Paragon Tool Hire’s Guide to Choosing the Right Excavator, Dumper and Attachments

Whether you’re tackling a back garden renovation or managing a large-scale building site, choosing the right digger for your project can make a huge difference to productivity, cost and safety. At Paragon Tool Hire, we stock a wide range of mini excavators, dumpers and attachments to suit every kind of job, from tight-access domestic works to heavy-duty groundworks. Here’s what to consider when deciding what digger is right for you.

Choosing the Right Equipment for the Job Site

Before diving into the options, take a moment to assess the nature of your site and the scope of your work. Asking the right questions helps ensure you choose equipment that matches your needs without over- or under-specifying.

How tight is the access to the work area?
This determines whether you’ll need a compact machine, like a micro digger or narrow dumper, to get through gateways or down side alleys.

How deep or wide will the excavation need to be?
Knowing this helps you select a machine with sufficient reach and bucket capacity to complete the job efficiently.

What type of material will I be shifting?
Lighter soils can be handled by smaller machines, while tough clay, concrete or rubble may call for heavier equipment and stronger attachments.

Will I need to break through concrete or dig into tough ground?
This helps identify whether you need additional attachments, such as a hydraulic breaker or heavy-duty bucket.

By answering these questions early, you can avoid equipment that’s too large for the space or too small for the task, helping you stay on time, on budget and on target.

Mini Excavators: Compact Power for Tight Spaces

Mini excavators are ideal for projects where space is limited but digging power is still essential. At Paragon Tool Hire, you'll find a range of compact models that balance size and performance perfectly.

Micro and 1.0T–1.5T machines
Perfect for access through narrow gateways or working in confined spaces like rear gardens. For example, the 1 Tonne Yanmar narrow mini digger is just 700mm wide, making it suitable for tight access jobs. It features expandable tracks for added stability and a retractable ROPS frame for getting through low-clearance areas.

2.7T to 3.5T excavators
Suitable for more intensive work, such as foundations, drainage runs or small demolition tasks, while still remaining easy to manoeuvre. The Wacker Neuson EZ 26 3 tonne excavator is ideal for light commercial or larger domestic work, with good digging depth and robust performance.

8T–14T compact excavators
For projects that require significant digging force or extended reach, the Wacker Neuson EZ80 8 tonne compact excavator and the Hyundai HX140A L 14 tonne crawler excavator offer a step up in power. These are great for larger groundwork tasks, heavy lifting, or handling dense material.

These machines offer a versatile solution for everything from domestic landscaping to light commercial works. They’re easy to transport, efficient on fuel and designed for smooth, precise digging.

Add a Dumper to Keep Work Moving

To make the most of your digger’s output, pair it with a dumper that can keep pace and shift material quickly. Paragon Tool Hire offers a selection of site dumpers to suit both small and large-scale sites, helping you move spoil, soil or aggregates efficiently and safely.

Narrow Access Dumpers
Ideal for garden clearance, tight driveways or urban projects, these compact machines are designed to squeeze through narrow gateways and operate in confined areas.

• Narrow High-Tip Tracked Dumper: This nimble dumper is just 700mm wide, making it perfect for domestic jobs where access is restricted. With a high-tip function, it can unload directly into a skip, and its rubber tracks provide excellent grip without damaging lawns or paved surfaces.

High-Tip and Swivel Dumpers
Perfect for moving spoil across uneven ground or tipping into raised containers. High-tip dumpers are especially useful where there’s no room for ramps or where site levels vary.

• 6 Tonne Swivel Site Dumper: With a generous load capacity and 180° swivel skip, this machine enables flexible dumping without constant repositioning. It's well suited to medium to large sites where productivity and manoeuvrability are both essential.

Front-Tip Dumpers for Bulk Moves
When you need to shift a large volume of material quickly, a front-tip dumper is often the best choice.

• 9 Tonne Front-Tip Dumper: Ideal for bulk earthmoving and major construction projects, this heavy-duty machine delivers raw power and efficiency. It offers excellent ground clearance and traction for demanding terrain, helping you maintain a fast pace on site.

Choosing the right dumper ensures a smooth flow of material, reduces downtime and keeps your dig site tidy and efficient. Whether you're tackling a small garden project or a large commercial dig, pairing your excavator with the appropriate dumper will boost productivity and streamline your workflow.

Maximise Efficiency with Excavator Attachments

Attachments can transform a standard digger into a multi-purpose workhorse. By equipping your machine with the right tools, you can take on a wide range of tasks without the need to hire separate equipment. Whether you're breaking up concrete, digging post holes or clearing site waste, switching attachments allows you to adapt quickly and keep your project moving efficiently. It's a smart way to save both time and money on site.

• Hydraulic breakers are ideal for demolition work or tough ground conditions. Paragon Tool Hire offers hydraulic breakers suitable for machines ranging from 1 to 18 tonnes, making them a go-to solution whether you're using a compact digger or a heavy-duty crawler.
• Selector grabs offer an efficient way to handle demolition debris, green waste or materials for recycling. We stock both 3-tonne digger grabs and 13-tonne digger grabs, to make light work of sorting, loading and clearing material on site.
• Post hole borers are an excellent addition for landscaping, fencing or signage projects. These attachments make it quick and easy to bore consistent holes in soil, saving hours of manual digging.
• Additional buckets are available to suit a variety of digging and grading tasks, from trenching to bulk excavation. Switching buckets gives you better control over your work and allows a single machine to be used across multiple phases of a project.

Hiring digger attachments as part of your setup boosts efficiency and site productivity by allowing you to adapt quickly without the need for extra machinery.

Not Sure What You Need? Just Ask

Choosing the right digger, dumper or attachment can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to site equipment hire. That’s why the friendly experts at Paragon Tool Hire are here to help. Whether you need advice on machine sizes, capabilities or compatibility, just give us a call on 01280 822282. We’ll guide you through your options, recommend the best equipment for your specific project, and ensure your hire runs smoothly from start to finish.