A mini excavator is a type of excavator that typically weighs between 1 to 3 tons. The engine and other technical specifications may vary from project to project, but the main feature of a mini excavator is that it is small and lightweight. Working with small machinery like this can be favorable, especially for small construction projects.
In this blog, we’ll learn about some of the small projects that you can complete using a mini digger.
Small Projects You Can Do with a Mini Excavator
As a contractor or DIY enthusiast, some projects simply don’t need you to roll the heavy machinery. Sometimes using a full-sized excavator for small jobs might seem like a good idea, but it’s simply not worth the extra cost and handling. The following are examples of projects you can complete with a mini excavator.
Drainage & Plumbing Jobs
When you need to dig or excavate drains that direct water away from structures in low-lying areas, a Mini excavator is your best partner. This compact yet powerful piece of equipment can also be used to dig trenches or small drainage ditches.
Earthmoving
Other than digging holes and ditches, a mini excavator can also double as an earth-moving machine. With a mini-excavator in your fleet, you can move small amounts of soil, gravel, and construction materials around your job site easily.
Land Clearing
The backfill blade of a mini excavator helps to remove vegetation, rocks, and wastage to create a clear job site.
Demolition
A mini digger can be used for some basic dozer work such as concrete slab breaking and wall or small construction demolition. They can be equipped with hydraulic hammers that can help you remove small walls and other structures efficiently.
Landscaping Jobs
Most landscaping jobs are backyard projects that do not require heavy machinery, and you can use a mini excavator for them. This machinery can be used to level uneven ground or get rid of waste before installing your landscaping structure. It is also a great addition to digging trenches for underground pipes to water your lawn and garden plants.
Utility Pole Installation
Whether you want to dig narrow trenches for utility pole installations or electrical cables, water pipes, and plumbing jobs, you can use a mini excavator for the job.
Minor Road Repairs
Mini excavators can be used to extract debris from potholes & prepare it for repair. It can also help in fixing damaged curbsides, pathways, and other minor repairs that do not require a large excavator.
Advantages Of Using Mini Excavators For Your Small Jobs
From working on a standalone small job to handling a small job of a large project, there are plenty of benefits to using a mini excavator instead of a heavy machine.
Here are some of them:
Maneuverability
For most small job sites, you typically don’t have the luxury of scale. It’ll be hard to move through a full-sized excavator when you’re working on a landscaping project in your backyard or a tight space with a lot of other fixtures and machines already. The small size of a mini excavator will make it ideal for moving around obstacles, making your work relatively easier and faster.
Precision and Accuracy
Heavy equipment is difficult to operate. Most operators find it easy to operate a mini excavator compared to a piece of heavy equipment that weighs several tons. When you need precise and accurate movement, especially when working on delicate or sophisticated tasks, a mini digger will do a much better job.
Cost-Effective Solution
Buying a full-sized excavator even for a small project will cost you a lot more than you need to spend and as a result increase your cost of construction. With a mini digger, you’ll get the same amount of work done significantly at a lower cost. Mini diggers are also more fuel-efficient than regular units, and you’ll spend less cash on the transport of mini diggers to and from the project. And if the machine ever needs repairs, the cost of repairing a mini excavator is likely to be less than the cost of repairing a large-sized excavator.
Reduced Site impact/ Damage
The lightweight structure of mini diggers puts less pressure on the soil. This is particularly beneficial when working on soft or sensitive terrain, such as grounds with underground utility installations. Using a mini excavator will minimize damage to the construction site and surrounding structures.
Mini diggers are also very eco-friendly. They’re less noisy and also tend to give off lower CO2 emissions compared to larger models. This will also help you to combat the environmental impact.
