An ADU is a house that has to be built in a side yard while someone still lives in the front house. That means E35-class access, a dump trailer that does not block the only driveway, and a compact 19 ft telehandler instead of a 56 ft reach forklift in the cul-de-sac. The remodel hub covers the existing house; this page is the new unit in the back.
In This Guide
Equipment for building an adu
Primary machines
E35-class mini excavator
Primary3.5-ton with thumb. Step to 305.5 only if the soil or depth demands it and the gate allows.
Footings, sewer tap, and drainage in a side yard that still has a garden.
Skip it when the pad is already built and you are only setting a factory ADU on piers.
BrowseDump trailer
Primary6×12 or 7×14 depending on dirt volume. Schedule dump runs around school pickup.
Spoils have to leave without blocking the homeowner’s only car.
Skip it when a roll-off fits along the street legally — rare in tight HOAs.
BrowseCompact 19 ft telehandler
Primary5,500 lb / 19 ft class. 8k 44 ft is a neighbor meeting.
The only reach forklift that belongs on many ADU lots.
Skip it when it is a single-story unit you can walk materials into, or a crane is already booked.
BrowseOptional / nice to have
19 ft electric scissor
Optional30–32 in wide. Confirm the ADU door.
Interior finishes without diesel next to a nursery window.
Skip it when you are still in framing and there is no floor.
BrowsePlate compactor
OptionalWP1550 plate.
Patio, parking pad, and trench backfill the inspector will actually look at.
Skip it when all concrete is on a pad another crew already signed off.
BrowseTypical pairing
E35 + dump trailer for dirt and utilities; 19 ft telehandler for a short framing window; 19 ft electric scissor for interiors. Protect the existing driveway like it is already finished — because it is.
Access is the spec
Measure the gate, the basketball hoop, and the overhead lines. E35 with a thumb for footings and sewer tap. CTL only if you can protect the existing driveway and lawn. Wheeled skid steers on a lived-in driveway are how you fund a new pour.
Utilities on an occupied lot
Sewer and water taps are excavator work next to a house that still needs those services. 811 is not optional. A Barreto is rarely the right tool when you are threading between a gas line and a maple.
Structure and finish
Compact telehandler for walls and trusses if you can get it back there. Otherwise it is a crane hour or a lot of hands. Interiors: 19 ft electric scissor through the ADU door, not a 26 ft that will not fit.
FAQ
Factory-delivered ADU vs stick-built?
Factory units still need a pad, utilities, and a crane or specialized setter. We outfit the pad and the trench. We are not the crane.
Can I use the same machines as a full house?
Same classes, smaller access. Do not copy the 8k 44 ft spec-home package onto a 10-foot side yard.
Above-garage ADU?
That is second-story material handling plus a garage that may still be in use. See the second-story guide and measure the swing over the existing roof.
Machines on the lot
Live inventory rotates. These are current machines in the related rental collections — not a promise that a specific used unit is still here.
Need a quote on the right class?
Call or text — we'll match height, width, and capacity to the job instead of renting you a bigger machine than you need.