How much to hire a mini digger?
5 min read
The price of hiring a mini digger is more than the day rate on the advert. By the time delivery, fuel, insurance and your own time are factored in, the cheapest headline rate is not always the cheapest job. Here is the real breakdown.
Day rate for a mini digger
A 5-tonne mini excavator like our JCB 48Z-1 typically costs £200 per day including VAT. A 1-tonne micro digger such as the JCB 8008 CTS is usually £75 per day.
Weekly rates are often lower per day, so if you have three or four days' work it is worth asking for a weekly price.
Delivery and collection
We charge £1 per road mile from your nearest depot, calculated on the real driving distance to your postcode. That is the round trip for delivery and collection.
A site 15 miles from the depot costs roughly £30 in transport. A site 40 miles or more away carries a two-day minimum hire so the transport cost is viable.
Fuel, insurance and extras
Our machines leave the yard full of fuel and there is no separate fuel surcharge. You do not need to refill on return.
Check whether your own insurance covers hired-in plant. Some firms add an insurance levy; we do not.
Attachments such as breakers and buckets may be extra. Ask what is included before you book.
Operator hire
An operated digger adds £200 per day for the JCB 8008 CTS. For a one-day job an experienced operator often finishes in half the time an occasional driver takes, so the total can be lower despite the higher rate.
Get a real total before you book
Our online booking page shows the full cost — day rate, delivery and any operator add-on — before you pay. No hidden charges are added at the end.
Ready to book?
Live availability, £1 per mile delivery from Norwich or Peterborough, operator optional.