Wet hire
Wet hire means plant hired with a qualified operator. Dry hire means you supply the operator. Key difference for excavation and crane work on residential sites.
Ask Chalkline about this →Wet hire is the engagement of a machine (excavator, crane, concrete pump, compactor) together with a qualified operator supplied by the hire company or contractor. The operator is responsible to their employer for safe plant operation, and the PCBU engaging the hire must still verify the operator’s competency. Wet hire is contrasted with dry hire, where the machine is supplied without an operator and the engaging party provides or sources their own.
On residential sites, most excavation, crane lifts, and concrete pumping is procured as wet hire because the engaging party (typically the builder) does not employ plant operators directly. Pricing is per hour or per day with a minimum. The hire rate usually excludes delivery to and from site and tip runs unless explicitly included in the quote.
Also known as: operated hire, hire with operator.
Category: Commercial / plant hire.
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Last updated: 2026-05-08. Verified: 2026-05-08. Quarterly review for currency.