Backhoe Cost

How Much Does a Backhoe Cost?

Backhoe Rental: $100-$350+ Per Day

Backhoe Service: $50-$100 Per Hour

Buying a Backhoe: $10,000-$100,000+

A backhoe is a basically a diesel-powered tractor chassis with a rear-mounted digging bucket on a two-part hinged arm. A backhoe loader has the arm-and-digging-bucket on the rear plus a shovel-bucket on the front. (Backhoe loaders are often just called backhoes.) Because of their relatively small size and because they can also perform the work of a bulldozer, a front end loader and an excavator, backhoes are often the only heavy equipment used on small to medium construction, demolition, maintenance or landscaping projects.

Typical costs:

A backhoe service company that provides a backhoe with an operator can cost $50-$100 an hour, with a nationwide average of about $70-$90 an hour depending on location (a major factor in cost), the size and type of backhoe, and how much time the job takes. Many backhoe companies charge for travel time to get the machine to the job site and get it set up. For small jobs, there is typically a minimum number of hours (3-8) or a minimum fee ($150-$400 or more). Special backhoe attachments like those for compaction or drilling holes can add $30-$70 or more an hour to the cost. For example, Chuck's Backhoe Service[1] in Florida charges $60 an hour for a backhoe and operator with two hours standard travel time and a four-hour minimum; Double E Trucking[2] in South Carolina charges $80 an hour for a backhoe and operator, with a three-hour minimum; Dig Equipment Inc. in Southern California charges $95 an hour for the backhoe and operator, with a flat $250 round trip transportation fee, plus $40-$60 an hour for attachments like a compaction wheel, auger and bit or a 1,000-pound concrete breaker.
Renting a backhoe for do-it-yourself use typically costs $100-$200 for half-day or full day rental of a small or mini-backhoe; larger models typically rent for $200-$350 or more a day or $500-$1,500 or more for a week. A substantial deposit ($500-$1,500 or more) may be required; insurance or a damage waiver can add about 10%-15%; attachments like a concrete or asphalt breaker or a different size bucket are extra; and if the customer cannot haul the backhoe to the job site there will be delivery charges. For example, McKeel Equipment Rentals[3] charges $150-$300 a day or $600-$1,200 weekly for a backhoe, and $30-$200 a day for attachments, with pick-up and delivery at $3 per loaded mile ($45 minimum) and a $1,000 deductible property damage insurance at 9% of the rental rate; and Hertz Equipment Rental[4] estimates $200-$285 a day or $660-$900 weekly for a 65-74 horsepower two-wheel-drive backhoe, depending on location.
Buying a backhoe can cost $10,000-$100,000 or more depending on whether it is used or new, and the size, brand and model as well as any attachments. For example, the Kubota B26 TLB[5] (tractor loader backhoe) with a lift capacity of 1,102 pounds and a digging depth of 8' has a base manufacturer's price of about $35,000; the Kubota L39 TLB[6] , which has a lifting capacity of 2,800 pounds and a digging depth of 10', has a manufacturer's base price of about $40,500.

Related articles: Excavation, Land Clearing, Land Grading, House Foundation

What should be included:

A backhoe can be used to dig holes or trenches, to smooth out uneven terrain, to break apart asphalt or concrete, to demolish structures, or to transport materials and equipment. A series of videos[7] at ExpertVillage.com explains how to use a backhoe.
Call 811[8] several days before the backhoe is at the job site to have utility companies mark any underground utility lines; or contact local utility companies directly.

Additional costs:

If the project requires hauling dirt and debris from the site, there can be local dump/disposal fees ($15-$350 or more depending on location and type of debris), and it may be necessary to have a truck and driver ($30-$80 or more an hour) to work with the backhoe operator. For example, Double E Trucking[9] in South Carolina charges $65 an hour for a dump truck and operator with a three-hour minimum; while KP Kauffman Company in Colorado and New Mexico charges $35 an hour for a two-ton truck and operator or $70 an hour for a dump truck.

Shopping for a backhoe:

Find a local rental company through the American Rental Association[10] .
Ask for referrals to backhoe services from local contractors or at nearby hardware and home improvement stores. Request and check references and verify that the company is properly insured, bonded and insured.

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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments

580 CASE Backhoe loader

Amount: $100,000.00

Posted by: FB in DES MOINES, IA.	Posted: July 21st, 2023 04:07PM
Type of Backhoe: 580SN Case	Number of Acres:

$100,000 FOR A 2021 CASE BACKHOE LOADER -0- HRS
$69,000 FOR A BOBCAT E55 EXCAVATOR 175 HRS
IN THE DES MOINES IOWA MARKET
COSTS PER HR TO HIRE $165 TO $185
MINIMUMS ARE $550