Author Archives: Kevin

Things to keep in mind before renting heavy equipment

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Small construction companies often find it difficult to function due to non-availability of required heavy equipment. Heavy equipment being an expensive piece of metal, they often themselves to be incapable of buying it and therefore they try to use some alternative which falls within their means. For such companies, the advice that one can give is that they should start looking at heaving equipment which is available on rent. Buying heavy equipment can definitely be an expensive affair and no small construction company can afford to go with that as an option. So the next best option is to catch hold of a person who is willing to give the machine on lease. This means that you can own the heavy equipment for a temporary period and can make full use of it till the end of the project or till the time you require the machine. You certainly end up paying a small amount as rent but it is worth the stuff. You do not lose much from the deal. On the contrary you gain more than what you spend.

There are few things that one must consider before they start looking for heavy equipment on rent.

Check if the machine is in order:-

To check if the machine is in order is one of the most important criteria that the taker should consider before he signs on the dotted line. Many owners of heavy equipment lease out their age old machines thinking that they will get some takers for it. All that they do is they paint the machine and make it look new. Some are not even bothered to repair the machine as they feel that there is no much use of it as the machine will come to the same state as what it is now. If these things are not checked then the ultimate sufferer is the guy who takes the machine on rent. He has to call up a mechanic and get the machine checked and also spend money to replace vital parts which was in fact the responsibility of the owner.

Insist on an inspection:-

It is you who have to insist on an inspection of the heavy equipment. If you have been operating heavy equipment since years and you know the in and out of the machine, you can do the inspection yourself or it is recommended that you take along an expert or a mechanic who can inspect the machine for you and can advise your accordingly. This is quite important to be done as you know the actual state of the machine and if you have to make any further spending once you have taken it on rent.

Insist for a lease agreement:-

A lease agreement is a mandatory requirement for every rental contract. The contract speaks in volumes about the rights of both the owner and the taker. You should know your rights and also realize the steps that you can take in case you see yourself being cheated.

How to drive/operate an excavator

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Driving your car is completely different from driving heavy equipment. You do not have many things in heavy equipment that you have in a car and therefore it does not make any sense to equate both the stuffs into one. we go to driving schools to learn driving and only when we become good at it and the driving officer confirms that we are learnt it well and will not cause any disaster on roads that we are given a license. There are many who do not get a license at the first stance. They give multiple tests and of course fail many times as well. Same is the case for a heavy equipment operator. It should never be construed that driving heavy equipment is a cake walk as you do not have to deal with multiple functions at the same time. On the contrary when you actually try to learn to drive/operate heavy equipment it is then you realize the exact difference and may have a different opinion.

We definitely require driving skills when it comes to driving heavy equipment but that is pertinent to probably everything that we can drive and is not just limited to heavy equipment. Now when we talk about heavy equipment there are few machines that operators find them easy to operate and for some they just can’t handle them. As we know that not all heavy equipment are same and therefore for some heavy equipment we need operators with extra ordinary driving skills to drive/operate the machine. An excavator is one such heavy equipment. The operators do not have to attend any special driving schools to drive/operate an excavator. They all go to the same institution. It is just that some have that in-built talent which if shaped in the right way can deliver excellent results.

User manual can’t teach you to drive/operate excavators:-

Excavating earth is a difficult job and in many instances dangerous too. If not done in the right way, it can lead to severe damage. There have been numerous examples where people have lost their lives while excavating. Moreover, the terrain where the excavation is taking place plays an important role. If the terrain is difficult it indeed tests the skills of the operator. A person who does not have much experience in operating excavators should not get into it or else he will jeopardize the lives of himself and many others along with him. One can’t even check the user manual at that time to know how to get come out safely from a given situation. User manuals do not teach you how to drive. They provide some very basic instructions which one can adopt while driving but there are schools for that matter where one should take their basic training and then let the mentors decide if they are ready for heavy equipment like excavators.

Learn the various functions and have better control over them:-

The operator who can efficiently work on an excavator certainly knows all the functions in the machine and has better control over them. This is quite important because as long as you do not know everything of a machine you will not be able to operate it at 100%.

Know all about heavy construction equipment – types available and how you should choose the right one!

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Heavy construction equipment is one of the most important elements in today’s world, where there is a continuous growth of the construction industry and new constructions are taking place every day. That is the reason, why the heavy construction equipment supplying job has become such a popular one in the industry. If you too are thinking of starting such a business, it is important that you know all about this.

Types of heavy construction equipment:

Many people do not know much about the different types of heavy construction equipment that are available in the market. These are used for various purposes. Some are used to assist in the construction and some are used indirectly in carrying, loading and unloading raw materials.

Some of the common heavy construction equipment that you will often get to see at a construction site, on the roads etc. includes –

  • Cranes
  • Backhoe
  • Loaders
  • Excavators
  • Forklifts
  • Bulldozers
  • Concrete mixers.

These are just a few of the many that you will frequently get to watch. However, there are many others that are not used as widely, but are meant for job-specific tasks. These are usually used during earthquake damage, storm damage and such other damage cleaning.

How can you access one?

The heavy construction equipment is not very cheap. There is no denying the fact that you will have to spend a lump sum amount of money, if you want to own one. Hence, it is always a better idea that you hire them, instead of owning them. This way, you will be able to access the ones that you would require for a particular task and you will not even have to spend a huge amount of money to own them and take care of them.

But of course, the heavy construction equipment is something that not everyone and anyone would require. It is mostly required by the construction industry companies and services. So, if you own such a company, it is always advised that you choose one that you can own, rather than hire it. This is because, hiring it every time will only cause you to pay more.

Choosing the right heavy equipment:

Once you have decided, whether you want to buy one or hire one, you need to check out a number of factors. These would include –

  • Brand: The right brand is very important. With a branded company, you will be able to have the peace of mind regarding its function and life.
  • Condition: In case you are buying used heavy equipment, make sure it is in a good condition.
  • Papers: The papers of the used heavy equipment must be proper, otherwise you will not get a permit and insurance, if you wish to have one.

If you take these factors into consideration, it will be easier for you to make a choice. In case you are still confused, always consult a skilled professional, who has years of experience in this field or a dealer of heavy equipment. They will be able to guide you properly.

Can’t think of landscaping business without a grader

Landscapes have become quite an important part of the construction business. It is seen as a different genre altogether and also a thriving one. This means that guys who are connected to this part of the business has more to gain if they know to do their work well. One of the most important heavy equipment that is needed to form a landscape is a grader. A grader is heavy equipment which has big long blades in the front and two other blades beneath the cabin and the third is beneath the engine of the machine and it is run on uneven land surface so that the soil can be eroded with the help of the blades which eventually gets accumulated inside the blade and then it is deposited in a dump truck. It is not mandatory for all grader to have all the 3 blades. For landscape work, only a couple of blades are sufficient. However, it depends on what kind of land the operator has to work and it is absolutely on the knowledge and experience of the operator that he suggests the utility of the blades.

Estimate the right price for the work:-

For a contractor it is important to know if he needs to bring his grader for the landscape work or will he be provided with one. Construction companies at times offer their construction equipment for the job but that needs to be known before a price is quoted for the job. Once that is known, the contractor also needs to check with the operator the kind of land they have to work on, how big it is and how many days it will take for them to complete the work. Now this is a difficult task. You are dealing with deadlines when you do not know how the soil will react. This is one risk which every contractor has to take. This is where the contractor also needs to keep his grader handy. While working on tough land there is a wider chance for the machine to exhaust sooner and may also break down. This is when he needs to chip in his machine to complete the work.

Maintain good health of the grader:-

Contractors firmly believe that the health of all heavy equipment that they possess should be cared of and well maintained. Therefore when you are part of the landscape business you have to ensure that your grader gets the right treatment every time. Your overall work depends on that one machine and you will not want that to go wrong in any way. It is for this reason that it is a mandate for every contractor or for that matter everyone who possesses a grader to check if the machine is throwing any signals that indicate towards an internal problem within it. An operator should be in a position to comprehend those signals and act swiftly. It should never be delayed for another day. Try to get it resolved if the problem is not a big one.

 

How profitable is constructing residential apartment

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Having your own property is something that every person desires of. Those, who live in rented apartments, will certainly understand the desire to have their own house or apartment. That is the reason; the real estate industry is constantly flourishing and will never be out of business.

Builders and small scale real estate businessmen, therefore, are continuously coming up with new projects and ideas for the potential buyers. These construction choices are many in number. The most common construction projects include –

  • Residential apartments
  • Bungalows and condos
  • Commercial buildings
  • Malls and shops.

Amongst these, the most popular constructions are the residential apartments. Everyone desires to have a personal property, but few can own a big house. However, apartments are way more affordable. That is the reason, why there is always a demand for residential apartments.

Builders construct residential apartments more:

Due to this increased demand of the residential apartments, the builders make these residential apartments more than any other type of construction. Besides, home loans are easily approved for the residential apartments. Hence, the buyers are keener to buy these over the other types of real estate options.

Profit associated with constructing residential apartments:

If you too are thinking of trying your luck in the real estate business and want to construct a residential building, this is an ideal time for that. However, before you do so, you must understand the factors that you should be taking care of.

Construction business is a very profitable one, provided you know how to proceed in it. If you take the right steps, you will be able to gain huge profits in a single go. If you take the wrong steps, you might not be able to sell your apartments easily to potential buyers.

  • Hire the best construction equipment:

 

Construction equipment is one of the most important factors that you need to consider before starting your business. Without the construction equipment, you will not be able to complete the project fast and this will hinder your profit. To make sure that the profit is high, it is always a good idea to own the construction equipment. You can choose the second hand equipment for reducing the cost. There are many construction equipment dealers that deal in new or old construction equipment. If you have a limited budget, you can always start by hiring the equipment. The more you save on the construction equipment, the higher will be your profit margin for the residential apartments.

  • Promotion:

 

Once you have started your residential apartment building project, proper promotion or advertisement is a must. The more you advertise, the higher are your chances of getting potential buyers easily and fast. Always make sure that you make use of the free online advertisement platforms and forums for this purpose. This will reduce the price of advertisement and increase your profit.

Along with these two important and basic factors, it is also important that you start the project in a well-developed or developing place, so that it is easier for you to sell the residential apartments for a profitable price.

Tips For Starting an Excavators rental business

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The construction activities have increased due to increase in population. Many big and start up construction companies cannot afford to a buy and maintain all new equipment for their work, especially in case of short term projects. Hence, they prefer to buy equipment and machines on rental basis at an affordable price and return it after use. Thus, rental business is profitable and is booming. It is observed that many equipment rentals only rent specific equipments and do not keep all types of equipment. It is because they have studied market and functional aspects of the equipment. Since most of the heavy equipments are multifunctional, being in rental business of specific equipment can be a good idea as it saves the cost of buying and maintaining different equipments.

Excavators are called the giants of the construction industry. They are powerful machines which can dig through concrete, install electrical service, transfer loads of bricks, lift objects high, and break down huge rocks and entire structures. Due to their wide applications, they are very much required in any construction project, however they are expensive. Excavators are in demand, hence starting the business of renting these machines can be profitable. Being a costly investment, it is expected that person should do some research before starting this business.

The following guidelines will be helpful for the person who wants to start the business of renting an excavator:

  1. Excavators are cost and rental service provider (RSP) should be able to afford to buy them. He should be aware of his personal expenses while owing a big place or showroom, advertising, labour and maintenance costs, and so forth. He should make a business plan for selling excavators.
  2. If RSP provides excavators at high rental price then many buyers will find it expensive and difficult to purchase. Hence they will negotiate with the price. RSP should provide excavators at appropriate price.
  3. RSP should make his excavator rental service popular by advertisements in newspapers and websites.
  4. Buying entire fleet of brand new excavators is indeed very costly. To avoid, RSP should study the demands of the market to know which the most preferred model by the construction industry is. Keeping excavator from small to mid-size of different brands is a good option.
  5. Due to technological advancements, the new equipment have become compact and easy to operate, using such equipment has increased the speed at work place and increased productivity. The new compact excavators are more in demand and are preferred to old versions. RSP should provide such technologically advanced excavators on rent, which increases the customer interest and sales.
  6. Buying used equipment on rental basis is common for the short duration projects, hence they are in demand. Thus, RSP can also look for option of renting ‘used’ or ‘second hand’ excavators, since purchasing such equipment is cost affordable. However, they should be careful while choosing such equipment that they are not damaged. Only when these used machines have less wear and tear and their parts are available that they should be purchased from the seller.
  7. RSP should be careful while renting the expensive heavy machines to the buyer. They should understand the nature of work requirements of the customer and should guide them properly. They should make sure that the buyer has the capability to pay the rental amount and would take care of the equipment and will return the equipment in good condition. After all the terms and conditions are acceptable to both parties, a rental agreement has to made between RSP and prospective buyer

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Rent your used heavy equipment

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It is pointless to acquire an asset and make no use of it. As long as the asset is of some use to you or generates some sort of income it can be called as an asset but the moment you keep the stuff without gaining any monetary benefits in return or do not use it at all it no longer remains an asset and has every chance to turn into a liability. Heavy equipment is a much needed requirement in the entire construction sector. However, you do not need one machine to do all types of work. This means that once your need is done with the heavy equipment it will remain idle for months. The best way to generate income of the idle machine is rent it out to people who will make good use of it and will also pay you money for using the machine. You will come across lot many people who will be ready to pay you handsomely for using the heavy equipment. It is because no one wants to spend a fortune in buying a machine and then keep it idle once they see the use of it is over.

The market to rent used heavy equipment is big. You have multiple avenues through which you rent your heavy equipment. You can catch hold of a broker or a company that deals with renting heavy equipment, list it online on heavy equipment portal or simply check out on your own and see if you get hold of someone who is interested to use heavy equipment on rental basis.

Heavy equipment broking companies:-

These companies deal with buying dilapidated heavy equipment and then refurnish it by changing its vital parts and once that is done they either sell it off to new customers or let-it out. They buy those old heavy equipment at a comparatively lower price and give it a new life by changing the entire look of the machine and adding few additional features thus also increase the price of a completely junk item. Once that is done they do not see hassle in letting it out to small construction companies. These guys can be approached if you want to let out your heavy equipment. The machine need not be with them but you can hand over the pictures of the stuff to them and they in turn will find the guy who wants it on rental basis.

List the heavy equipment online:-

There are plenty of online portals available that deal with letting out heavy construction machineries. They charge a nominal fee to provide the online service. All you have to do is list the machine after putting some pictures of it on the portal. Provide your contact details so that interested prospects can reach you and come to inspect the machine at a time convenient to you. If they like to go with it, you should prepare an agreement that would state all the necessary clauses and should be signed by all the parties.

It is your love for your work that will drive you to success in the construction industry

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Successes in business are hard to come and especially when you do not like to do a work and are compelled to do for money it will not last for long. There will be a time sooner or later when you will run out of patience and you will start doing errors. Those errors will undoubtedly cost you a lot and perhaps may also cost you your company. Therefore one should not indulge in a business that he is getting involved for monetary benefits only. There should definitely be more to it or else it will turn out to be a big failure in the long run. So before you take the decision to get into a business there should be few questions that you should ask to yourself and only if you get a very clear answer for them that you should venture out.

Do you really want to get into a business:-

If you like a particular kind of work, you need not open a business for that. The construction industry is a pretty vast industry. You have different genres of work that you can get into. So it is crucial for you to know if you really want to start a business of your own or simply get employed to a big construction company and fulfill your dream job. While you get into a business you also need to be ready for a lot of hardships and only if you are ready to face them that you should take the move or else you can still work in a construction company if you are so attached to the genre of work and you love it from the core of your heart.

Are you ready to sacrifice your short term happiness:-

In a construction business you have to come across a lot of hardships for which you need to devote your time and energy to deal with it. While you do that you are unable to give time to your family friends and most importantly to yourself. This business will demand you to compromise a bit on your happiness and this is when your love for the work will play a crucial role. If you really feel that you should be a part of the business then it will automatically drive you to work for extended hours or else you will feel frustrated and will give it up.

Your love for the work will keep your passion alive:-

To achieve success in any form of work and not necessarily only in a business, one should be passionate about what he is doing. The construction sector also wants you to be passionate about your work and this will ultimately yield result to you. Lack of passion will be of no use and you will find losing your interest from your work. This will also affect your productivity and if you are the boss of your business then it will definitely have a negative impact on it.

Hose service repair for your construction equipment

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It is evident that one can’t work without heavy equipment in the construction industry. Heavy equipment is not only restricted to equipment that we see on the construction sites breaking structures or digging the earth or drilling deep inside the ground. When we talk about construction equipment it also takes into account equipment that are perhaps not a part of heavy equipment but are still crucial for the functioning of the business and if they fail to work as they should then the laborers are not able to work on that day. Therefore it is equally crucial to ensure that all your construction equipment is in order.

No matter how trivial they may seem to be they still hold an important ground as far as the construction equipment and its functions is concerned. Construction equipment used pumps, valve spools etc. to do their work. Now these stuffs are interconnected with steel resistant rubber hoses. Since the machines are required to work on a daily basis there is high probability of hydraulic oil leaking from the hoses. This is when you are required to either repair the hose or replace it completely with a new one.

Repairing a hose is a tough and some also believe a dirty job but certainly worth the time you spend and the money that you can save. However, if you do not know much about the hose then it is recommended that you do not try to work on it or else you may end up damaging the entire stuff. It is better that you call a guy who can get that repaired for you. They should be qualified to do that work for you and should have enough experience in repairing hoses. Normally, the hose service repair for your construction equipment is not a complex process but for a person who does not know anything about it should not venture into it. It makes sense to first learn the way the hose can be changed by watching the hose service repair guy while he is doing his work and then you can try the next time if it develops any problem.

There are many small companies who engage in services like repairing hose or replacing it. They can be approached if you see a major burst in the hose and the oil is flowing in high volume. It is also important to locate the source of the problem. When you call the repair guy, he will ask you few important questions which he should know before he can turn up to the jobsite with his tools. So you should be in a position to identify the source of the leak and inform to the service guy. Please note that you should not use your hands or any body part to detect the leak. You can use detection additives that can help you to find the source of the leak. These preliminary information should be passed on to the service guy and if he requires any further information, he can guide you over the phone and you can avail the stuff for him.

Renting a water truck can prove to be a lot helpful

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A construction or mining project however big or small it is, it spread a lot of dust all around which causes tremendous problems for the people working on the jobsite. The only solution to this is spray water on the dust and settles it down. Now you can’t have your water storage move across the jobsite. It is virtually not possible as it is a non-portable structure and will not simply move. So the best available option with you is to make use of a water truck and spray it all over the jobsite by driving the truck to each of its corner. This may sound to be an added investment though but will be really worth for the smooth functioning of the project and also it protects your employees for any airborne disease. But buying a truck only for the purpose to spray water may prove to be very expensive and one may not buy it to take care of one specific cause. Therefore, the simplest way out will be to take it on rent.

There are many heavy equipment companies who manufacture water trucks and based on the goodwill and brand value of the company, the rental value of the truck is determined. However, there will not be a drastic difference in the rental value of the truck. So one can go for a water truck manufactured by the best heavy equipment manufacturing company without worrying much about the recurring rental amount and speed up the completion work of the project.

Now there are many ways through which you can take the truck on rent but there are 2 specific ways that are used by most of the mining and construction companies. The first is contacting the heavy equipment rental companies who will get them any sort of heavy equipment under the sun by charging a nominal fee and the second is by checking water trucks on website that deals with sales and lease of heavy equipment. The first option can prove to be a little healthier one.

The heavy equipment rental companies cater heavy equipment to the construction and mining companies. They are associated with almost every contractor or construction companies in the town and they provide all kinds of machines that are needed in the mining and construction industry. So reaching out to these men will help as they will be able to locate if anybody wants to rent their water truck. They may charge a small percentage of commission or fees from you and will get you exactly what you need.

In the second option, you have to take your call as you will not have anybody to take immediate advice from. You can visit any online portal that deals in renting heavy equipment and search for water trucks. You will get to see people who want to rent their trucks. Check out the description mentioned on the listing and if everything suits your requirement, you can call the party and finalize the deal. In this case you do not have to pay anything to the site as the site will be charging listing fees from the giver.

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