Planning is everything in construction, especially when it comes to hiring plant machinery. Whether you’re overseeing a short-term project or a multi-phase build, understanding how plant hire availability affects your timeline is essential.

Know your key dates early

Start by mapping out the big milestones of your build, groundworks, lifting, transporting materials and so on. From there, work backwards to figure out when each type of machine will be needed.

This helps you avoid last-minute bookings that might not align with availability, especially during peak periods like summer or the start of the financial year.

Book in advance

Plant machinery is in high demand, particularly larger or specialist machines. The earlier you book, the more choice you’ll have, and the better the rates are likely to be. Leaving it too late can mean compromising on equipment or delaying your start.

At Chunnel Group, we’re always happy to advise on likely lead times for different machines so you can plan ahead with confidence.

Factor in delivery times

It’s not just about availability, it’s also about logistics. Larger machines may need permits, low loaders or site-specific access planning. Build in time for delivery and setup so your team isn’t left waiting around.

Be flexible where possible

If your schedule can handle it, consider booking a plant in blocks. For example, instead of hiring a mini digger for a single day, see if you can group tasks together over a week to make the most of your hire.

Having a bit of buffer time also helps if bad weather or other delays crop up.

Stay in touch

Good communication with your hire company goes a long way. If things shift on site, as they often do, let them know as early as possible. We’ll always do our best to adapt and support you.

By building your schedule around realistic plant hire timings, you can avoid downtime, keep costs under control and deliver your project more smoothly.