Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
Are You Venturing Into Plant Hire for The First Time? Read This!
If you are thinking of renting equipment for your upcoming construction project, you could be thinking that the best way to go about this is simply locating the cheapest options in the market. But this is inaccurate. The reality is that considerable thought needs to go into the process so that you can ensure the equipment that you lease will not break down mid-project and subsequently extend your projected timeline considerably.
This will not only lead to inconveniences but will translate into losses too. Fortunately, the process does not have to be complex. The following article delves into why you should opt for plant hire and the various things to keep in mind to ensure you are leasing the best equipment for your project.
What benefits does plant hire offer?
Undeniably, plant hire will prove exceedingly more affordable than purchasing the construction equipment outright so you get to enjoy substantial savings. Secondly, with plant hire, you have access to an array of different kinds of equipment such as, but not limited to, excavators, cranes, forklifts, bulldozers and many more. Thus, your project is accorded much more flexibility than if you simply purchased a couple of pieces of equipment and tried to make the most of their capabilities.
What factors should you take into account when leasing construction equipment?
The first thing to have in mind when shopping around for plant hire is availability. What some people take for granted is that they will walk into an equipment provider's office and simply hire the machinery they need for as long as they want it. The reality is that the equipment is usually provided for a specified duration.
For example, the provider may charge you a weekly fee. If you choose to only hire the equipment for one week, the equipment provider may have leased to another customer once your time is done and you will have to look for other equipment if your work is not complete. To avoid this, it is always best to give your project extra time so that elements such as delivery schedules will not interfere with the duration that you have the equipment for.
The second thing that you should bear in mind when opting for plant hire is the age of the equipment available. It is always best to opt for newer models of the machinery you are looking for since these will have advanced features that their older counterparts will not. Certainly, this will cost slightly more but it is worth it, as the equipment can help simplify your project. Take note, old equipment is also vulnerable to break down so you shouldn't take that risk if you are on a tight construction deadline.