An excavator is indispensable in construction sites. You may use it to dig trenches, demolish structures by tearing down walls, taking out foundations, and filling ditches with soil or rocks. Some excavators can also transport materials and even break asphalt roads into pieces by pounding the ground with its teeth.
Excavators are usually found on building sites but can also be seen working on large civil engineering projects such as excavating natural gas/oil wells. They also come in various sizes, from small machines for household sites to large crawler excavators used in mines. Here is everything to know before buying the best midsize excavator.
The Pros of Buying an Excavator
The pros of buying an excavator include increased efficiency and economy. Operating costs go down when you use an excavator instead of manual labor because it saves time that would otherwise be spent digging with a shovel. If you are working on a construction site where the land needs to be leveled, you can do it much faster using this equipment.
Excavators are classified according to their weight (measured in tons) and size (measured by the length of their boom). Because there are too many types of this heavy equipment out there, which one should you buy?
Why Does Excavator’s Size Matter?
If you have plans for improving your business operations to create residential complexes, shopping malls, or office buildings, you need this machine to help you construct faster. Even if you plan on doing some major home improvement projects, you’ll need this machine to help you get the job done.
But before buying one, there are some essential things you should know about excavators. A general rule of thumb is that larger machines typically cost more money to run than smaller models (due to their increased fuel consumption), but they can complete tasks faster. Keep this in mind when choosing between a small or medium-sized excavator.
Here are the main points that must be considered before purchasing the best midsize excavator.
- Do Your Homework First
Doing research is among the most critical steps when looking for any construction equipment, especially if it can cost close to $150,000 or more depending on the brand and model you choose. So, it’s normal that people want to take time to compare different brands, models, specs, and prices.
- How Important Is Comfort?
Another thing that people consider is how comfortable they’ll be inside the cabin. If you plan on owning your machine for an extended period, ask yourself if it would feel comfortable working in there for hours. Remember, operating heavy machinery can get tiring.
- How Reliable Is the Model You Plan To Buy?
You’d also want to know how reliable the brand or model you’re thinking about buying is. It’s important because you don’t want your equipment to break down while working, causing delays and costing more money. Since excavators are expensive, make sure they will last long enough to pay themselves off after one or two years of use (depending on how often you’ll use them).
- What Other Features Should You Consider?
Ensure that your purchase includes all attachment options (i.e., backhoe, ripper/ripper tooth, auger) if you plan to use it for construction sites or to dig limited spaces. You’ll also need to check the size of the engine and make sure it’s powerful enough to move the heavy-duty machine around.
- Which Attachments Should You Get?
After checking the necessary features that your excavator should have, it’s now time to decide what type of attachment you want, whether an arm or standard bucket, secondary swing cylinder, or just a simple, quick coupler.
It depends on how you’ll use the equipment, but consider that better attachments cost more, so choose wisely as per your needs and budget.
- How Much Can You Spend?
The last thing to consider is your budget. The larger the investment you make, the higher the quality you get. So, if it’s a big buy, don’t expect to get top-of-the-line brands with thousands of dollars in price tags.
But, if you’re on a tighter operating budget, it doesn’t mean that you have to settle for any average brand so that you can pay less because chances are these cheap models won’t last long enough and will need constant repairs.
So before buying the best midsize excavator, ask yourself first if this machine would fit your needs when dealing with specific projects or plans in mind. If it’s a personal purchase, you must also consider finding a machine that you would feel comfortable working on for long periods and one from the most reliable brand/model available.
