Plate compactor and roller hire prices
Last updated
Roller and compactor hire rates for 2026
All prices exclude VAT. Plates, rammers and the grid roller are machine only; rollers include an experienced operator. Transport is its own line. Prices updated: November 2026
| Size | Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Small roller (1.5–3 t) | Per day, with operator | R1,050–R1,800 |
| 10–12 t roller | Per day, with operator | R2,150–R5,600 |
| 10–12 t roller | Per hour, dry (operator included, you pay the diesel) | R260–R620 |
| 15–18 t roller | Per day, with operator | R2,600–R2,850 |
| Plate compactor (forward only) | Per day, machine only | R270–R370 |
| Reversible plate compactor | Per day, machine only | R400–R630 |
| Rammer (trench compactor) | Per day, machine only | R350–R470 |
| Tow-behind grid roller | Per day, machine only | about R1,800 * |
* Few price points for this one, so treat it as a guide; the exact price comes back on WhatsApp.
Get your compactor price on WhatsAppPlate compactor hire price
| Machine | Weight | Best for | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plate compactor, forward only | about 92 kg | Paving, patios, sand and fine gravel | R270–R370 |
| Reversible plate compactor | about 482 kg | Driveway and slab bases, thicker gravel layers | R400–R630 |
| Rammer (trench compactor) | about 72 kg | Trenches, backfill, clay | R350–R470 |
These small compactors are among the lowest-cost machines we hire, so delivery is a big part of a one-day bill: in a main centre it's usually R1,300–R3,840 there and back. Booking several days, or a plate and a rammer together on one delivery, spreads that cost.
Worked example: a plate compactor for 2 days in Soweto
| Example quote (for illustration only) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plate compactor (forward only), 2 days at R270–R370 a day machine only | R540–R740 |
| Transport both ways to Soweto | R1,300–R3,840 |
| Example total, excl. VAT | R1,840–R4,580 |
Soweto is about 18 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. A typical job: compacting the base and bedding sand for a paved driveway, then bedding the blocks in on day two.
Roller hire price
| Roller | Operating weight | Per day with operator | Per hour dry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small roller, 1.5–3 t (walk-behind or ride-on) | about 2.7 t | R1,050–R1,800 | on WhatsApp |
| 10–12 t roller, smooth drum or padfoot (BOMAG BW 213 or similar) | 12.5–13.8 t | R2,150–R5,600 | R260–R620 |
| 15–18 t roller | 15–18 t | R2,600–R2,850 | on WhatsApp |
| Tow-behind grid roller (machine only) | varies | about R1,800 | on WhatsApp |
“Dry” means the operator is included and you pay the diesel. A smooth drum roller and a padfoot of the same size are priced in the same range; say which you need, or the material, and we send the right drum.
Worked example: a 10–12 t roller for 5 days near Potchefstroom
| Example quote (for illustration only) | Amount |
|---|---|
| 10–12 t roller, 5 days at R2,150–R5,600 a day with operator | R10,750–R28,000 |
| Transport both ways to Potchefstroom | R7,740–R9,500 |
| Example total, excl. VAT | R18,490–R37,500 |
Potchefstroom is about 90 km from Vereeniging by road, so the lowbed is worked out from the road distance. A typical job: compacting the subbase and base layers of a farm or estate road behind a grader and water truck.
What changes the price of compactor and roller hire
- Machine size. A forward plate costs least per day, but on thick gravel layers a reversible plate, with about four times the force, finishes in fewer passes. On a big area, a 10–12 t roller costs more per day but replaces days of plate work.
- Operator or machine only. Rollers come with an operator; plates and rammers are machine only, and your team runs them.
- Transport. Plates, rammers, small rollers and grid rollers go on a truck or trailer; 10 t and bigger rollers need a lowbed, usually R6,000–R9,500 there and back in a main centre, and R43–R52 a km each way out of town.
- Days and minimums. Rollers are booked by the day, often an 8–9 hour working day. Monthly rates on road and mine contracts are usually based on about 200 machine hours.
- Wet or dry. Dry hire leaves the diesel to you; wet hire includes it and is priced per job.
- Standing time. If the roller is ready but can't work for a reason on your side (no water truck, layer not spread, material not delivered), those hours are standing time at the rate on your quote. If it breaks down, we send a replacement or there's no charge for the downtime.
- Material. Thick rock fill and dam walls need a 15–18 t roller or a padfoot; using too small a machine costs more in extra passes and failed density tests.
Hire vs buy a compactor
For a builder or paver who compacts most weeks, buying a forward plate can make sense. For everyone else, hiring wins, because a bought machine also brings servicing, base plate and rubber mount wear, a bakkie or trailer to move it, storage and security.
Rollers are a different scale: a 12 t roller needs a lowbed every time it moves and a trained operator every day it works, so contractors without steady road or earthworks jobs for most of the year hire them by the job or by the month.
Specs and which compactor to use for each layer: roller and compactor hire. Prices for every other machine: plant hire rates. How booking works: how it works.
WhatsApp us for your compactor priceQuestions people ask
How much to hire a compactor?
A forward plate compactor costs R270–R370 a day machine only and a reversible plate R400–R630 a day machine only. A rammer for trenches costs R350–R470 a day machine only. Rollers include an operator: R1,050–R1,800 a day with operator for a 1.5–3 t, R2,150–R5,600 a day with operator for a 10–12 t. Transport is extra and shown as its own line.
How much does a roller compactor weigh?
A small tandem roller (BOMAG BW 120 AD-5 or similar) weighs about 2.7 t. A 12 t single drum smooth roller (BOMAG BW 213 D-5 or similar) weighs 12,510 kg, and the padfoot version 13,830 kg. For comparison, a forward plate compactor weighs about 92 kg, a reversible plate about 482 kg and a rammer about 72 kg.
How much does a plate compactor cost?
To hire, a forward plate compactor costs R270–R370 a day machine only, plus delivery. Buying one only pays if you compact most weeks, because you also cover servicing, the rubber mounts and base plate wear, transport and storage. For a paving job or a driveway, hiring for the days you need is cheaper.
Is a roller better than a wacker plate?
For big areas, yes. A 10–12 t roller has a 2.13 m drum and up to 285 kN of vibrating force against a plate's 500 mm and 15 kN, so it compacts much thicker layers far faster on roads, building platforms and large fills. A wacker plate (plate compactor) is better for paving, small driveways, patios and tight spots a roller can't reach. For trenches and clay, use a rammer.
How much is a walk behind roller to hire?
A small 1.5–3 t roller, walk-behind or ride-on, costs R1,050–R1,800 a day with operator. It comes on a trailer, and transport is its own line on the quote.
What does a road roller cost per hour?
A 10–12 t roller costs R260–R620 an hour dry (operator included, you pay the diesel), with most bookings on a full-day minimum because of the lowbed. By the day it's R2,150–R5,600 a day with operator.
Related
Sources we checked
- Wacker Neuson VP1550AW vibratory plate technical data (Wacker Neuson)
- Wacker Neuson DPU6555Heh reversible plate technical data (Wacker Neuson)
- Wacker Neuson BS60-4As rammer technical data (Wacker Neuson)
- BOMAG BW 213 D-5, DH-5 and PDH-5 single drum roller technical data sheet (BOMAG)
- BOMAG BW 120 AD-5 tandem roller specifications (BOMAG)
Need a roller?
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