Construction Equipment Purchasing Tips: Buying an Excavator

If you are going to be moving a lot of earth or debris during your construction project you need to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. Buying an excavator is an investment in making your work more productive and efficient, so you need to make sure you get it right.
Here are some tips to help you make the perfect buying decision.

Digging the dirt

Excavators are also commonly referred to as diggers and sometimes as 360 machines, as a result of their ability to operate at 360 degree angles when you are trying to move earth, debris or dig into the ground. You would also use an excavator with specialist attachments to flatten and scrape land in preparation for laying a road or pathway and they are so versatile that they are invaluable in general site preparation or even crushing cement or dredging a river.

Different shapes and sizes

There are essentially three different sizes of excavator to choose from and six different distinct types to consider, although the range of attachments that you can buy for specific tasks offers a plethora of options and you would do well to list want you want specifically so that you can narrow the search down.
The three sizes are Mini, Medium and Large and as you would expect, the size of the task that they can perform varies according to size. A mini digger is perfect for clearing small amounts of debris or digging a pool whereas you would use at least a Medium digger, such as a Volvo Excavator, for more demanding construction debris and road building. The Large diggers are generally for heavy duty tasks such moving very heavy pipes and heavy industrial uses such as mining.

Types of Excavator

There are six different types currently being sold that are available in the three different sizes and the functionality of each one varies according to the task you are looking to perform with your machine. A Skid Steer is essentially a mini excavator, A Backhoe is medium sized and can have an attachment fitted for dredging or logging, a Steam Shovel is also known as a Bulldozer, a Dragline has an extra-long boom arm to accommodate a larger bucket or shovel for larger tasks, a Bucket Wheel is an extra-large excavator which can scoop up significant amounts of debris and carry it via a conveyor belt system and a Suction has the ability to vacuum up debris and handle difficult terrain or obstacles better than most.

Sourcing an Excavator

There are numerous outlets and sources where you can obtain the right equipment that you need and it will also depend on whether you are looking to buy from new or on a leasing deal, or wish to try and obtain the equipment via second-hand channels and outlets. You may have to wait for the right opportunity if you want to buy a used digger that has more specialist capabilities and you should also consider referrals from contacts within the construction industry who can provide you with advice on what you need.

Take your time to consider what you want your excavator to do and do your research so that your investment in this specialist equipment is rewarded with an excavator that is up to the job you want it to do.

Jeremy S has extensive experience in the construction industry. He enjoys sharing his tips and knowledge by writing for construction blogs.