What do I need to know before booking an excavator hire in NSW?

## What to Know Before Booking an Excavator Hire in NSW A well-prepared hire is a productive hire. Here's everything you need to know before booking an excavator from BuildHire. ### 1. Confirm Site Access BuildHire's low-loader delivery truck requires: - Minimum 2.5m wide access path from the road to the unloading point - Minimum 4m overhead clearance - A level or gently sloping surface for unloading If your site has a narrow driveway, low overhead clearance (trees, power lines), or a steep gradient, contact BuildHire before booking to confirm the low-loader can access your site. ### 2. Call Dial Before You Dig Before any excavation, call 1100 or visit dialbeforeyoudig.com.au to identify underground services in your area. This is a legal requirement in NSW. Submit your request at least 2–3 business days before your hire date. ### 3. Check Licence Requirements - **0.8T, 1T, 1.7T mini excavators:** No licence required in NSW - **3.5T, 5.5T excavators:** High Risk Work Licence (HRWL) with Excavator (EX) endorsement required - **Tipper trucks:** Heavy Rigid (HR) or Multi-Combination (MC) licence required Ensure all operators have the required licences before the machine arrives. ### 4. Arrange Spoil Removal Excavation generates significant volumes of spoil (excavated material). Arrange skip bins or tipper truck hire before your excavator arrives. BuildHire offers tipper truck hire — book both at the same time for a combined hire. ### 5. Have Your Materials Ready If you're installing services (pipes, cables, conduit), have all materials on site before the machine arrives. Waiting for materials wastes hire time. ### 6. Plan Your Excavation Sequence Know exactly what you're excavating, in what order, and to what dimensions. Set out your excavation lines with string lines and pegs before the machine arrives. This maximises productive hire time. ### 7. Check Council Requirements For retaining walls, pools, demolition, and other structural work, check whether council approval is required before starting. Excavating without required approvals can result in stop-work orders. ### 8. Brief Your Team If you have workers on site during the excavation, brief them on the exclusion zone around the machine. No one should be within 5 metres of the machine while it's operating. Call BuildHire on 1300 157 882 if you have any questions before your hire.