Wet hire means to hire not only the machinery but also the operator. Conversely, dry hire means to only rent the machinery so that you can operate it yourself or source your own operator in different ways. There are reasons why you might want to wet or dry hire equipment and the benefits of each are discussed below.
What are the main benefits of wet hire?
While wet hiring machinery is usually more expensive, it has its benefits. For instance, you won’t have to struggle with the learning curve of operating the machinery, and more importantly you won’t be caught out dealing with particular issues that might come up operating that specific piece of gear. When you wet hire, the operator will have specific experienced and proficiency with that piece of machinery, and more importantly, he or she is also going to be able to quickly troubleshoot any issues. If you hire some equipment and something goes wrong, you might be facing a massive waste of time and money. Any downtime is easily handled with a dedicated operator at your disposal.
Think of wet hire as not only hiring a piece of equipment or machinery but also hiring the services of a skilled individual who knows how to operate it to a high standard. In most cases, skilled operators can really speed up the workflow and as well as produce better results than someone with little to no experience. In some cases, it is actually safe to say that the skill level of the operator is crucial to the positive outcome of a project, just as much as the capabilities of the machinery that you are hiring. After all, the performance of equipment is limited by the capabilities of the person using it. This is particularly true when it comes to some tasks, such as using an excavator. Most people can figure out how to operate the machinery, but even those who feel confident about using the equipment might not necessarily be able to compete with the proficiency of a dedicated operator, who might complete the task successfully in only a fraction of the time that would be required by someone with only basic know-how in these matters. Wet hiring is also a great way to invest in safety since experienced personnel who constantly deal with the machinery you are renting will be aware of the risks involved with operating that machinery, such as the potential for accidents or damage to people, property, underground pipes, power or telecommunication lines.
Even if you have used machinery before, chances are, you might not be able to rent exactly the model or make that you are familiar with, and you might find yourself stuck with fewer options that match your previous experience. However, a wet hire is the best way to work around this issue. In this scenario, you will not be stuck with having to operate any machinery yourself, so you can most definitely rely on the experience of an operator who is familiar with whatever equipment you have chosen. This is definitely a more stress-free solution, especially because being the operator of this kind of equipment is definitely putting a lot of responsibility on your shoulder. You never know what could go wrong if you set out to operate a piece of heavy machinery that you are not quite familiar with. It is best to be very confident that you can run the equipment that you rent in a safe way. Additionally, it is possible that having to put a lot of thought into safety aspects causes you to not make the most out of your time and that you may be actually adding more days to your workload. What you might save in terms of money with a dry hire, you might lose far more in terms of time, which in turn can cause other significant delays if you need to fit a lot of tasks in your schedule. In the long run, wet hire is designed to help renters save on time while also making sure that the machinery is operating at its best, not only in terms of performance value but also in terms of safety, efficiency and control.
What are the main benefits of dry hire?
One of the main benefits of dry hire is the fact that it is significantly cheaper since you will not have to pay for hiring the dedicated operator to run the machinery. This is one of the best rental options for people who are confident in operating machinery and prefer to do it themselves, or know an experienced operator who they have worked with in the past. However, it is always important to consider safety. If you do not feel like you are in a position of being able to operate heavy machinery, it might be best to allow someone else to handle it.
At the end of the day, it is really up to you to determine whether wet hire or dry hire is most suitable depending on your particular needs, project requirements and expertise in general. Many providers out there offer both wet and dry hire services, so it is definitely worth into looking at both options, particularly if you want to consider having an operator to help you out with the machinery and the opportunity to save some extra time and get things done in a more optimal and time-conscious fashion, in spite of a larger expense. However, if budgeting is your top priority and you are confident in your ability to operate machinery and get your expected results without any external help, dry hiring might be recommended for you.
Safe Dig provides wet hire only as we spend hours training our staff and VOC them to make sure everyone knows what to do on a site and end of the day, job done with the expertise and professionalism the name and brand stands for.
