We’re all busy. Sometimes, the weekend is the only opportunity you have to carry out that renovation, excavation, clean-up, or other outdoor project that’s been on your mind for a while. Whether you’re planting a new garden or laying the groundwork for a walkway, having the right equipment ready is essential. Weekend dry hire is the easiest, most flexible way to get your hands on the machinery you need.
While “wet hire” involves renting machinery that includes an operator and their fees, “dry hire” is renting the equipment and using it yourself. This approach keeps your costs down and gives you the easiest, fastest way to access construction, landscaping and earthmoving machines like excavators, loaders and tipper trucks. Dry hire provides you with weekend machinery hire when you need it so that you can complete your short-term DIY project in time for Monday.
Based in Brisbane, Ryno Hire is a company that lets you dry hire DIY equipment over the weekend so you can complete your task on your terms. This is our guide to the kind of DIY projects you can tackle with short-term dry hire, and how we can help.
How to Increase Project Efficiency
Efficiency matters for everything, including weekend dry hire. The last thing you want to do is waste your own time and money when you rent machinery for the weekend. Here are some tips for increasing efficiency during the dry hire process:
Hire early
Equipment rental outlets book up fast, especially during spring and early summer when the weather is perfect for DIY backyard projects. The closer you leave booking to the weekend, the more likely you are to come up empty-handed when you go hunting for the right machine. If you only have two days a week to get things done, it pays to get started early. Mid-week is a good time to start looking into prices and availability.
Be prepared
A little research and preparation can save you a significant amount of time when selecting the right machinery to hire for the weekend. Take stock of the scope of your project and any space restrictions you’re working with, and find out what kind of terrain you’ll be working with.
Choose the right gear
Selecting the right machine helps you accomplish the task a lot faster, and it’s important to get the sizing right. A machine that’s too large for the job and your space can hold you up just as much as one that’s too small. When you break down what needs to be done, your dry hire company can help you find the machine that best fits the task.
Watch out for hidden costs
Many dry hire companies will expect you to replace any fuel you use or charge you a cleaning fee if you return it dirty. Check your company’s hidden costs during the hiring process so you know what to avoid.
Projects That Can Be Done In a Weekend
Sometimes you can get more done over a typical weekend than you might expect. These are the projects you can get done with weekend dry hire.
Building a garden path
Popular (and affordable) garden path materials include gravel, bricks, mulch and concrete slabs. A mini excavator is a good tool for digging out the soil, while a loader can lift up the heavy materials.
Digging a fire pit area
With machines like excavators and tipper trucks, you can dig out and level the ground before laying the foundation for your fire pit zone.
Levelling the backyard
If you have a sloped backyard, levelling it with equipment like excavators and loaders creates flat zones for areas like sheds, gardens, and outdoor entertaining spaces.
Adding a pond or water feature
Ponds and other water features provide a tranquil oasis in your own backyard, and can even raise property values. Machines like excavators and backhoes can help you dig the pond, while a mini dumper provides a less strenuous alternative to carrying a wheelbarrow.
Building retaining walls
A retaining wall keeps the soil in place on a sloping block and allows you to create multiple garden terraces or clearly defined areas for garden beds. Machinery like loaders and excavators (with augers or rock buckets) can help you carry out this operation.
Benefits of Dry Hiring Machinery
The top reasons to dry hire DIY machinery and equipment include:
Savings
When you dry hire, you don’t have to pay a machinery operator. If you’re on a tight budget or have a project you can handle yourself, this means you only have to fork out for the hire fee.
Reliability
Dry hiring machinery from a reputable company ensures you get machinery that has been serviced and well-maintained, reducing the likelihood of mechanical issues. The fact that these machines have been well looked after means they’re likely to be fuel-efficient and less likely to break down and delay your project.
Easy operation
The better the dry hire company, the newer the machines. Recently constructed machines that take advantage of new, innovative technology are easier to operate than older ones.
Convenience
When you dry hire DIY equipment over the weekend, you can do it entirely on your terms. You don’t have to account for conflicts with the operator’s schedule or anyone else’s.
Increase Project Efficiency with Dry Hire
Hire DIY equipment you can count on with Ryno Hire. Our extensive and high-quality range of weekend dry hire machinery includes excavators, loaders, tipper trucks, compactors, specialised attachments and more. Available in all kinds of sizes, our machines provide the perfect weekend dry hire solutions for any project you have in mind.
A local family-owned business with more than a decade’s worth of experience, Ryno Hire provides dry hire machines that are powerful, cost-effective and reliable. You can hire our equipment for as little as one day or as long as a year, as long as you have a valid Australian open driver’s licence.
Need help choosing the right weekend dry hire equipment for your project? Make an inquiry with Ryno Hire.
13 August 2025
