Small Business Brief

Construction

10 Different Types of Construction Equipment for Your Business


The construction industry is going strong. Just look around and you’ll notice new buildings, roads, and other types of structures going up everywhere are you.

The economy is booming, which means there’s never been a better time to be in on the action. Whether you’re starting a new business or have been around for years, there are certain types of equipment that you’ll need in order to get big jobs done right.

This article takes a look at types of construction equipment that are vital to moving heavy materials from one location to another. Keep reading to see a list of heavy equipment that you’ll need for your business to be successful.

1. Backhoes

The backhoe is one of the most widely used pieces of equipment used in construction. It’s big and heavy, and able to dig into dirt, gravel, or any other material that you need scooped away.

This is an especially important tool in digging foundations or leveling out earth so that the rest of the project can be built on level ground. It is also commonly used to unload materials from trucks as deliveries are made to worksites. 

2. Bulldozers

Here is another of the most common types of machinery found on a worksite. In fact, bulldozers do more work than any other tool in the construction business.

This is a heavy-duty piece of machinery that can tackle just about any size task. The work is done by using the sharp-edged metal plate mounted at the front to push heavy materials around and is the best tool available for creating level ground where a foundation will be poured.

A bulldozer can be used to spread soil around, remove rock strata from a worksite, or clear away the top layer of dirt in order to make way from other types of heavy equipment to perform various other construction tasks.

3. Vacuum Excavation Trucks

Vacuum excavation trucks are incredibly useful on a construction site for avoiding the disruption of underground utilities. They are non-mechanical and non-destructive, enabling you to perform precise excavations while also protecting the people on your team as well as the members of the surrounding community.

Various utilities such as powerlines and waterlines are often buried in areas where construction is scheduled to take place. Vacuum excavation trucks enable you to remove dirt from around or near these common utilities without having to worry about making contact with the underground lines.

This obviously helps to reduce stress while saving time and money, as well as potentially impacting nearby homes or businesses.

4. Trenchers

Trenchers are earth-moving equipment used to excavate trenches in the soil of a worksite. You can typically find this type of machinery on jobs where cabling or pipe needs to be laid for drainage purposes.

These machines feature a long fixed arm with a digging chain. They are able to move soil quickly and efficiently, helping to make easy work out of otherwise very time-consuming and laborious tasks.

5. Dump Trucks

When it comes to operating a construction company, it would be nearly impossible to work efficiently or complete jobs on schedule without the use of dump trucks.

These are large heavy-duty vehicles that are designed to transport large quantities of materials such as dirt or gravel to a job site and then dump the contents in the desired location. Obviously, the bigger the job, the bigger the size of dump truck that will be needed to deliver the necessary quantity of material.

Dump trucks feature heavy-duty tires that make off-road driving easy without having to worry about muddy conditions where traction is limited.

6. Tower Cranes

Anyone who lives in an urban environment will quickly recognize the sight of a tower crane standing among the city landscape. This huge piece of equipment is ideal for lifting extremely heavy and awkward materials such as iron beams or trusses into upper portions of a construction site.

A tower crane consists of a vertical support tower, jib or operating arm, a counter jib, and an operator cabin.

It would be virtually impossible to complete construction on massive highrise buildings such as apartment complexes or office towers without the use of tower cranes.

7. Loaders

Loaders are pieces of heavy construction equipment that feature a front-loading bucket that make it easy to unload materials from a truck for delivery to other areas of the worksite.

A loader can be wheeled or tracked, depending on the type of worksite. 

8. Excavators 

This is one of the most widely used machines in the construction industry. An excavator can be used for general excavations, heavy lifting, demolition jobs, or even for the cutting of trees.

This type of machine features a long arm with a digging bucket on the end, as well as a cabin where the operator sits while performing the task.

9. Graders

Graders are used in construction for smoothing out layers of dirt or gravel that have already been dumped on the ground. They are most commonly used in the building of roads and parking lots.  

10. Pavers

As with graders, pavers are most commonly used in jobs that involve road or parking lot construction. These machines create a smooth surface using asphalt provided by a dump truck that drives slowly ahead of the paver.

The Most Common Types of Construction Equipment Found on Major Worksites

There are many types of construction equipment needed to be successful in the construction industry. Fortunately, this list is a useful tool that will help you find everything you need to get started.

Keep scrolling to discover more useful small business tips and advice.



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