Operated plant hire
Operated Plant Hire in London & the South East
Operated plant hire means hiring a machine together with a qualified operator to run it, rather than hiring the machine alone. You get the excavator, dumper or breaker and an experienced, CPCS or NPORS-carded operator for the day, so the work gets done safely without your team needing its own plant competence.
- Operator includedExperienced, carded operators
- The right machineMini diggers to larger plant
- CPCS & NPORS cardsWorking under CDM 2015
- From £280 a dayTransport priced by location
Need a machine and operator for your programme? Tell us the job, the site and the dates and we'll match the plant and send you a price per day. We reply to every enquiry within 24 hours.
Request a Free Site SurveyMachine contracting
What Is Operated Plant Hire?
Machine contracting, or operated plant hire, gives you a machine and the person to run it as a single booking. It suits contractors, groundworkers and builders who need plant on site for a few days or longer but do not have a qualified operator of their own, or whose operators are already committed elsewhere.
The difference from self-drive hire matters. With a self-drive machine, you are responsible for making sure whoever operates it is competent and the work is planned safely. With operated hire, the operator is trained, carded and experienced on the machine, and works to the method agreed for your site. You direct the work; we provide the machine and the competence to run it.
Our plant is a mix of our own machines and hired-in equipment, always supplied with our own operators. It means we can match the machine to the job rather than to whatever happens to be in the yard.
Our plant
Plant We Supply
Mini diggers
Compact excavators for tight sites, gardens, footings, trenches and work inside buildings or behind houses.
3–8 tonne excavators
Midi excavators for general groundworks, larger trenches, site clearance and loading.
Larger plant
Bigger excavators for bulk excavation, heavier breaking and demolition support.
Dumpers, breakers & attachments
Site dumpers to move spoil and materials, with hydraulic breakers, grabs and buckets fitted to suit the task.
Competence and safety
Why Hire Plant With an Operator?
Plant is one of the biggest sources of risk on a construction site. Hiring it with an operator moves the two hardest parts, competence and equipment safety, onto the people who know the machine.
Competent, carded operators. Our operators hold plant cards under the CPCS or NPORS schemes, the two recognised competence schemes for plant operators in UK construction. Cards are specific to the category of machine, so the operator is assessed on the type of plant they are running.
Safe, maintained equipment. Work equipment must be suitable for the job, maintained and inspected under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. If an excavator is going to lift loads, the lifting regulations (LOLER) apply as well, so tell us at booking and the right machine and arrangements will be provided.
Work planned to your site's rules. The operator works to the risk assessments and method statements for your site and follows your site's induction and controls. You stay in charge of the work and the site; we make sure the machine and its operation are safe.
Where it fits
Typical Uses
Operated plant fits into almost any stage of a project:
- Footings and trenches for extensions, new builds and service runs, alongside your own groundworks team.
- Dig outs and reduced-level digs, with spoil loaded straight into dumpers or lorries. For a complete basement package, see our dig out service.
- Site clearance and loading, moving rubble, slabs and debris. Our site clearance service covers whole-site jobs.
- Breaking out concrete, slabs, hardstanding and old foundations with a hydraulic breaker.
- Demolition support, from pulling down outbuildings to loading arisings. Larger jobs are covered by our demolition service.
How it works
How Hire Works
Tell us the job
Describe the work, the site, the dates and the access, including gate widths, ground conditions and anything overhead or underground we should know about.
We match the machine
We recommend the right size of machine and attachments and confirm the day rate and the transport cost for your location.
On site with an operator
The machine is delivered and the operator works to your programme and your site's RAMS.
Off hire and collection
When the work is done, the machine is collected and the hire ends.
Ready to get started?
Need a Machine and Operator?
Tell us the task, the site and the dates. We'll match the plant and confirm the day rate and transport.
CPCS / NPORS operators · Dumpers & breakers available · Priced per day
Why choose us
Why Choose Us for Operated Plant
Carded, experienced operators
CPCS and NPORS-carded operators who know the machines they run.
The right machine, not the nearest one
A mix of our own plant and hired-in machines means the size and attachments match the job.
Dumpers, breakers and attachments
Available alongside excavators, so one booking covers the task.
Room to grow
If a job turns into a bigger package, we also carry out groundworks, dig outs, clearance and demolition.
We hold £10m public liability and employers' liability insurance and work to CDM 2015.
Day rates
Operated Plant Hire Day Rates
| Machine | Day rate (with operator) |
|---|---|
| Mini digger + operator | £280 – £450 per day |
| 3–8 tonne excavator + operator | £450 – £850 per day |
| Larger plant | From £800 per day |
Operated plant hire day rates
Mini digger + operator
- Day rate (with operator)
- £280 – £450 per day
3–8 tonne excavator + operator
- Day rate (with operator)
- £450 – £850 per day
Larger plant
- Day rate (with operator)
- From £800 per day
Operated plant is priced by machine and duration. The rate depends on the size of machine, attachments, duration, fuel, transport and location, and central London attracts a premium. Transport, meaning delivery and collection of the machine, is charged on top of the day rate and depends on the location of your site. These are 2026 guide prices excluding VAT, and our price guide covers every service.
Frequently asked questions
Operated Plant Hire FAQs
How much does a digger with an operator cost per day?
Do you offer self-drive hire?
Are your operators qualified?
Is transport included in the day rate?
Can you supply dumpers and breakers?
Still have questions about your project?
Request a free quote
Tell Us About Your Project
Complete the short form below and our team will contact you to discuss your demolition or site preparation requirements.
Get your free quote
Book a Machine and Operator
Tell us what you need to dig, break or move, where the site is and when, and we will match the right machine and operator and confirm the price.
020 8914 7838Speak directly to our team · Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
- 24-hour quote response
- Every machine supplied with an operator
- Day rate and transport cost confirmed
Prefer email? Send details or large drawings to hello@stripandclearservices.co.uk.