Excavator Hire Cost Calculator
Estimate the cost of hiring an excavator in Australia, with or without an operator.
Your excavator hire details
Your estimate sits within the typical range.
Your estimate sits within the typical range.
Ways to save
- Always confirm whether the float (delivery) fee is round-trip; at around $250–$270 for a mini it can equal a full day's dry-hire rate and is often quoted separately.
- Dry hire only saves money if you already have a competent, insured operator; otherwise wet hire avoids damage liability and the cost of an idle machine while you work it out.
- Before you dig, lodge a free Dial Before You Dig (1100) enquiry; striking a service is far more expensive than the hire itself.
How we estimate this
Excavator hire pricing turns first on machine size and whether you operate it yourself (dry hire) or pay for an operator (wet hire). Dry hire of a 1.7t mini is commonly $175–$250 a day, a 3–5t midi $300–$450 a day, and an 8t-plus machine $500–$800 a day. Wet hire is charged hourly, with a mini-plus-operator running roughly $99–$155 an hour ex GST and a machine-operator-truck combination from about $110 an hour.
Pricing reviewed: October 2026.
Excavator hire prices by city
Costs vary by city. See the local breakdown for your capital.
Pricing reviewed October 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
Understanding excavator hire costs in Australia
Excavator hire pricing turns first on machine size and whether you operate it yourself (dry hire) or pay for an operator (wet hire). Dry hire of a 1.7t mini is commonly $175–$250 a day, a 3–5t midi $300–$450 a day, and an 8t-plus machine $500–$800 a day. Wet hire is charged hourly, with a mini-plus-operator running roughly $99–$155 an hour ex GST and a machine-operator-truck combination from about $110 an hour.
Delivery is the cost most people underestimate. Floating a mini to and from site typically costs $250–$270 round-trip, and on a single-day job that can be as much as the hire itself, so it pays to confirm it upfront and batch your work into fewer, fuller days. Wet hire usually carries a four-to-eight-hour minimum plus around half an hour of travel each way.
On licensing, there is no specific high-risk work licence required to operate an excavator, but on commercial and civil sites operators are generally expected to hold a Verification of Competency and a construction white card. Wet hire shifts that compliance and the liability to the hire company, which is part of what you pay the premium for.
For most owner-driver jobs, dry hire of a mini or midi is the value option provided you can run it safely; for tight, deep or service-congested sites, wet hire's faster, lower-risk completion often justifies the higher hourly rate. These are indicative ranges; confirm float fees, minimum hours and GST treatment with the hire company.
Frequently asked questions
How much does excavator hire cost in Australia?
Dry hire is roughly $175–$250 a day for a 1.7t mini, $300–$450 for a 3–5t midi and $500–$800 for an 8t-plus machine in 2026. Wet hire runs about $99–$155 an hour ex GST for a mini plus operator.
What is the difference between dry and wet hire?
Dry hire is the machine only and you operate it; wet hire includes a licensed operator and is charged hourly, shifting liability and compliance to the hire company.
Are float and delivery fees included?
Usually not. A mini float is commonly $250–$270 round-trip and is charged separately, which matters most on one-day jobs.
Are you a hire business?
Everyone on this page is working out what excavator hire costs because they are ready to hire. Put your business right beneath the calculator, in your state, so you are who they find. From $1,000/mo.