A Rental Fleet’s MVP – Save Customer Time And Money With Vacuum Excavators

By Chris Thompson

Today’s utility contractors and landscape professionals know that time is money, especially as they hustle to keep up with an increased volume of work and an ongoing labor shortage. As contractors and landscapers consult you, they are looking for equipment that will keep them moving efficiently through time-consuming and often difficult jobs. A solution you can provide to help those looking for a practical solution to a variety of job-site problems is a vacuum excavator.

Vacuum excavators are some of the most versatile machines on the market for landscape and utility work. While traditionally used on horizontal directional drill (HDD) job sites, operators are finding innovative ways to use vacuum excavators to boost rental ROI. They can be used to expose utilities safely before working in areas with congested underground environments. They’re also ideal for tight work areas, like residential yards, where traditional equipment won’t fit.

Here are three key reasons why a vacuum excavator is the most valuable machine to have in your rental fleet that will help you increase profits by providing customers with a flexible, low-maintenance machine that helps them increase efficiency and take on a variety of tasks.

Increased job-site flexibility

Historically, vacuum excavators have been used on HDD job sites to expose existing underground utilities and for job-site cleanup. Today, they’ve found their way onto residential and landscaping job sites as they allow operators to excavate near sensitive areas and in areas where traditional methods are unable to get the job done. For example, trenching near a structure like a house, shed or fence can be challenging due to the machine’s size and tight job site. This is where a vacuum excavator becomes a handy tool, allowing landscapers or utility contractors to use a vacuum excavator to open a trench.

Furthermore, on job sites with space restrictions, landscapers can park their vacuum excavator up to 100 ft. away from the trench location and reach the site with their vacuum excavator wand – which is smaller and more flexible than a trencher and can easily maneuver in these tighter areas. This flexibility simplifies the trenching task for operators and helps prevent any accidental damage to existing structures.

A vacuum excavator also provides flexibility when it comes to a variety of ground conditions. There are five main ground conditions that operators may deal with on a job: rock, sandstone, clay, topsoil and sand. Landscapers, specifically, can easily encounter more than one of these conditions on a single job site. In these situations, a vacuum excavator allows them to switch between air or hydro excavation depending on the ground condition and the delicacy of the surrounding environment. This allows crews to work quickly with one machine, rather than going through the process of renting multiple machines and dragging out the time-consuming task. This versatility helps renters complete the job with minimal damage and disruption to surrounding utilities and environments.

Endless possibilities

In addition to exposing utilities or finishing a trench, a vacuum excavator can help landscapers and other contractors with more specialized or niche tasks. From cleaning out manholes and vehicle wash pits to landscaping beds, parking garages and nearly anything that’s been flooded with water, like basements, bathrooms, storm shelters and even sand bunkers on golf courses, the vacuum excavator can be used in countless ways. For example, utility installation crews are using vacuum excavators to dig thin trenches for irrigation line installation and leaving behind little to no evidence that they were even there.

In addition, landscape professionals are using the suction tool of the excavator to remove and clear out old mulch and debris from a flower mulch bed without the worry of damaging homeowners’ flowers, grass or well-cultivated vegetation.

Arborists and tree care professionals are using vacuum excavators for tree installation and growth stimulation. Whether installing a young 5-ft. tree or maintaining a mature 20-ft. tree, vacuum excavators can help loosen up the soil to create a more stable root foundation and encourage proper root grow-out.

Regardless of the task, a vacuum excavator helps operators save time and labor, while also reducing surface disruption in the excavation process.

Low maintenance

A key benefit of vacuum excavators is that they have minimal maintenance requirements — and the ones they do have are simple.

Manufacturers are designing their vacuum excavators to eliminate daily maintenance and grease points, allowing operators to focus on their job site tasks. The most important daily maintenance task for operators is to always dump and clean the debris tank and empty the freshwater tank at the end of every day. This prevents complications that could limit vacuum excavator productivity.

In addition, many of the costs endured are wear parts, such as the nozzle. It is important to never use the nozzle as a shovel or pry bar. Putting the nozzle into the dirt can cause damage to the wand and result in costly downtime.

Functionality and serviceability improvements always are being considered and made by manufacturers. For example, some machines now have liftoff power pack doors for greater access to maintenance points, and improved filtration systems minimize filter cleaning frequency and increase component life.

If used properly, vacuum excavators offer a low-maintenance solution with parts that are often protected from excessive wear and tear.

Take on tough tasks with ease

With so many options for equipment to bring onto your rental fleet, it can be tough to weed through all the possibilities. A vacuum excavator’s versatility, countless possibilities and extremely low maintenance requirements make even the most tedious and time-consuming jobs simple. Ultimately, vacuum excavators can allow you to provide your customers with an equipment solution that helps them work safely and efficiently on a variety of tough tasks, while also increasing their bottom line and yours.

Chris Thompson is vacuum excavation product manager for Ditch Witch, Perry, Okla., a manufacturer of underground utility construction equipment.

Article originally appeared on ARARental.com

HYDRAULIC BREAKER
Used for construction and demolition, our breakers can be used to break up asphalt, concrete or even clay. The hydraulic hammer is perfect for any small or medium job you might have. More up-time in the field is always the goal, and with only two moving parts and a few seals, there’s no reason for down-time.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

ROCK SAW

Best suited for irrigation and fiber installation, the Rock Saw attachment can effortlessly cut through rock, concrete, and other tough materials with unmatched precision. 

Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BACKHOE
Easily move materials for rebuilds, new construction, footings, utility repairs and more with this compact and versatile attachment.
Compatible Models

SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

STUMP GRINDERS
Featuring a heavy-duty boom design, powerful stump grinding attachments quickly shred stumps down to nothing. Easy maneuvering from stump to stump and increased visibility turns more ground stumps into more profit.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

MULTITASK TOOL
Your multipurpose tool for the ultimate multi-tasker is here. Engineered to grab tight to heavy materials and move them with ease and precision, the multi-task tool is your go-to for heavy applications. Easy to operate with convenient, functional levers.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

CORE DRILL
With the MC-450 coring attachment, utility maintenance is simple and less disruptive. Featuring intuitive controls and an integrated water tank, the MC-450 is the perfect choice for quick cuts and a more productive coring process. A fully adjustable 0 to 280 rpm speed allows for enhanced control and greater productivity.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

SOIL CULTIVATOR
Prepare food plots, gardens, and landscaping projects with a soil cultivator. It gets land ready by stirring organic material back in the soil for a healthier, more stable lawn. Buries the biggest of rocks for a looser topsoil.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BLADES
Whether you’re looking to increase dump height or digging depth, attaching a backfill blade is an easy way to save manpower on your jobsite while working with precision and timeliness. Available in various widths.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

AUGER DRIVER
Ideal for landscaping and tree care, an auger attachment will expedite hole creation and allow operators to quickly plant trees or install fence posts than if they were hand-digging or relying on a hand-held auger. Available in 6" to 30" diameters.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

TILLER
Tough and effective tillers prepare your garden by breaking up tough soil and removing unwanted weeds. Available in 4' width.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

GRAPPLES
Tree grapples come with 48" or 57" openings to efficiently remove logs and debris from the jobsite. It has an excavator style boom design with a powder coat finish and a cylinder lock for increased safety. Brush grapples available with a gap opening of 29" and widths of 42" or 54".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

CARRY ALL LEVELER
One of our most simple yet versatile attachments, the Carry-All Leveler is perfect for carrying bulky material, leveling soil and adding a flat, smooth finish to your project. Available in 49" width.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BUCKETS

From landscaping and hardscapes to tree care and construction-grade tasks, your stand-on skid steer can take on more than you think. We've got you covered with a variety of buckets from 4-in-1 to heavy and light material buckets. Widths range from 34" to 66".

Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

PALLET FORKS
Take on your heaviest loads with precision and dependability with Ditch Witch pallet forks. They easily attach to any of our skid steers and can easily accessorize with hay spikes, brick guards, and much more to add even more ROI. Available in widths ranging from 36-48.75" and lengths from 36-48".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

MICROTRENCHER
Fiber installation and other street-located work is rapidly growing. A microtrenching attachment is key for operators looking to get into fiber installation at the street level. They cut both concrete and asphalt in controlled increments so contractors don't need to stop traffic. Maximum width options are 0.5-1.5” or 2” with maximum depths of 12” or 16”.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

ROTO WITCH®
The Ditch Witch Roto Witch® attachment is used for short bores underneath sidewalks, driveways and other obstacles. It offers great digging performance while minimizing jobsite restoration. Compatible with numerous Ditch Witch stand-on skid steers, the Roto Witch attachment can bore and backream up to 12" (300 mm) in diameter.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

PLOW
Install fiber and other utilities quickly with a vibratory plow attachment for your skid steer. It creates less ground disruption and cleanup than traditional trenching to get the job done faster. Available in maximum depths of 14" and 24".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

POWER RAKE
Clean, level and prep jobsites or smooth and loosen soil for sodding with a rake attachment. Most rake attachments require 10 to 14 gpm, but the higher horsepower creates even more drum torque to tear through the most demanding soil types. Width measures 4'.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

MICROTRENCHERS
Fiber installation and other street-located work is rapidly growing. A microtrenching attachment is key for operators looking to get into fiber installation at the street level. They cut both concrete and asphalt in controlled increments so contractors don't need to stop traffic. Maximum width options are 0.5-1.5” or 2” with maximum depths of 12” or 16”.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

ROTO WITCH®
The Ditch Witch Roto Witch® attachment is used for short bores underneath sidewalks, driveways and other obstacles. It offers great digging performance while minimizing jobsite restoration. Compatible with numerous Ditch Witch stand-on skid steers, the Roto Witch attachment can bore and backream up to 12" (300 mm) in diameter.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

PLOWS
Install fiber and other utilities quickly with a vibratory plow attachment for your skid steer. It creates less ground disruption and cleanup than traditional trenching to get the job done faster. Available in maximum depths of 14" and 24".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

TRENCHER

Stay efficient on large jobsites with a trencher attachment for your skid steer. It’s a smart alternative to large, specialized equipment for utility installation and landscaping jobs. Available in standard 6”, 8” and 12” maximum widths with maximum depths of 36", 38", 48” and 55.5”.

Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000