Buying construction machinery, regardless of what it is - an excavator, dumper truck or bulldozer, for example, can be complicated and expensive - and that's before you've even thought about where you are going to put it. So unless you are expecting to be using it on a really regular basis, and have the money to continually be investing in updates and maintenance, you will probably be better off hiring the construction machinery that you will need.
Heavy equipment refers to heavy-duty vehicles, specially designed for executing construction tasks, most frequently ones involving earthwork operations. They are also known as heavy machines, heavy trucks, construction equipment, engineering equipment, heavy vehicles, or heavy hydraulics. They usually comprise five equipment systems: implement traction, structure, power train, control, and information. Heavy equipment functions through the mechanical advantage of a simple machine, the ratio between input force applied and force exerted is multiplied. Some equipment uses hydraulic drives as a primary source of motion.
If the buyer defaults in paying the installments, the owner may repossess the goods, a vendor protection not available with unsecured-consumer-credit systems. HP is frequently advantageous to consumers because it spreads the cost of expensive items over an extended time period. Business consumers may find the different balance sheet and taxation treatment of hire-purchase goods beneficial to their taxable income. The need for HP is reduced when consumers have collateral or other forms of credit readily available.
Plant Hire Companies
There are hundreds of construction plant hire companies, and it can be difficult to choose which one is the best one to use. More often than not, the best is not the cheapest. There are a number of things that you should think about when you are considering which company to use:
- Location - Where the company or machinery is located is an important factor. You may have to pay high amounts for transportation, and that coupled with the time taken to transport the machinery from their depot to your site may impact heavily on the price you pay. It is also worth thinking about if there is a problem - the amount of time that you might have to wait for someone to come out to fix it could be substantial.
- Maintenance - Heavy construction machinery can be dangerous if it is not kept in good condition. Speak to your preferred company to check what maintenance procedures they have in place - including safety checks and they should be able to show you a service history if you wish to see that.
- Health and Safety –A company who takes all things healthy and safety seriously is going to be a company who is more responsible in general. As well as putting your mind at rest that you are running the lowest risks possible, it is also probable that they take their other responsibilities seriously. Look for a company which has ISO accreditation in healthy and safety to be really secure.
- What is included in the price - Find out what is included in the price of your construction machinery hire - does it come with an operator? How and who is responsible for transportation? What's the deal with fuel and other running costs?
- Plant - Check what machinery models they have - are they modern, with all of the latest technologies or are they 40 years old and falling apart?
- Recommendations – One excellent way of determining which is a good construction machinery hire company is by asking other contractors for recommendations. You can also do some research online and look for the companies with the best reputations.
Hiring construction machinery means that you can choose exactly the right plant for your project, knowing that it will be up to date and in perfect working order. Choosing the right hire company is key to ensuring your own safety and those who are working around you. By following the guidelines above you can be sure that you are going to choose the right company to get the job done properly, safely and within timelines.
Contributed by http://www.ruttle.co.uk/
