Cement mixer hire or buy?

[CalvinHobbes]

So we have 2 houses to put up and the best rental price is 45 pw.

Guessing we will need it for a minimum of 14 weeks. Tempted to buy one and sell it at the end. Whatcha think? 

[nod]

The first time round we hired 

This time we bought an old lister petter for £280 and it hasn’t mixed a beat 

[PeterW]

Buy … have a look on FarceBook marketplace and get a used Belle Minimix - even if the drum is shot a new drum isn’t too expensive and you will sell it for what you paid for it. Just remember to clean it every day and once every couple of weeks run it with a litre of brick acid and a couple of litres of water to clean up any stubborn bits.

[Marvin]

Still have my Belle mixer from 1987. Replaced the gearbox. Had the paddles in the drum rewelded. Would recommend not leaving out in the rain if you want it to last. Used for supplying concrete/mortar from manholes to foundations to brickwork to patio to paths from the start of a job to near to the finish. No off hire in bad weather, no delivery / collection charge, no being charged when a gap in the work. If you can transport it and store it then in my experience its a no brainer.  

[ProDave]

16 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Would recommend not leaving out in the rain if you want it to last.

Today's top tip.

 

The average "1 ton builders bag" that you often get full of gravel, sand etc, nicely fits over the top of the average small cement mixer to keep the worst of the weather off it.

[Gone West]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Today's top tip.

+1

Exactly what we did with our Belle Minimix.

[andyscotland]

29 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Today's top tip.

 

The average "1 ton builders bag" that you often get full of gravel, sand etc, nicely fits over the top of the average small cement mixer to keep the worst of the weather off it.

 

Mine (which I got off eBay with a failed power switch & refurbished) has been outside under a bulk bag for 4 years now and is still going strong.

[saveasteading]

After the estimated 14 weeks stretches to 20, there will be other occasions when you will use yours because it is there.

We bought a smallish new one. None second hand when wd wanted of course. Its biggest job was 3m3 of concrete which was a lot of refills, but worked out fine. 

139 litres, £280 but shop around.

 

 

[Iceverge]

Be careful if anyone else uses it that they wash it too. 

 

I had a ladder and a wheelbarrow that weren't so lucky. 

[Conor]

How many squads of brickies will you have on site at the one time? Might be worth getting a tub of ready-mix each day. Otherwise, worth having at least a small one anyway. My £200 mini belle is still going strong nearly 10 years on, despite a gearbox oil leak.

[Radian]

Buying a new 136L Belle  minimix is pricey though. I can vouch for the almost identical looking £284 136L mixer from Screwfix. Only the power switch has failed since I got it 4 years ago, but these seem to go quite regularly anyway. The switch on my previous mixer went as well as the one on the Belle minimix that my builder brought round when building our extensions. Easily fixed by a common replacement switch available on Amazon.

[Carrerahill]

10 hours ago, CalvinHobbes said:

So we have 2 houses to put up and the best rental price is 45 pw.

Guessing we will need it for a minimum of 14 weeks. Tempted to buy one and sell it at the end. Whatcha think? 

Buy it. You will also need it for all the other things you forgot about or haven't even thought about yet. 

 

I got mine 7-8 years ago and it has mixed so much, concrete, mortar and render that I just couldn't imagine life without one sitting there at the ready. 

 

I need to pour 2 small founds for some block columns at the weekend, an easy mornings work to dig, mix and place concrete with the mixer about. 

[Carrerahill]

2 hours ago, ProDave said:

Today's top tip.

 

The average "1 ton builders bag" that you often get full of gravel, sand etc, nicely fits over the top of the average small cement mixer to keep the worst of the weather off it.

It does indeed! Also appears to be storm proof its such a good snug fit. But you need to know to slide it over the handle side first then down over the drum. 

[saveasteading]

10 hours ago, CalvinHobbes said:

Whatcha think? 

On reflection I think it depends. Bricklayers should bring their own and will want a biggish one. 

Then they will look after it a bit, which involves washing it down and occasionaly throwing a brick in or hitting it with a shovel when not cleaned properly at 3pm friday.

 

One labourer can then serve 2 layers.

If you hire it for them it will be your problem if it breaks down, and your cost to clean prpoperly at end of hire.....because they  won't.

You will also be paying for it when they don't show up.

 

They will not tolerate a small one.

They will want paying for lost time if your machine stops working.

 

If diy, which seems unlikely (?), then the smaller ones allow 1 serving 1. Or small batches of mixing and laying which provides variety and reduces RSI.

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, saveasteading said:

On reflection I think it depends. Bricklayers should bring their own and will want a biggish one. 

 

Yes I did all my own bricklaying, drainage, landscaping and so on, but each property has been a renovation with or without extension. 

[CalvinHobbes]

We are paying the builder by the block and he won't supply the cement mixer. We hired a diesel one for a few weeks to get underneath done but really, it's dead money. Hoping to have our old generator working soon but thinking we do need a bigger one.

Edited May 11, 2023 by CalvinHobbes

[CalvinHobbes]

what about this? more £ than I intended £900 and its a lister https://www.gumtree.com/p/plant-tractors/diesel-cement-mixer-/1455939145

he says he has just finished his own self build. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by CalvinHobbes

[CalvinHobbes]

or this? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/495040812706624/

 

[saveasteading]

Better ask the bricky. He seems to be in control and you wouldn't want him unhappy with your mixer.

I think you need an agreement on how long he will take.

Then you will have a known time for your hire or buy formula.

Then does the £45/ week come off his pay?

[nod]

Thing is 

your Brickies will look after them

[Pocster]

Buy 

 

shag it 

 

sell on

 

👍

[Pocster]

5 minutes ago, pocster said:

Buy 

 

shag it 

 

sell on

 

👍

The mixer I meant !!!! 😎

[TonyT]

Brand new from Screwfix for under 300, use and sell on

[PeterW]

8 hours ago, CalvinHobbes said:

what about this? more £ than I intended £900 and its a lister https://www.gumtree.com/p/plant-tractors/diesel-cement-mixer-/1455939145

he says he has just finished his own self build. 

 

Typo in the ad..? Should be £90….

Can pick them up for half that 

 

[dpmiller]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

 

Typo in the ad..? Should be £90….

Can pick them up for half that 

 

Not so many of them, this wee side of the Pond