5 Equipment Rentals to Take Your Business's Landscaping to the Next Level
When you’re trying to take your business’s landscaping to the next level, you need equipment that’s up for the task. The Cat® Rental Store is the industry-leading provider of high-quality earthmoving equipment designed for rugged construction and landscaping jobs.
This guide to must-have landscaping equipment will help you choose the right compact machines and work tools to get the most performance out of your rental. We’ll also cover some of the essential reasons to consider renting your landscaping equipment for the most convenient, reliable and cost-effective solution to completing landscaping jobs.
5 Must-Have Landscaping Equipment Rentals
With landscaping, you never know what kinds of challenges you’ll uncover, which is why you need tough, reliable and powerful equipment to get the job done. When you’re trying to take your landscaping to the next level, you don't want to be limited by space constraints. That’s where compact landscaping equipment comes in.
Compact equipment is designed for small spaces, tight lots and size restrictions. Though they may be smaller, compact equipment doesn’t compromise on power and efficiency. Whether you need a resilient skid steer, a compact loader, a versatile backhoe loader or a maneuverable mini excavator, The Cat Rental Store is your one-stop shop for landscaping equipment rentals.
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1. Skid Steer Loaders
Skid steers are a must-have piece of equipment for any type of construction, but they’re particularly useful for landscaping. Skid steers are designed to be incredibly maneuverable and have a small turn radius, literally skidding the wheels on one side to turn in their own footprint. Their compact design makes them ideal for tight residential or commercial lots since they can access narrow side yards and weave through obstacles, like trees, parked vehicles and other structures.
Skid steers are also up to the task of tough terrain. Because of their compact yet rigid design, they can traverse uneven terrain, maneuver down slopes and climb hills with ease and power.
While skid steers are tough and speedy, what makes them ideal for landscaping is their impressive versatility, thanks to their compatibility with dozens of work tools. Skid steers are universally compatible with every attachment a landscaping project needs. Whether you need to clear and grade lots, drill holes for tree planting, condition and rake soil or perform a swift cleanup job, skid steers are your job site workhorse.
Cat skid steer models range in lift capacity from 1,500 pounds in the smallest model to 3,700 pounds in the largest models. Contact The Cat Rental Store for help selecting the right size skid steer for your landscape projects.
2. Compact Track Loaders
When considering landscaping equipment, you might weigh your options between skid steer loaders and another small loader called the compact track loader. While the two perform very similar functions, have comparable load capacities, and are both compatible with the same suite of work tools, they have some important differences.
Compared to the skid steer loader, the compact track loader is generally better for soft and uneven terrain. Because it has tracks rather than wheels, the compact track loader can glide over muddy, wet terrain without sinking in. This design also helps protect the ground from being torn up by the more rigid skid steer. For this reason, compact track loaders may be a better option when there’s a lot of grading to do.
Operators also like the smooth drive the compact track loader offers. Skid steers have a higher center of gravity, and their rigid frame makes for a bumpy and rugged ride. Compact track loaders have a lower suspension and wider weight displacement, providing more traction and stability.
Cat compact track loaders range in load capacity from 1,530 pounds to 3,560 pounds. Learn more about compact track loaders for landscaping by contacting The Cat Rental Store nearest you.
3. Compact Wheel Loaders
Many contractors are quickly realizing the benefits of compact wheel loaders as the ideal equipment for landscaping and construction jobs. Compact wheel loaders are the perfect happy medium between capabilities and size. With larger capacities than skid steers or compact track loaders, yet smaller and more maneuverable than full-sized wheel loaders, compact wheel loaders give your landscaping project the power and efficiency it needs.
Compact wheel loaders are a more robust and powerful piece of machinery than skid steer loaders or compact track loaders. Due to their power and hauling capacity combined with their fuel efficiency, they may be a more cost-effective solution when you have tight deadlines and ambitious project goals.
Like other compact equipment, compact wheel loaders are compatible with a range of landscaping and construction attachments and can support higher-capacity work tools. Wheel loaders are no longer restricted to the standard front bucket but are now considered a multi-tool machine designed to deliver high value on projects.
Cat compact wheel loaders in the 906M, 907M and 908M models have universal skid steer coupling options, which gives you the work tool versatility your landscape job needs.
4. Backhoe Loaders
For larger commercial landscaping projects, nothing beats the size, power and versatility of the backhoe loader. A backhoe loader is a two-in-one machine. Built on a tractor chassis, the front of the machine offers you a standard wheel loader functionality, with a front bucket for material hauling and lifting. The rear of the machine provides the operator with a backhoe — an articulated stick-and-boom arm for excavating.
Known for their power and precise handling, backhoe loaders can efficiently haul and handle many types of landscape materials with their front bucket. Quickly lay down soil, gravel or mulch and haul away debris or brush cuttings for fast cleanup. With the backhoe arm, you can perform a wide range of excavating duties, such as trenching drainage and irrigation lines or digging and filling holes for hardscape structures.
Cat backhoe loaders have a universal coupling feature, allowing both the backhoe and loader ends to attach to numerous skid steer and compact loader attachments. This universal compatibility takes your backhoe from good to extreme versatility, giving you more value for your investment.
Backhoe loaders from Caterpillar range from a 14-foot to a 17-foot dig depth and have an operating capacity ranging from 17,600 to 29,300 pounds.
5. Mini Excavators
For small commercial landscaping jobs confined to tight spots, mini excavators are the perfect solution. Before the mini excavator, contractors working on small lots were limited in the equipment they could safely and comfortably use. Conventional excavators are too bulky for precise finishing jobs like landscaping, yet compact loaders don’t offer the same digging capabilities as the excavator. Caterpillar solved this problem by introducing a line of mini excavators designed with the landscape contractor in mind.
Due to their compact size, mini excavators are safe and easy to transport and operate, ideal for a one-time landscaping project. But don’t let their small frame fool you. Mini excavators can take on the same tough jobs as heavy-duty digging machines, including digging, trenching and filling. Like a standard excavator, the mini versions can also traverse rugged ground via steel and rubber tracks for greater stability and mobility.
On Cat models, the universal skid steer coupling option means that your mini excavator is more than just a digging machine. Cat mini excavators are compatible with a range of landscaping and construction work tools, meaning you get extensive versatility out of this compact machine.
Thanks to Caterpillar’s new line of mini excavators, you can be even more productive on your next landscaping job. Cat mini excavators range from a micro 1-ton model to a more robust 10-ton model. The lineup also includes closed and open cabs, giving you options that suit your climate and working conditions.
Top Landscaping Attachments
Any of the machines described above will provide you with the basic framework you need to tackle your landscaping project. But when you really want to take your business’s landscaping to the next level, your extensive choice in tool attachments is where your real power lies.
Compact equipment is tremendously popular because of its size, safety and easy operating features as well as the diverse attachments at your disposal. Caterpillar’s impressive suite of work tools means that you’ll need fewer pieces of equipment because all are compatible with dozens of attachments.
Here’s a look at some of the must-have attachment rentals you might need for your business’s landscaping project:
- Augers: Quickly drill holes for tree planting, fence posts and signposts with the hydraulic auger work tool for Cat compact equipment. Augers are heavy-duty drills with drill bits that bore deep into hard ground, churning up earth and displacing it to the side for fast and convenient digging. Depending on the model, Cat augers for compact equipment deliver between 815 and 5,000 foot-pounds of torque.
- Brooms: Cleanup is faster and more precise with the right sweeping attachments for compact equipment. Cat broom models include the angle broom for sweeping along edges angled up to 30 degrees, as well as the pickup broom, which deposits debris into an attached hopper. Cat utility broom attachments are the perfect finishing tool when you need to take a final pass over a smooth finished surface.
- Brushcutters: No landscaping equipment arsenal is complete without a brushcutter work tool. Brushcutters are the ideal tool to use at the start of a landscaping project, making it easy to clear lots and cut stubborn brush and even small trees. For landscape maintenance, brushcutters help conveniently clean up along overgrown edges for a consistently well-manicured look.
- Flail mowers: Proper landscape maintenance is crucial for your business’s image, which is why it's important to have a well-cared-for lawn and green space. Cat flail mower attachments make landscape maintenance simple with a working width of 39 inches to cover more ground in less time. Flail mowers can also tackle tough overgrowth if you have vegetation that needs taming.
- Mulchers: Mulchers are essential for land clearing and vegetation management. Quickly cut up cleared vegetation and debris into reusable or compostable mulch. Mulching vegetation is a critical sustainability practice and can help keep your landscape healthy and flourishing. Cat mulching attachments range in working width from 59 to 67 inches, giving you plenty of options to suit your property.
- Rakes: Keep up with landscape maintenance by renting a landscape rake attachment for your compact equipment. Landscape rakes cover working widths of 62 or 74 inches and can pick up debris up to 6 inches high. For your convenience, raked debris is deposited into an integrated hopper, making disposal fast and easy.
- Snow blowers: Seasonal maintenance is made easy with Cat snow blower attachments for your compact landscaping equipment. As a business owner, you know how important it is to keep your walkways clear of snow to ensure your customers’ safety. Cat snow blowers are a faster, easier way to clear away snow. They have intake widths ranging from 50 to 76 inches, allowing you the ideal model for your needs.
- Snow plows: When you’re facing relentless snowfall, you need a way to combat the elements efficiently. Cat snow plow attachments turn your compact landscape equipment rental into a snow removal machine so you can get back to business. Cat snow plows are available in various working widths so you can pick the option that covers the most ground for your area.
- Snow pushers: Cat snow pusher attachments help you minimize snow removal efforts by guiding heavy snow and reducing salt buildup. Snow pushers are designed to push snow out of the way, leaving behind a straight and cleared path for convenient access. With a range of working widths, you’ll find the ideal snow pusher attachment for your business.
- Trenchers: Whether you’re digging drainage ditches or trenching the ground to lay irrigation lines, Cat trencher attachments for compact equipment help you tackle the tough digging job at hand. With precise and straight delivery, trenchers dig up dirt and displace it to the side, leaving behind a smooth trench ready for work.
The Cat Rental Store has all these work tools and more available for you to maximize your next landscaping project. A Cat representative at the location nearest you will be happy to help you find the right attachment for your unique job requirements.
Benefits of Renting Equipment for Landscaping
Renting landscaping equipment is an increasingly more popular choice, as a vast range of well-maintained and easily accessible equipment is available for short-term agreements.
The seasonal nature of landscaping is one of the more common reasons why people choose to rent their landscaping equipment. However, there are many other reasons to go the rental route. Consider the benefits you get when you rent equipment for landscaping jobs.
Reduce Overhead Costs
Heavy equipment is one of the biggest investments your business can make because of the machine's price and because it’s a long-term purchase that will hopefully have a decades-long service life. Typically, more established businesses can make these significant investments as they continue to grow their fleet of equipment. However, for small businesses, start-ups or companies needing one-off equipment uses, rentals are the most cost-effective and risk-free solution available.
When you rent landscaping equipment, you avoid the upfront purchase cost as well as the associated costs. Renting landscaping equipment avoids costs like:
- Loan interest payments
- Preventive maintenance, parts replacements and repairs
- Storage and facilities needs
- Insurance and transportation expenses
A rental agreement is a flexible contract, and it factors in all of the above costs without concern to the customer. Additionally, you may be able to negotiate discounts on rental agreements for longer-term contracts, meaning you can save more on your seasonal jobs.
Take on More Projects
Renting gives you convenient access to equipment on demand. Reputable dealers carry a vast inventory of common and specialized equipment, meaning you always have the tools you need at your disposal. Whether you’re looking to complete a simple lot clearing job or a more complex landscaping project involving trenching and digging, renting gives you the option of tackling all your goals without compromise.
Business owners sometimes opt for landscaping plans that fall short of what they really want to achieve simply because they don’t have the right equipment for the job. With access to every equipment solution imaginable, renting gives you the tools you need so you can get the exact final product you’re looking for.
Knowledgeable equipment rental experts will help you find equipment and attachment solutions you might not have considered, opening up new possibilities for your business’s landscaping projects.
Meet Seasonal Demands
One of the most convenient aspects of renting landscaping equipment is that it’s an on-demand and short-term solution. As your needs fluctuate, your rental provider will be there, ready with the equipment you need when you need it. This is an especially critical benefit when dealing with seasonal changes.
When winter hits, you want to have access to high-performing snow clearing and removal tools that get the job done safely. Whether you live in a climate with snow all winter long or a region that has a surprise dump of snow only a few times a year, you need tools to rise to the occasion. Renting allows you to have the necessary equipment and attachments delivered right to your business so you can start clearing walkways and parking lots for your customers. When you’re finished with the job, your rental provider will pick up the equipment and take it away.
Spring is the best time to make landscape changes. Whether you’re re-turfing a lawn, planting new shrubs or managing vegetation overgrowth, you can accomplish all your spring and summer landscaping tasks by knowing you have access to rental equipment when you need it.
Minimize Downtime
Another convenience of renting landscaping equipment for your business is that you won’t get caught off-guard by equipment breakdowns or work interruptions. Malfunctioning equipment or equipment that’s too big or too small for the job causes costly stoppages in productive work. When the clock is ticking, you can’t afford to have something go wrong with your equipment.
Fortunately, when you rent equipment for landscaping jobs, the rental provider is responsible for all maintenance and repairs should the equipment break down. If the equipment malfunctions, all you need to do is call your service provider, and they’ll send a technician to repair the equipment or replace the machine with a working one.
Breakdowns aren’t the only obstacle to productivity — incorrect equipment can also cause project downtime. If you accidentally rent equipment that’s not right for the job, your rental provider will transport the correct model to your job site.
When renting landscaping equipment, it’s important to choose a trusted rental partner who will supply you with well-maintained, high-quality equipment that’s the correct size for the job.
Choose The Cat® Rental Store for Landscaping Equipment Rentals
Your business can achieve the high-end landscaping that reflects your brand. The solution is selecting the right landscaping equipment for the job — machines that are easy to use and result in maximum productivity.
The Cat Rental Store has an extensive inventory of compact equipment that’s ideal for completing landscaping jobs quickly and efficiently. All Cat rental equipment is expertly maintained to the highest Cat standards, and our customer service is unparalleled. Visit The Cat Rental Store nearest you today and get help selecting the right landscaping equipment from one of our knowledgeable representatives.
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