SELECTION / SCOPE / HANDOVER
Before choosing the equipment
Measure access and describe the intended trench, footing or landscape work. Ask whether the proposed machine can reach the work without repeated repositioning and how spoil will leave the site.
What belongs in the quote
Include delivery, ground protection, attachment selection and restoration in the quote. Ask for the exact machine configuration rather than accepting “a mini” as the equipment description.
Think about the surrounding work
Start with the work envelope: access width, overhead restrictions, reach, digging depth and room for the machine to turn. Ask the contractor to explain the selected configuration and how delivery, ground conditions and supporting machines affect the plan. A machine class is a starting point, not a promise of lifting capacity or production.
Three questions for your contractor
- What access dimensions were checked?
- How will spoil leave the work area?
- Which attachments are included?
Bring a useful project brief
Bring site photographs, access measurements, available drawings and a description of the finished result. Identify what is known about the ground and existing services, and distinguish confirmed information from assumptions. Ask for written inclusions, exclusions, change procedures and handover records before comparing totals.
Further reading
John Deere — construction equipment fleet guide ↗
Manufacturer reference for background, not a dealer relationship or recommendation of a particular model.
Keep the machine working
Repair and maintenance questions · Parts and attachment compatibility · Buying used equipment