Pick the supplier who can keep your job moving when something changes. In Birmingham and the Black Country that usually comes down to three things: what backup sits behind the machine, how close the depot and the tips are, and whose people run and fix it. The rate matters, but it only tells you what the day costs if nothing goes wrong.
All our planer hire is operated. You get the machine and our own trained operators, one or more depending on the size of the machine, and the rest of this guide is written from that side of the job.
Start with what happens if it stops
Every planer can break down. What matters is what happens next.
Backup plant is one of the first things contractors ask us about now, and it's the right question. Whatever the size of the supplier, the useful test is what sits behind the machine on the day. If it stops, you want to know the wagons can keep moving and the surfacing gang booked behind you still has something to lay on.
So ask any supplier, us included: if this machine stops on my shift, what replaces it, where does it come from and who fixes it?
Our answer is our own plant workshop, our own fitters and backup machines. Our guide to what happens if hired plant breaks down goes through what good breakdown cover looks like.
Why being local matters more than it looks
Being near the job changes more than the travel line on the quote.
We're based in Tipton, in the Black Country, and Birmingham sits inside our core patch. More on local coverage is on our Birmingham planer hire page.
Local means we already know the area. Planings go to registered tips, so the material has somewhere to go from the first load. It also means a swap machine or a fitter is closer to your site, so we can react quicker if something goes wrong.
A supplier from further away can still do a good job. Before you book, ask how a replacement machine or a fitter would reach you, and how long it would take.
Who runs the machine, and who fixes it
An operated planer is only as good as the people on it. Ask whether the operators work for the supplier or are brought in for the day, and whether the fitters are the supplier's own.
Ours are our own people, trained on our machines, with our own workshop behind them. Our operated or self drive guide covers the wider choice, and our guide to what an operated planing subcontractor should include has the full scope checklist.
Ask what goes with the planer
The thing most often left out of a planer enquiry is everything around it: the sweeper, the tippers and where the planings are going. It's easy to know exactly which planer you want and forget the rest of the job until the rate is confirmed.
Some contractors book the planer and operator and bring their own tippers or sweeper. That works fine. If you can get a sweeper cheaper yourself, use it and we'll plan around it. What booking it together with us gives you is one invoice and one purchase order for the job. Our planing services page covers the full package.
Compare like for like
Two quotes for the same job can look very different. The gap is usually what's been left off: transport, supporting plant, shift pattern and what happens if the machine stops. Nights and weekends always cost more than weekday work, so check every quote prices the shift you actually need.
Our guide to comparing surfacing quotes lists the questions, and our planer quote information page lists what to send so the first figure is close to the final one.
Five questions to ask any planer supplier
- If the machine stops on my shift, what replaces it, from where and who fixes it?
- Are the operators and the fitters your own people?
- Where will the planings go, and do you already have tips you're registered with near my site?
- What's in the price: transport, tippers, sweeper?
- Is the quote priced for the shift I need, nights and weekends included?
Ask them of us too.
FAQs
Do you cover Birmingham and the Black Country?
Yes. We're based in Tipton and it's our core patch. More on local work is on our Birmingham planer hire page.
Do your planers come with an operator?
Yes. All our planer hire is operated by our own trained operators, one or more depending on the size of the machine.
Can I use my own tippers and sweeper?
Yes. You don't have to book them with us. If you do, you get one invoice and one purchase order for the job.
Do nights and weekends cost more?
Yes, always. They're priced on application, not at the weekday guide rate on our planer hire page.
Next step
Tell us what needs removing, where and when, and we'll tell you straight which planer fits and what backup sits behind it. Call 0121 522 2303 or send your planer enquiry.
