Whether you're a homeowner giving the garden a makeover, wanting to remove a tree stump or hedge, or a builder looking to clear a site and pull the footings so you can start work, we can help. We work either alongside you or independently to get the job done efficiently, safely and cost effectively.

1. Call us for a chat on 07765 776454 or 01730 815174. Or email info@southern-diggers.co.uk
2. Describe your job. Footings? Simple- just tell us what width trench the plans specify. Tree roots to remove? No problem, we'll bring a root ripper.
3. Show us where to dig and relax as our skilled operators take care of it.
4. (Optional!) Muck in and help with a barrow or mini dumper to get the job done faster.

• Micro and mini diggers from 1.2 tonnes to 2.8 tonnes
• Time served knowledgeable operators who take old school pride in their work… with with modern machinery and precision survey equipment for an accurate finish.
• A huge range of buckets and attachments to save you time and money- the right tool for every job.
• Extra machines such as wacker plates and mini dumpers available for self drive hire to get your job done faster.

We dig trenches and foundations in all types of soil. Whether you have sand, clay, chalk, even rock, we have a bucket to suit the job, and can arrange the disposal of the soil too.

It's easier with a machine! We can break out concrete slabs and walls with a hydraulic breaker or ripper tooth. A grab on the excavator makes picking up and loading the concrete into the dumper easier too.

With a digger on site, you'll hardly need to touch a shovel! We'll dig the area out, and move it to roadside for a grab lorry. We'll bring in the stone or concrete for the base and level it out. We can even compact the stone with a wacker plate at the same time. For heavy paving slabs or kerb stones a lifting clamp on the machine makes laying a patio or edge much easier and safer with no manual lifting.

If you want that stump out- as in out out, not just ground down just below the surface, then our ripper tooth will make short work of it. Even our micro digger which will fit though a garden gate will save hours of manual labour when it comes to digging out tree and hedge stumps. Bamboo is notoriously hard to dig out, but even mature bamboo will soon submit to a digger.

Whether its knocking in fence posts and strainers for a field or paddock fence or drilling holes through rock chalk for a garden fence, a mini digger makes life easy. We use hydraulic post drivers and hydraulic augers up to 12" in diameter to take the effort out of digging the hole. And for installing gates, a digger is perfect for lifting and siting heavy gateposts too.

We can dig a planting trench, then bring the compost in with a dumper. We can drill out single planting holes up to 12", or dig larger planting pits. We can even transplant small trees. For native species hedging, we have attachments to pull pairs of slot trenches or dib individual holes, taking the effort out of planting hundreds of whips.

To discuss your job, call 07765 776454 or 01730 815174

Unfortunately we do not. All our machines are for hire with experienced operator only. However, that doesn't mean you'll be paying over the odds! We are always happy to work with customers to get the job done. So let the driver do what he does best, and save yourself time and money by driving the dumper (or wheelbarrow…) and getting any awkward bits chipped out with the spade.

And if the job's all going to plan, you're on schedule and you really, really want a go… just ask!

Good question! Our smallest machine, the 1.2t Bobcat E10 needs just 720mm width. The larger Hyundai R17-9A needs 990mm. On both machines the rollover protective structure can be removed, so height is not an issue. The largest machine, the Bobcat E27 needs at least 1550mm to squeeze through, and unless the job is particularly large, is often too big to be practical on garden work.

Generally speaking, if the soil can be retained upon site and used in other ways, then this is the cheapest option. Be aware that the soil will need to be of a good quality, friable nature to be levelled out on site. Sandy soils are fine for this, clay subsoils are not so good.

If the soil is to be removed, then we generally don't recommend that you use a skip. The reasons for this are twofold. For one thing, they are harder to load, requiring ramps or a high tip dumper. Primarily, however, they are poor value compared to a grab lorry, as the skip company has to factor in expensive landfill tax into the cost. A grab lorry removes only inert waste- soil, stones and concrete. This attracts a much lower rate of tax, and most of it can be recycled. So when you call us to provide a digger and driver and you want to get the waste removed, we suggest you give a grab company a call at the same time.

It is relatively simple to calculate the volume of soil to be dug out. Simply multiply the width by the height by the depth of the excavation to get the 'in ground' volume.

Example- a trench for extension footings 0.6m wide, 0.6m deep and 20m in length.

0.6x0.6x20 = 7.2m3.

This figure is then multiplied by what's known as a bulking factor to account for the swelling of the material once broken out from its compacted state in the ground. A typical bulking factor for a garden digout would be 30%, or 1.3

7.2x1.3 = 9.36m3

So we can see that the example excavation will yield approximately 9.36 cubic metres of earth. A grab lorry will typically hold 12 cubic metres.

On paper, the cheapest way to move a small volume of earth is a wheelbarrow. However, it's hard work and can also leave the digger driver waiting- which then means it's not so cheap! For larger jobs, we can provide a tracked or wheeled dumper at extra cost. However, for your average one day dig, the most cost effective thing to use is our 4WD petrol powered barrow. Carrying a massive 365kg at a time (approx 3-4 normal barrows), it's available for a small extra charge of £25 and will take all the labour out of moving the soil. You can even use it to bring aggregate back in to the job, and it can come with a flatbed attachment for carrying slabs, bricks and concrete too.

Call us now on 07765 776454 or 01730 815174 and take the sweat out of your job