A planer day rate moves with five things: the width of machine the job needs, the depth and material coming off, when the work happens, getting the machine to site and what goes with it. Our weekday guide rates are on the planer hire page. The firm figure follows the job, so tell us the job.
Every MAC planer is operated. The rate covers the machine and one of our own trained operators, not a machine dropped off for you to run.
What gets left out most is what goes with the planer: sweepers, tippers and where the planings go. Tell us those at enquiry and the rate holds.
The width of machine
A wider planer costs more for a weekday booking. It doesn't always cost more for the whole job.
On an open run, a wider drum takes the area off in fewer passes, so the job finishes sooner. On a tight site the same machine can spend the day turning round. A compact planer takes more passes but gets into places the big machine can't.
Our advice is the same every time. Pick the smallest machine that can do the job properly, then check the wagons can keep up with it. Our guide to choosing the right planer size goes through it.
Depth, material and the detail work
Depth changes more than the drum setting. A deeper cut means more material off, more wagon loads and sometimes a second pass. The road planing depth guide explains why.
Detail work slows a planer down too. Manholes, drains, kerb lines, edges and tie ins all take time that an open carriageway doesn't. A run of small patches is a different day from one long strip.
If you know or suspect something unusual under the surface, tell us at enquiry stage. It changes how we plan the job and where the material can go.
When the work happens
Weekday guide rates are for weekday work. Nights, weekends and other add ons are priced on application, because the shift pattern changes what the job needs. Nights and weekends always cost more.
A possession or road space window fixes the hours you can cut. A short shift still needs the machine and operator brought to site, but there's less cutting time to spread that over. That's why we ask about timing at the start, not after the rate is agreed.
Getting the machine to site
We move our planers on our own low loaders. Transport is priced on application, so check how many movements are in any figure you're comparing. Our plant haulage page and plant move quote guide cover what to send.
Distance from the yard matters. We're based in Tipton in the Black Country. Birmingham and the wider West Midlands are our core patch. We take larger programmes further afield. If a job sits at the edge of sensible travel, we'll say so on day one. More on local work is on our Birmingham planer hire page.
Being local means local knowledge, registered tips nearby and backup machines close to hand.
What goes with the planer
The planer is rarely the whole job. Tippers take the planings away, a sweeper clears behind and the material has to end up somewhere. We supply tippers and sweepers around our planing work. They aren't standalone hire.
Where the planings go changes the plan. You might keep them, stockpile them on site or want them loaded away. Tell us which at enquiry. Our road planings page covers what happens to the material after.
If you'd rather we plan the cutting, wagons and sweeping as one job, that's our planing services.
Booking the package gives you one invoice and one PO for the whole job.
Operated means the crew is in the rate
Our operators are our own people, carded and trained on our machines. Behind them is our own workshop, with 24/7 backup.
That matters on the day. If something stops, we repair it or swap the machine from our own workshop instead of waiting on someone else's. Our guide to what happens if hired plant breaks down explains what to ask any supplier before you book. The operated or self drive guide covers the wider choice.
Buyers ask about backup, and they're right to. Ask every planer supplier the same question.
Why a cheaper rate can cost more on the day
Two rates for the same job can look very different. The gap is usually what's been left off.
The real cost of a planing day is what gets done. Wagons standing while a machine waits for a fitter. A shift lost to a no show. A surfacing gang booked for the next morning with nothing ready to lay on. None of that is on the rate sheet, but all of it is on your programme.
So compare like for like. Ask what machine turns up, who runs it, how it gets there, what support comes with it and what happens if it stops. Our guide to comparing surfacing quotes lists the questions. Ask them of every quote, ours included.
What sits behind our rate is backup plant, in-house fitters, 24/7 cover and proper management systems. Without them, a cheaper rate is where the lost day comes from.
Minimum bookings and half days
Our minimum booking is one shift.
How to get a firm rate first time
Send us what needs removing, whether the planer and wagons can get in, where the material is going and when you need it done. Our planer quote information page has the full list and a removal calculator.
The more of that we have at enquiry, the closer the first figure is to the final one.
Frequently asked questions
Is the day rate the full cost of a planing job?
Not always. The weekday guide rate is for the operated planer. Nights, weekends, transport and supporting plant are priced on application, so the full figure depends on the programme.
Do nights and weekends cost more?
They're priced on application, not at the weekday guide rate. Nights and weekends always cost more.
Is transport included in a planer day rate?
Transport is priced separately on application. We deliver on our own low loaders, so we can tell you up front how many movements the job needs.
Does a wider planer cost more?
For a weekday booking, yes. For the whole job, not always, because a wider machine can finish an open area in fewer passes. On a tight site a smaller machine is often the better choice.
Is the operator included?
Yes. All our planer hire is operated, by our own trained operators.
Can I hire a planer by the half day?
Our minimum booking is one shift.
Do you supply tippers and sweepers with the planer?
Yes, around our planing work. They aren't available as standalone hire.
Do you cover Birmingham and the Black Country? Does that change the rate?
Yes. We're based in Tipton and it's our core patch. Being local means local knowledge, registered tips and backup machines nearby.
Next step
Tell us the job and we'll confirm the rate. Call 0121 522 2303 any time or send your planer enquiry.
