Hire vs Buy Trench Shields

Trench shield hire is a cost-effective and efficient way for large and small construction and infrastructure companies to stay compliant.

The Guardian trench shield team says there are several reasons businesses choose to hire shields, rather than buy.

These include:

·        Managing project costs and concentrating capital expenditure on core business.

·        Ensuring limited yard space is used for critical equipment and vehicles.

·        The peace of mind that trench shield experts clean, check and maintain the shields and, if required, deliver and collect them.

·        You can hire all size and shape shields, as every job is different, so you don’t have to buy and store every size and shape shield needed as your job requirements change.

Transparent Costing

Guardian’s transparent costing means new and existing clients have certainty when they’re including shield hire cost factors when tendering or quoting on a job.

There are 7 key things that affect the cost of hiring a shield. Below we enlarge on what these are:

What Shield

Prices vary depending on the size and design of the trench shields. The larger the shield the more it will cost to hire. For example, it will always be more expensive to hire a 7m shield rather than a 2.4m shield no matter who the supplier is, simply because of the size difference.

The size and design of the shield also affects the kPa rating. Higher kPa ratings can also make hiring compliant shields pricier. If the ground is very unstable and you need a high kPa rating, you may need to hire a more robust shield to meet the conditions. Your site engineer can determine this.

Length of Hire

The length of time the shield is hired for also affects the cost. The Guardian team say there are savings to be made on longer hires and generally, clients have a fairly good idea of the likely duration of trench hire jobs when they first get in touch.

For example, we charge at a daily, weekly and monthly rate so the longer you hire the lower the prices are per day. 

Cleaning the shields

Cleaning the trench safety equipment between jobs is essential.

Not only does it present a professional image, but it also has a valuable part to play in avoiding shield degradation and safety. Cleaning can expose any damage which could compromise the shield’s strength and requires to be addressed by a qualified repairer.

Trench shield cleaning fees are based on an hourly rate. Some shields may have concrete stuck to them which means cleaning takes longer, and sometimes the shields have been in the ground for months. On the up-side, cleaning off sand is easy. At Guardian if cleaning takes less than 15 minutes – there is no charge!

Cleaning and a check for damage keeps the trench shields in optimal condition for the next hire.

Trench Shield Delivery vs Pick-up

Some businesses using trench shield hire for temporary excavation, or civil site safety are well set up to pick up and return trench shields. For others, time and resources are tight, so leaving it to Guardian to provide that service saves a lot of hassles.

Trench shield delivery to site and returning to our yard for ONLY Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch is charged at $156+gst per hour or at a pre-hire agreed rate. Note, if delivery or collection is urgent, it’ll cost a bit more.

Some smaller configurations of trench shields can be easily transported by a company ute or trailer, but larger shields require bigger logistics.

Assembly

Charged at an hourly rate, assembly saves significant time and labour on the project site – and time is money. So, we can build these before delivery, but freight does increase as the shields are bulkier when made up. There are height and width restrictions when transporting assembled shields. For example, the road transport law is a maximum of 4.3m for the height but on some Auckland motorways, this is 4.1m. Then the maximum width is 2.55m, which rules out any manhole boxes larger than 2.4m.

Upgrades

Different struts can affect the cost; for example, if you are laying a large pipe, you might need high-rise struts to get enough clearance under the struts for the pipe. These struts are more expensive than our standard fixed or adjustable struts.

Higher kPa ratings can also make hiring compliant shields pricier. If the ground is very unstable and you need a high kPa rating, you may need to hire a more robust shield to meet the conditions. Your site engineer can determine this.

Damages

Damage waiver fee – this is a 10% charge, which is charged on every hire unless proof of hire insurance is supplied in a PDF. We apply this fee so that any damage is limited to a maximum charge for the customer of $3000+gst per item. However, if the item requires to be fully replaced due to the damages being too uneconomic to repair or lost, then the replacement cost will be charged. This charge only applies to the hire items and does not apply to any other costs such as freight, assembling or cleaning.

All trench shields are expected to be returned in the same condition as when they were dispatched, with normal wear and tear factored in. The extent of the damage will determine the charges incurred. Minor damage, such as surface scratches or paint wear is not charged for. Find out more on our How to inspect a trench shield blog here: https://www.transquip.co.nz/blog/how-why-you-should-inspect-trench-shields

Service

Companies working in civil, construction, and infrastructure can email, order over the phone, or call-in to discuss a project. No problems.

Call the Guardian team today to discuss your needs or get a quote. Or check out our extensive product range HERE.