Wet hire / dry hire.
The difference is bigger than whether an operator is included. Supervision, competency, productivity, maintenance and risk allocation all change.
Choose around control and capability.
Wet hire can be valuable when specialised equipment, productivity and operator familiarity matter. The supplier usually provides the operator, while the site still controls work planning, interfaces, exclusion zones and daily direction.
Dry hire can suit organisations with competent operators, supervision and equipment-management systems. Confirm licence or competency requirements, familiarisation, daily checks, servicing, fault reporting and who may use the equipment.
Neither model is automatically cheaper or safer. Compare operator availability, utilisation, shift structure, travel, maintenance, damage exposure and the consequence of downtime.
Ask each supplier for the written boundary: delivery, inductions, fuel, maintenance, wear, cleaning, breakdown response, replacement, off-hire and final inspection.
Which model fits?
- Do you have a verified, available operator for the exact equipment?
- Is the work specialised enough that machine familiarity affects production?
- Who will manage inspections, servicing and faults throughout the hire?
- How will idle time, overtime and breakdowns be treated?