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If you have an excavation project that you want to tackle, then having some background knowledge will enable you to choose the correct equipment for the job or know that the company you are hiring is capable of undertaking the task effectively. Earthmoving equipment is very specialised and as such you should familiarise yourself with the basic types so that you will know what you are looking at or discussing with contractors. Should you decide to hire earthmoving equipment, then you will need to know which piece of equipment is right for the job and also ensure that you are legally allowed to operate it. You will quickly find that the equipment starts getting very big, very quickly and as such we shall only examine the three most common machines you might hire in a domestic to medium sized business project.
Backhoe loaders
These are what many people think of when they talk about excavation equipment. These are the tractor looking machines that run on large wheels with the scoop on the front and the bucket on an arm at the back. Backhoe loaders are typically used for smaller construction and excavation jobs because they are comparatively small and quite maneuverable. They are used for digging trenches, moving earth and helping to lay pipes and other things into the ground. These come in a variety of sizes and the right ones can be used in domestic gardens without any real problem.
Excavators
Excavators are the machines that are typically thought of as diggers. These usually run on caterpillar tracks like a tank and have a long arm with a bucket on the end coming out of the front and can rotate 360 degrees from their central point. These are used for all manner of work including digging and landscaping as the bucket can often be replaced with a variety of other tools such as cutting blades. Similarly to backhoe loaders, excavators come in a wide range of sizes, from the tiny ones that will fit in the back of a van, up to the gigantic ones used for expansive building projects.
Bulldozers
Bulldozers, like backhoe loaders, appear as if they are based on tractors to an extent, accept they normally come equipped with caterpillar tracks like excavators. This is so they can grip the loose soil and climb just about any terrain. The purpose of a bulldozer is primarily to push large mounds of earth around to flatten an area and remove unwanted debris. Due to their sheer power, bulldozers are often used for clearing areas of larger items such as trees and boulders, as they are capable of pushing them aside without any real issue.
These three machines, in whatever size is required, should form the backbone for any building, excavation or landmoving project that you could undertake. Though it should be stressed that special training is often required to use these machines and hired usage of them should be undertaken with the greatest of care.
