What size digger do I need? A plain guide for Kent projects

The most common mistake we see is hiring the biggest machine the budget allows, then discovering it will not fit down the side of the house. Access decides the machine. Everything else is secondary.

Start with the narrowest point

Walk the route from where the lorry can park to where the machine needs to work. Measure the tightest gap on that route, including gate posts, drain covers, low branches and any step or kerb. Write that number down. That is your limit.

Match the measurement to a machine

As a rough guide, a 0.8 tonne micro digger will pass through most standard side gates and suits gardens, small footings and landscaping. A 1.5 tonne machine needs a wider route but gives you noticeably more reach and digging depth, which makes it the usual choice for extensions and larger garden works. From 2.7 tonnes upwards you are into open site territory, where the machine goes in through a driveway or a gap in the fencing rather than round the back of the house.

Think about spoil before you dig

A digger fills a barrow far faster than a person can empty one. If you are moving more than a few tonnes of material, hire a dumper alongside the machine. A tracked mini dumper follows a micro digger through the same access and will save you most of a day.

When in doubt, ask

Tell us the job, the access measurement and the ground conditions, and we will tell you which machine we would send. If a smaller machine will do the work, we will say so.