TLB hire price
Last updated
TLB hire prices for 2026
Every TLB price on our guide, excluding VAT. Transport both ways is quoted as its own line. Prices updated: November 2026.
| Size | Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t) | Per day, with operator | R3,900–R5,150 |
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t) | Per hour, dry (operator included, you pay the diesel) | R320–R410 * |
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t) | Per hour, wet (operator and diesel included) | R580–R720 * |
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t) | Per hour, with operator | R320–R580 |
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t) | Per 200-hour month, dry (operator included, you pay the diesel) | about R68,000 * |
| TLB with hydraulic breaker | Per day, with operator | R5,000–R6,550 |
* Few price points for this one, so treat it as a guide; the exact price comes back on WhatsApp.
“With operator” means the operator is in the price and the diesel basis is confirmed in writing on your quote. “Machine only” is for companies that employ their own certified operator. For what a TLB is and what it can dig, see TLB hire.
Get my TLB price on WhatsAppHow much is a TLB per hour?
A standard 4x4 TLB is R320–R410 an hour dry. That's the number most people mean by the TLB hourly rate: operator included, diesel paid by you.
| Basis | What's included | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | Machine and operator; you pay the diesel | R320–R410 |
| Wet | Machine, operator and diesel | R580–R720 |
| With operator, diesel basis on your quote | Machine and operator | R320–R580 |
- Minimum hours: hourly hire normally has a minimum, often the full 8 to 9 hour day. A two-hour job usually costs the same as a short day, so plan a few small jobs for the same visit.
- How hours are counted: on hourly and monthly hire, working hours are normally read off the machine's hour meter.
- Extra hours: work past the agreed shift is charged at the hourly rate on your quote.
TLB hire per day, per week and per month
A TLB day is an 8 to 9 hour shift at R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator. Here's what longer hires add up to on our price guide, before transport and VAT:
| Hire period | Standard 4x4 TLB | TLB with breaker |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day (8–9 hours) | R3,900–R5,150 | R5,000–R6,550 |
| 2 days | R7,800–R10,300 | R10,000–R13,100 |
| 3 days | R11,700–R15,450 | R15,000–R19,650 |
| 5-day week | R19,500–R25,750 | R25,000–R32,750 |
| 10 working days | R39,000–R51,500 | R50,000–R65,500 |
| Month of about 200 machine hours, dry | about R68,000 | on WhatsApp |
Monthly hire is much better value for steady work. Twenty-two working days at the day rate would be R85,800–R113,300. The monthly rate of about R68,000 dry covers about 200 machine hours, roughly 22 days of 9 hours, and you pay the diesel. If the TLB will work most days for a month or more, ask for the monthly rate.
What changes the price of TLB hire
- Size and attachments. A standard 4x4 TLB is R3,900–R5,150 a day; with a hydraulic breaker it's R5,000–R6,550. Compact and long-dipper TLBs are priced per job on WhatsApp.
- Hours and minimums. Full days cost less per hour than short bookings with a minimum charge.
- Wet or dry. Dry (R320–R410 an hour) leaves the diesel to you; wet (about R580 an hour) includes it. See wet vs dry hire.
- Standing time. If the TLB is on site but can't work because of something on the site's side, such as no access, services not marked or no tipper to load, that time is charged as set out on your quote.
- Transport. A TLB drives to site, so inside our main centres travel is small and confirmed with your price. Out of town it's charged per kilometre both ways. See the table below.
- Ground. Rock, hard clay and old concrete slow the digging and may need the breaker TLB for part of the job. Tell us what's under the surface if you know.
- Monthly or daily. A month of about 200 hours is about R68,000 dry, well below the same days paid one at a time.
| Site | Road distance | TLB transport both ways |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban or Cape Town | in town | confirmed on WhatsApp |
| Krugersdorp | 34 km from Johannesburg | R2,920–R3,540 |
| Hartbeespoort | 39 km from Pretoria | R3,360–R4,060 |
| Stellenbosch | 52 km from Cape Town | R4,480–R5,400 |
| Mokopane | 62 km from Polokwane | R5,340–R6,440 |
| Bela-Bela | 112 km from Pretoria | R9,640–R11,640 |
Worked examples: what a TLB job costs
These examples use our price guide to show how a quote is built. Your own price is confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before the machine moves.
Three days of trenching in Kempton Park
A water and sewer trench along a new house in Kempton Park, three full days, standard TLB with operator:
| Example quote (for illustration only) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standard 4x4 TLB (about 8 t), 3 days at R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator | R11,700–R15,450 |
| Transport to Kempton Park | confirmed on WhatsApp |
Kempton Park is inside our normal Gauteng delivery area and the TLB drives there, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with the price.
Two days breaking out an old slab in Hartbeespoort
An old concrete slab and foundations to break out and load before a rebuild, two days with the breaker TLB:
| Example quote (for illustration only) | Amount |
|---|---|
| TLB with hydraulic breaker, 2 days at R5,000–R6,550 a day with operator | R10,000–R13,100 |
| Transport both ways to Hartbeespoort | R3,360–R4,060 |
| Example total, excl. VAT | R13,360–R17,160 |
If the rubble has to leave site, add a tipper: a 10 cube tipper with its driver is R3,700–R5,250 a day.
A month on a farm near Bela-Bela
Farm roads, contour banks and a run of trenches, one TLB for a month of about 200 machine hours, dry: the hire is about R68,000, plus transport both ways of R9,640–R11,640 (Bela-Bela is 112 km from Pretoria by road), plus the diesel and VAT. The same 22 days paid at the day rate would be R85,800–R113,300.
Hire or buy a TLB?
The deciding number is how many days a year the TLB would actually work for you. Hire costs money only on the days you use it. Owning costs money every month, whether the machine works or stands.
What owning a TLB costs you
- The purchase or finance repayments, every month.
- Insurance, and secure parking when it's not working.
- Services, tyres, hoses, bucket teeth and repairs.
- An operator: wages, plus the training, proof of competency, written authorisation and medical certificate of fitness the Construction Regulations require.
- Transport to each job, and the months it stands between jobs.
What hiring a TLB costs you
- R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator for the days you need, operator included.
- Transport as its own line.
- Diesel on dry hire.
- Nothing for breakdowns: a replacement machine, or no charge for downtime.
- Nothing between jobs.
A quick test: 40 days of TLB hire in a year is R156,000–R206,000, with the operator, services and breakdown risk included. Compare that with a year of repayments, insurance, servicing and an operator's wage. As a wage reference, the Western Cape building industry agreement sets the minimum for plant operators with a Code C1 licence at about R77 an hour from 1 November 2026, roughly R13,400 a month on a 40-hour week. For most builders, farmers and developers who need a TLB for weeks rather than every day of the year, hiring works out cheaper. If you'd keep a TLB busy every working day for months, ask about the monthly rate first.
How to keep your TLB hire cost down
- Book full days and plan the work so the TLB never waits. The lowest day price on our guide is R3,900; a well-planned site gets more done in each of those days.
- Have the site ready before the machine arrives: services located and marked, pegs in, gate open, cars moved. That avoids standing time.
- Book the tipper with the TLB. A TLB's loader bucket holds about 1 m³, so it fills a 10 cube tipper in about ten buckets. A TLB waiting for trucks is money standing still.
- Use dry hire on long jobs and the monthly rate if the machine will work most days.
- Only book the breaker for the days you need it. Break the hard section first, then dig with the standard TLB.
- Pick the right machine. A TLB that drives to site saves the lowbed an excavator needs. For a narrow gap, a mini excavator or bobcat may do the job faster.
Prices for other machines people hire with a TLB
| Machine | Price |
|---|---|
| 10 cube tipper truck | R3,700–R5,250 a day with operator |
| Excavator, 20–25 t | R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator |
| Mini excavator, 1.5–6 t | R1,700–R3,000 a day with operator |
| Bobcat (skid steer) | R2,400–R3,700 a day with operator |
| Grader, any size | R490–R610 an hour with operator |
| Roller, 10–12 t | R2,150–R5,600 a day with operator |
| Crane truck, 8–10 t | R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator |
Every machine and size is on plant hire rates.
TLB hire prices near you
Our TLB hire price is the same guide everywhere in South Africa; what changes from town to town is the transport line. Local ground, jobs and transport are on our town pages: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town, Gqeberha, East London, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg and Hartbeespoort.
Use the price tool at the top of this page with your town for an estimate including transport, then send it to us on WhatsApp for your written price.
WhatsApp my TLB job for a priceQuestions people ask
How much is a TLB for hire?
R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator for a standard 4x4 TLB with an experienced operator, R320–R410 an hour dry, or R5,000–R6,550 a day with operator with a hydraulic breaker. Prices exclude VAT and transport is shown as its own line.
How much does it cost to hire a JCB?
A JCB in everyday South African speech is a TLB. A JCB 3CX or similar with an operator costs R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator, or R320–R410 an hour dry. A five-day week is R19,500–R25,750 before transport and VAT.
How much to rent a TLB per hour?
R320–R410 an hour dry (operator included, you pay the diesel) or about R580 an hour wet (diesel included). Hourly hire normally has a minimum, often the full 8 to 9 hour day, so for most jobs the day rate of R3,900–R5,150 is the number to plan with.
How much does a TLB cost in SA?
To hire: R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator, or about R68,000 dry for a month of about 200 machine hours. If you're thinking of buying, read hire or buy above: the deciding number is how many days a year the machine would actually work.
Where can I find TLBs for hire in Johannesburg?
We send TLBs with operators across Johannesburg, from Soweto and Randburg to Midrand and the East Rand. Johannesburg is one of our main centres, so the TLB drives to site and travel is small. See TLB hire in Johannesburg.
How much does a grader cost per hour?
A grader with an operator is R490–R610 an hour with operator, or R4,500–R6,000 a day with operator for a 140-class grader. Graders come to site on a lowbed, which is quoted as its own line. See grader hire.
What are the hire rates for a 21-ton excavator?
A 21 ton excavator falls in our 20–25 t class: R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator, or R340–R690 an hour with an operator. It travels on a lowbed, quoted separately. See excavator hire rates.
How much to hire a crane truck per day?
An 8–10 t crane truck with an operator is R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator, and a 12–15 t crane truck is R3,200–R5,200 a day with operator. See crane truck hire.
How much is a TLB licence or a TLB certificate?
Those are operator training costs, and each accredited training provider sets its own fee. When you hire a TLB from us you don't need either: the machine comes with a certified operator. For driving on a public road, a Code B driving licence covers a TLB under regulation 99 of the National Road Traffic Regulations. More in our TLB guide.
Do your TLB prices include VAT?
No. All our prices exclude VAT, and transport both ways is a separate line. Your written quote shows the hire, the transport, VAT and the total, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Related
Sources we checked
- Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R.84), regulation 23: construction vehicles and mobile plant
- National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000 (GN R. 225), regulation 99: categories of driving licences
- Bargaining Council for the Building Industry, Cape of Good Hope: minimum basic wages (clause 18)
- Cat 428 backhoe loader specifications (Caterpillar)
Need a TLB?
WhatsApp us the job, the town and the dates. We confirm the machine, the start date and the price in writing before the machine moves.
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