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18/06/2021

Housing boom foretells a demand in construction hire machinery

It is well known that the population is on a gradual increase, according to data gathered from the Worldometer the “average population increase is estimated at 81 million people per year.” That’s a lot of people, which of course, means a lot of houses! And with a lot of houses comes  an increased demand for construction machinery, because you can’t create  a house without the appropriate equipment. Here at Rockthorn, we know a thing or two about the plant hire industry, and we have certainly seen an increase in demand over the past year. 

Rise in population + rise in housing = demand for plant hire

We’re going to start with some facts and figures… but don’t worry we won’t trundle on!

The House of Commons Library Research states that “it has been clear for some time that housing supply is not keeping up with demand.” This is the case for a number of reasons, some of which include “improved life expectancy rates and a growing number of one-person households.” Life expectancy is growing, Statista reports that the average life expectancy of someone living in the UK in 2020 is an age of 81.15. Which might sound a little morbid but this has actually improved dramatically compared to the figures from 2000 which showed that the average age was 77.17. 

So what does this mean? Well first of all people are living for longer, that’s good to know! However, with this in mind more housing is required for the increase in population. This is where we come back to plant hire machinery, finally! It’s nearly impossible to build a house without the supplies to do so and we know these can be costly. A lot of companies deem it too expensive to buy all the tools required outright. Construction Magazine UK reported that “many companies choose to hire plant and tools rather than purchase the equipment.” So research shows it is becoming more mainstream to hire the equipment instead, and for the businesses that choose to supply this equipment, this has led to an increase in demand. It’s not only companies that can hire out equipment though. Anyone could hire machinery if they wanted to, a gardener wanting to prepare their land for planting, an average joe deciding to demolish his shed and start again. The plant hire business is there for everyone and can get very busy, with 20 years of experience trust us, we know. 

Although for some people buying is a viable option, hiring can include a wide range of benefits, such as the ability to choose the amount of time you wish to use the equipment for, let’s say for example you need to hire a crusher. Deciding how long you need it for and booking it out for that amount of time means that at the end of your project you’re not stuck with a crusher you won’t use again and it will likely be more cost effective. Here at Rockthorn we understand that finding the best price is paramount to the overall finish of your project. We will offer you the best possible price, crushing those budget worries away. 

Choosing the right equipment

Now that we know hiring comes with some benefits, we need to choose what we are hiring and what they can be used for. It is important to the overall efficiency and standard of your project to make sure that what you are hiring is the right choice, as equipment used for building a house will not necessarily be the correct fit for an archaeologist project for example. It can be hard to decide, but don’t worry that’s where we roll in!

At the end of the day, for as long as there are people on the earth, housing is going to be in demand and so are the tools needed to provide them. Wherever you are, up and down the country new builds are being furbished every day. Thinking of starting your own housing project? Or maybe you have something else in mind? Here at Rockthorn we offer a range of weapons of mass construction! We can supply plant hire equipment for whatever and wherever the project, be it housing or not.

We are here for you when you need us and one call, does it all. To discuss with an expert what equipment will best suit the project you are working on, have a chat with us on 0330 118 5030 or browse our website to get a quote and explore our full range of plant hire supplies. From us to you, we have your plant hire covered.