RH Digger & Driver Hire supplies excavators with an experienced NPORS-qualified operator anywhere within 50 miles of Andover. A 3-tonne digger and driver costs from £403.50 plus VAT per day; a 6-tonne from £486 plus VAT. Larger machines up to 13 tonnes are available on request. Most jobs can be booked within a week — call Rory on 07545 265075.
Every machine we send out comes with an operator — we don't do self-drive. One price covers the digger, the driver, and our insurance: £5 million public liability and £10 million employers' liability with NFU Mutual, with certificates available before the job starts. Our operators also arrive equipped — laser level, wacker plate, cement mixer, cut-off saw and a full kit of hand and power tools are included in the operator rate, so small ancillary jobs get done without a second trade on site. Fuel and transport are quoted separately so you only pay for what your job actually needs; transport is free on selected machines.
RH Digger & Driver Hire is the trading name of RH Plant Machinery Ltd, company number 14486912, owned and run by Rory Hay from Vernham Dean, near Andover. When you ring, you speak to the person who'll be planning your job — usually the person operating the machine too.
| Machine | Best suited to | Day rate with operator |
|---|---|---|
| Volvo EC27D 3-tonne excavator — rubber tracks, iDig 2D laser levelling, tilting grading bucket | Gardens, driveways, drainage runs, tight access | from £403.50 + VAT |
| Volvo EC55C 6-tonne excavator — low-ground-pressure steel tracks, iDig 2D laser levelling, tilting grading bucket | Footings, ponds, land drainage, site strips, soft ground | from £486.00 + VAT |
| Giant G2700 HD+ telehandler — 2.3t lift, road legal, forks, 4-in-1 bucket, grab | Material handling, loading, bale and pallet work | from £403.50 + VAT |
| Larger excavators (8–13 tonne) | Bulk earthworks, muck shifting, larger groundworks | priced per job — our vetted hire network, our operator |
Rates are machine plus skilled operator for a standard day, exclusive of VAT, fuel and transport. Weekly rates work out cheaper — a 3-tonne digger and driver is £1,650 plus VAT per week. Weekend work is available at an additional rate.
Both excavators run iDig 2D dual-grade laser level control — the operator sees dig depth and grade live in the cab, so footings, drainage falls and levels are cut right first time. A full range of attachments is available, including augers, flail mower, tree shear, power harrow, ripper tooth and grading rakes — from £19.69 per day.
Most of our digger and driver work falls into: excavation for foundations and footings, driveways and hard standings, land and paddock drainage, ponds, site strips and levelling, farm tracks and gateways, and machine-and-operator support for builders, landscapers and main contractors who need capacity on site. If it needs a digger and someone who knows how to use it, it's our work.
Because our group also includes Hay & Co, a high-end landscaping business, our operators dig to a landscaper's finish — levels checked, edges clean, site left tidy. It's the difference you notice when the digging is the start of something you'll look at every day.
We work within roughly 50 miles of Andover: all of Hampshire and Wiltshire, most of Berkshire, and into Surrey, Dorset and Oxfordshire. Regular patches include Andover, Winchester, Salisbury, Newbury, Marlborough and the Test Valley villages.
Self-drive hire looks cheaper on paper. In practice, an experienced operator typically does in one day what an inexperienced driver does in two or three — and does it to level, without hitting services or over-digging. You also avoid hire-insurance excesses, deposits and the risk of damaging a machine you're liable for. For most one-off domestic and farm jobs, operated hire costs less by the finished hole, not more.
RH Plant Machinery Ltd is owner-run by Rory Hay, backed by 20 years' combined experience operating and managing plant on groundworks, agricultural and landscaping projects across the region. Every operator we supply is NPORS-qualified and employed for their experience, not just their ticket. We carry £5 million public liability and £10 million employers' liability insurance with NFU Mutual, plus contractors' all-risks cover, and we're happy to provide insurance documents and RAMS before we arrive on site. Recent projects completed in Andover, Hungerford and Winchester.
From £403.50 plus VAT per day for a 3-tonne excavator with operator, or £486 plus VAT for a 6-tonne. Weekly hire works out cheaper. Rates exclude fuel and transport, which are quoted per job — transport is free on selected machines.
No. Because our operator stays with the machine, hire and liability insurance is ours, not yours. We carry £5 million public liability cover with NFU Mutual and can send certificates before the job starts.
As a rule of thumb: our 3-tonne suits gardens, driveways and drainage; the 6-tonne handles footings, ponds and soft ground on its low-ground-pressure tracks; for bulk earthworks we bring in an 8–13 tonne machine with our operator. Tell us the job and we'll recommend a size — bigger machines often work out cheaper because they finish faster.
Usually a week or less, but availability changes fast — ring to check. We can sometimes cover urgent jobs at short notice.
Yes, at an additional rate. Weekend work is often the practical option for occupied homes and working farms.
Yes — a large share of our work is supplying a machine and operator to builders, landscapers and main contractors. Our operators are NPORS qualified and used to working to another trade's setting out.
Both our excavators carry iDig 2D dual-grade laser level control, which shows the operator dig depth and grade in real time. It means footings, drainage falls and finished levels are cut accurately first time — no over-dig, less concrete, no re-work. It's included in the rate, not an extra.
No. Every machine goes out with one of our operators. It's how we guarantee the machine's condition and the standard of the work.
Ring Rory on 07545 265075 or email rory@haycote.com with the job, the postcode and rough dates — you'll get a straight answer on size, availability and price, usually the same day.