To complete a construction project properly, you need the right equipment. Machines like excavators, loaders, and tipper trucks are used not only on construction sites but also in DIY home projects such as landscaping, pool installation, and driveway renovation. Yet construction equipment is expensive, with prices ranging from tens of thousands of dollars for compact machines to multi-millions for large excavators and cranes. Construction machinery hire makes this equipment more accessible to DIY enthusiasts, and dry hire helps bring costs down even further.
One of the most essential pieces of construction machinery is the excavator. On construction sites, excavators deliver exceptional power as they tackle a wide range of tasks, from clearing to digging to heavy lifting. Excavators are equally versatile around your home, helping you shift soil to create trenches, remove debris from your worksite, and move heavy materials.
If you’re looking for cheap earthmoving equipment hire, Ryno Hire can help. As Brisbane-based dry hire specialists, Ryno Hire has extensive experience providing both professionals and DIY enthusiasts with the equipment they need for the job.
Here’s the Ryno Hire guide to getting the best possible deal you can find on construction machinery hire.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Construction Machinery Hire
The cost of construction machinery hire can vary wildly. There are a number of different factors that influence prices, including:
Availability
The higher the demand for machinery in your region and the lower the available supply, the higher the cost. Equipment hire in rural and remote locations costs more than in the city. Transporting equipment over long distances drives prices even higher.
Size
The larger and heavier the construction equipment is, the more it costs. Mini excavators are relatively affordable compared to 8-tonne units built to handle the biggest jobs.
Age
Just like a car, a machine depreciates the more hours it has been in use, with older machines cheaper to hire than new ones.
Wet or dry hire
There are two main arrangements when it comes to hiring construction equipment: wet hire and dry hire. Wet hire will always be more expensive as it also involves hiring an operator to use the equipment, and the operator’s fees can increase depending on experience and qualifications.
Reputation for safety
There’s no getting around it: sometimes, better quality machinery that more strictly adheres to safety standards can cost more. However, it’s sometimes worth paying slightly higher fees to ensure your safety or to carry out the job properly. The trick is to find the perfect balance between meeting your needs and sticking to your budget.
How to Get the Best Value Machinery
Affordability is a topic on everyone’s minds these days. Everyone wants their money to stretch a little further, including when they’re carrying out backyard DIY construction and landscaping projects. Here are some tips for getting value for money when you’re seeking out construction machinery to hire:
Define your project and needs
Getting what you want starts with defining what you want for your project. Before you start work on your project, figure out how many hours per day you intend to spend on it, the probable condition of the ground and any attachments you’ll need (auger drivers, rock breakers, trenchers, buckets, etc.). The heavier the work is, the more powerful the equipment you’ll need.
Set a budget
Clarify how much you can afford to spend on construction equipment and focus on exactly what you need. Avoid spending money on equipment with unnecessary extra features or capacities you won’t ever use.
Do your research
It almost goes without saying, but it pays to research both market prices and the reputation of the rental company. Make sure you hire machinery from a company with a good reputation and positive reviews, and ensure they offer ongoing customer support.
Plan and manage your rental period
The longer you hire the equipment for, the more you’ll have to pay overall. Plan your project’s timeline as efficiently as possible to minimise downtime and avoid paying a lot of extra money for idle hours.
Inspect the equipment
As soon as you can examine the equipment up close, conduct a thorough inspection that includes elements such as (depending on your experience and technical knowledge) the condition of the engine, hydraulics, and electronics.
Consider dry hire
Dry hire is always the most affordable option, and it’s easier, more accessible and more flexible than you may think. Even if you’re relatively new to backyard DIY renovations, there are many advantages to choosing this option.
The Benefits of Dry Hiring Machinery
Dry hire is the hiring of construction machinery without the operator. How it’s used is up to you. You can either run it yourself or find your own personnel. The benefits of dry hire include:
Reliability
Dry hire machines are regularly maintained to ensure they’re performing at the highest possible level. As a result, your machine has a better chance of continuing to perform at an optimal level throughout the life of your project, avoiding the breakdowns and delays that are more common among older machines.
Safety
Dry hire machines need to measure up to strict safety standards to remain in use, and dry hire companies have an interest in maintaining their reputations for safety. Their advanced safety features help protect you while you use the equipment and reduce the risk of accidents.
Affordability and flexibility
With dry hire, you don’t have to worry about paying an operator. You can hire for as little or as long as you need, and you only need to think about your own schedule, not someone else’s timeframe or costs. Dry hire means you can efficiently schedule equipment hire into your own routine without having to cater to anyone else’s.
State-of-the-art equipment
Dry hiring gives you access to modern and well-maintained machines, which means you have the most useful and up-to-date tools at your disposal.
Dry Hire Budget-Friendly Construction Machinery at Ryno Hire
If you’re in the Brisbane area, you can hire and operate your own equipment right here through the Ryno Hire website. Ryno Hire’s range of dry-hire construction machinery includes excavators, loaders, micro loaders, compactors, tipper trucks and more, available in various sizes to suit all kinds of jobs.
On top of our cheap earthmoving equipment hire, we have a range of excavator attachments to choose from, like auger drivers, buckets, hydraulic rock breakers and concrete sleeper grabs.
With compact yet powerful excavators capable of fitting through tight spaces all the way to heavy excavators for large jobs, there’s a piece of equipment for everyone among the Ryno Hire range.
Ryno Hire is a local family-owned and operated business with over a decade of earthmoving experience that specialises in providing equipment for dry hire. You can hire our equipment for as little as one day or as long as a year, and all you need is a valid Australian open driver’s licence.
To find out more and for advice on choosing the right equipment, call (07) 3353 2230 or contact the Ryno Hire team online.
17 December 2025
