ask suppliers about the operator's experience on your type of work, whether they can work to pegs or a GPS model, and who supplies fuel. The operator should hold a valid competency certificate for graders, and the site remains responsible for traffic control and setting-out.
Motor grader hire rates and what affects them
Motor grader hire rates are usually charged per hour with a minimum number of hours per day or per hire. The final price depends on:
- Machine size and blade width
- Wet hire with operator and fuel, or dry hire
- Lowbed transport to and from site, sometimes needing a permit for wide loads
- Standing time while waiting for water, material or rain to clear
- The length of the contract and site distance from the depot
Read more on plant hire rates to compare quotes fairly.
Weather and ground conditions
Grading depends heavily on moisture. Inland, summer thunderstorms can leave a site too wet to work for days, while in the Western Cape the wet season runs through winter. In dry periods dust and hard material slow progress unless enough water is on hand. Plan your hire around the season, have material stockpiled before the grader arrives, and agree in advance how standing time due to rain will be charged. A short site visit by the supplier before the quote is final often avoids disputes later.
What to include in your request
- Give the road length or area in m²
- Describe the material and finished level needed
- Say if water and a roller are available
- Note access for a lowbed to reach site
Grader Hire on different jobs
- House plots and renovations: levelling a large residential stand and shaping a long gravel driveway before paving
- Housing estates and townships: trimming internal estate roads and stand platforms to level before kerbs and paving go in
- Shopping centres, offices and schools: spreading and trimming base layers for a shopping centre parking area and access roads
- Factories, warehouses and logistics parks: levelling terraces and yard layers to tight tolerances for a warehouse or logistics park
- Roads, pipelines and civil works: spreading, mixing and trimming gravel and base layers and cutting side drains on road works
- Mines and quarries: maintaining haul roads, clearing spillage and keeping drainage open around a mine or quarry
- Farms, dams and game lodges: blading farm roads, cutting contour drains and clearing firebreaks before the dry winter
Frequently asked questions
Does PlantHiring.co.za hire out graders?
Can I hire a grader without an operator?
How long does it take to grade a farm road?
Do I need a roller as well as a grader?
Grader 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