Loader
hire rates.
Indicative hire rates per hour for front end loaders from 0.6 to 3.5 m³ buckets — with what each bucket actually moves per pass.
Front end loader hire rates in Australia
Loaders are priced by bucket capacity in cubic metres. As a working conversion, one cubic metre of loose civil material weighs roughly 1.5–1.8 tonne, so a 2.0 m³ bucket moves around 3–3.5 tonne per pass. Loaders earn their keep on loadout, stockpile management and backfill feed — benchmarks below from the same data behind our machine hire rate calculator.
Indicative hire rates
| Size | Dry hire | Wet hire* | Wet day (8 hr)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 m³ | $7/hr | $85–$100/hr | $690–$810 |
| 1.3 m³ | $13/hr | $105–$120/hr | $840–$960 |
| 1.6 m³ | $17/hr | $115–$130/hr | $910–$1,030 |
| 2.0 m³ | $21/hr | $130–$145/hr | $1,030–$1,150 |
| 2.5 m³ | $27/hr | $140–$155/hr | $1,140–$1,260 |
| 3.0 m³ | $34/hr | $160–$175/hr | $1,290–$1,410 |
| 3.5 m³ | $41/hr | $175–$190/hr | $1,420–$1,540 |
Bucket capacity is heaped m³; loose material runs roughly 1.5–1.8 t/m³. Wet hire shown at $2.00/L diesel and a typical operator rate band for the machine — put your own fuel price and operator rate into the machine hire calculator for an exact figure. Indicative benchmarks, ex GST, guide only.
Choosing the bucket
0.6–1.3 m³ loaders suit tight sites, small stockpiles and feeding a single crew. 1.6–2.5 m³ is the general civil band — loading tippers, shifting bedding and base around a subdivision. 3.0–3.5 m³ is production loadout: filling a 10–12 tonne tipper in three to four passes so the truck, not the loader, sets the pace.
On truck loading, match the loader to the fleet — an undersized bucket makes every truck queue. For digging below grade or loading from a trench, an excavator beats a loader; the loader wins on flat stockpile work where its travel speed and bucket fill do the work.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a front end loader cost to hire?
Indicatively, small 0.6–1.3 m³ loaders run about $85–$120/hr wet hire, the 1.6–2.5 m³ general class $115–$155/hr, and 3.0–3.5 m³ production machines $160–$190/hr — roughly $690 to $1,540 for an 8 hour day.
How many tonnes does a 2 m³ loader move per pass?
Around 3–3.5 tonne of typical loose civil material (at 1.5–1.8 t/m³). That fills a 10 tonne tipper in about three passes — a useful check when you're balancing loader and truck numbers in a cartage build-up.
Is loader hire wet or dry?
Both. Loaders are commonly dry hired on longer engagements where your own operators run them between tasks; wet hire suits short production loadout campaigns where the supplier carries the productivity.
Loader or excavator to load trucks?
From a flat stockpile, the loader — faster cycles and better bucket fill. From a trench, a cut, or below grade, the excavator. On many jobs the excavator digs to a stockpile and the loader runs the loadout, which keeps both machines on their best work.
More rate guides: excavators, tipper trucks, dump trucks, water carts, rollers, graders, dozers, scrapers, asphalt pavers, asphalt profilers, backhoes & skid steers. Or price any of 93 machines in the machine hire rate calculator.
Pricing the whole job?
Machine rates are one line in a real estimate. For water, sewer or stormwater work priced end to end, send the drawings. Acknowledged within two hours during AEST business.