What size skid steer do I need?

Find the heaviest load you will carry and pick a machine whose rated operating capacity is above it. For most yard and landscaping work a small or medium frame machine is enough. If the machine has to pass through a backyard gate, a mini track loader may be the only thing that fits.

How deep can a mini excavator dig?

It depends on the size. As a typical range, machines under 2 tons dig about 6 to 8 feet, 3 to 4 ton machines about 9 to 11 feet, and 5 to 6 ton machines about 11 to 13 feet. Check the spec sheet of the exact model.

Should I rent a scissor lift or a boom lift?

Rent a scissor lift when you can park right under the work on a firm, level surface, such as for ceilings and walls. Rent a boom lift when you need to reach out or over something, such as a roof edge, a tree or a sloped yard.

Do I need to call 811 before digging with a rented machine?

Yes. 811 is free and gets buried public utility lines marked before you dig. Call at least a few business days ahead, as your state requires. Private lines you own are usually not marked, so ask about a private locator.

Guide

What size skid steer, mini excavator or lift do I need?

Rental machines come in classes: skid steers by how much they can carry, mini excavators by weight and dig depth, lifts by how high they reach. This guide shows how to match each one to your job and your site, what to ask the rental yard, and the safety rules that apply before you dig or go up.

By the equipmentfinder team. Updated October 6, 2026. General guidance only; check the rules where you live.

Start with the job, not the machine

Before you call a rental yard, work out what you are moving or digging, how much or how deep, and how the machine gets to the spot (gate width, slopes, soft lawn, overhead wires).

A starting point. The yard can match the exact model to your site.
Job	Machine to ask about	Size it by
Move dirt, gravel or mulch, grade a yard, carry pallets	Skid steer or compact track loader	Rated operating capacity
Dig a trench, footing, pond or stump hole	Mini excavator	Operating weight and dig depth
Work on a ceiling, wall or gutter straight above a flat floor	Scissor lift	Platform height and width
Reach up and over a roof, tree or obstacle	Boom lift (telescopic or articulating)	Working height and outreach

Bigger is not always better: a larger machine is harder to haul, to fit through a gate and to keep off the lawn. Pick the smallest one that does the job safely.

Skid steers and track loaders

A skid steer is sized by its rated operating capacity (ROC), the load it is rated to carry in the bucket or on the forks. Under the common industry standard (ISO 14397-1), a wheeled skid steer's ROC is half of its tipping load, and a compact track loader's ROC is 35% of its tipping load. Never go over it: an overloaded loader can tip forward.

Mini track loaders are often about 3 to 4 feet wide, small enough for many backyard gates, and typically carry several hundred pounds to about 1,000 pounds.
Small frame skid steers typically have an ROC under about 1,750 pounds, good for landscaping.
Medium frame machines, roughly 1,750 to 2,200 pounds ROC, are the common all-round rental.
Large frame machines carry more than about 2,200 pounds, for heavy grading.

A full pallet of pavers or bagged concrete can weigh over a ton, so check the delivery ticket before you lift one. Wheels are faster on pavement. Tracks spread the weight, so they do better on soft ground, mud and slopes. A standard bucket is usually included; forks, augers and grapples are often extra.

Mini excavators

Mini excavators are rented by operating weight; dig depth, reach and width grow with it. These are typical ranges from manufacturer spec sheets, so check the exact model.

Typical figures. Some small machines have tracks that narrow to fit through gates.
Class	Typical dig depth	Typical width	Good for
Under 2 tons	about 6 to 8 ft	about 3 to 4 ft	Irrigation, small trenches, stumps, tight backyards
3 to 4 tons	about 9 to 11 ft	about 5 ft	Footings, utility trenches, small ponds, demolition cleanup
5 to 6 tons	about 11 to 13 ft	about 6 ft	Basements, septic work, larger trenches
8 to 10 tons	about 14 to 16 ft	about 7 ft	Bigger site work; usually delivered

Pick a machine that digs deeper than you need, since it works best short of its maximum. Ask about a blade for backfilling, rubber tracks for pavement, and a narrow bucket for pipe or cable trenches. Towing it yourself? Compare the machine plus the trailer with your truck's towing rating. Many renters pay for delivery, especially from about 3 tons up.

Scissor lifts and boom lifts

Lifts are listed by platform height, how high the floor of the platform goes. Your working height is usually counted as the platform height plus about 6 feet, so a 19 ft scissor lift gives a working height of about 25 feet.

Scissor lifts go straight up and hold more people and material. Common electric models reach about 19, 26 or 32 feet. A narrow 19 ft model is often about 30 inches wide and fits through many standard doors. Electric models need a firm, level floor; rough terrain models suit outdoor sites.
Boom lifts reach up and out. A telescopic (straight) boom gives the most reach. An articulating boom bends up and over a roof edge, wall or tree. Towable booms suit homeowners and painters.

Measure the highest point you need to reach and how far it is from where the lift can park, and ask the yard for the spec sheet.

Homeowner tool rental

Most yards also rent smaller tools by the half day or day: augers, tillers, aerators, stump grinders, trenchers, plate compactors and mixers. Ask how a day is counted (some use 24 hours, and many cap the hours on a machine's hour meter), plan how you will lift it into your truck, ask for a short demo, and return it with a full tank and all its parts.

Safety, training and licenses

Call 811 before you dig. It is the free national number for having buried public utility lines marked. Call a few business days ahead; your state sets the exact notice time. Lines you own, such as to a shed or sprinklers, are usually not marked.

Trenches cave in. For workers, OSHA requires a protective system such as sloping, shoring or a trench box in trenches 5 feet deep or more (unless they are in stable rock), and a ladder or other way out in trenches 4 feet deep or more. Never step into a deep trench that is not protected.

Aerial lifts need training. OSHA requires employers to train workers who operate lifts, and treats scissor lifts as mobile scaffolds. In a boom lift, workers must be tied off to the boom or basket. Keep at least 10 feet from power lines up to 50,000 volts, and more for higher voltages.

Licenses: most yards do not ask for a special license to rent a compact machine for your own property, but they do ask for ID, a deposit or card hold, and insurance or a damage waiver.

Rental checklist

Measure access: gate and door width, slopes, and overhead wires and branches.
Know the load or depth: the heaviest thing you will lift, or the deepest hole you will dig.
Call 811 a few business days before any digging, and wait for the marks.
Compare rental periods. Ask for the daily, weekly and monthly rates, and how hours are counted.
Ask what is extra: delivery, fuel, attachments, damage waiver and cleaning.
Inspect at pickup and photograph any damage.

Day or week? The rental period calculator shows which rates to ask for.

Sources

OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.453, Aerial lifts
OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.454, Training requirements (scaffolds, including scissor lifts)
OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.651, Excavations: specific requirements (means of egress)
OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.652, Excavations: requirements for protective systems
811, the national call before you dig number (Common Ground Alliance)
ISO 14397-1, Earth-moving machinery: loaders, rated operating capacity
ANSI/SAIA A92.22 and A92.24, safe use of and training for mobile elevating work platforms
Typical manufacturer specifications for operating weight, dig depth, width and platform height