The Sunward SWE 18UF is a 1.8 tonne zero tail swing excavator, and for many builders it is the most useful size of mini digger there is. It is compact enough for most domestic sites and tight plots, yet heavy enough to dig extension footings, drainage runs and driveway reductions at a steady pace. This guide covers what the machine is, the jobs it suits, transport and towing, attachments, how it compares with our other Sunward excavators, and how to hire one from our depot near Okehampton.
In this guide
What the Sunward SWE 18UF is
The SWE 18UF sits in the 1.8 tonne class, the point where a mini excavator stops feeling like a garden tool and starts behaving like a proper groundworks machine. It has rubber tracks, a front blade for backfilling and levelling, and a boom and dipper arm sized for the depth and reach most residential work calls for.
Zero tail swing means the rear of the upper body stays within the width of the tracks as it rotates. On a plot squeezed between a house wall and a boundary, you can slew to load a dumper without the counterweight clipping brickwork, fences or parked vehicles.
We do not publish dig depth, reach, transport width, operating weight beyond the class, or engine details here, because the figures that matter are the ones for the exact machine on your job. Ask us for the spec sheet and check it against your drawings and access before you book.
What the Sunward SWE 18UF is good for
This is the machine we most often suggest for extension and drainage work on houses and small commercial sites. These are the jobs it handles best.
Extension footings
Strip footings for single and two-storey extensions, garages and garden rooms are its bread and butter. A narrow footing bucket cuts clean, consistent trenches, which keeps over-dig and concrete volumes down. Have your trench support arrangements sorted before you start, and agree the depth with your engineer or building control, because ground conditions can mean going deeper than the drawing shows.
Drainage and soakaways
Foul and surface water runs, inspection chamber holes, connections to existing drains and soakaway pits all suit a 1.8 tonne machine. It has the stability to dig a trench to a consistent fall and the control to work carefully around existing pipework.
Driveways, patios and hardstandings
Breaking out old tarmac edges, reducing levels and digging out to formation depth for sub-base are quick work. The blade helps spread and roughly level stone before you compact it.
Landscaping and service trenches
Ponds, retaining wall footings, re-grading slopes and longer cable or water supply trenches across larger gardens and paddocks are all well within its range.
Step by step: digging extension footings with a 1.8 tonne excavator
This is an illustrative method for a typical single-storey rear extension. Your engineer’s drawings and building control requirements always come first.
- Set out. Fix profile boards and string lines for the outside and inside faces of the footing, and spray the line on the ground.
- Locate services. Rear extensions often sit over drains, and gas and water supplies can run close to the back wall. Check plans, scan with a cable locator and hand dig trial holes.
- Strip topsoil across the footprint and stockpile it away from the trench line for reuse.
- Dig in sections. Work along the trench in short lengths, keeping the bucket width matched to the footing width and the bottom level checked with a laser or staff.
- Keep spoil and plant back from the edge. Load straight into a dumper or onto a stockpile set well back.
- Get the trench inspected by building control before concrete goes in, and keep the bottom clean and dry.
- Pour promptly. Open trenches in clay soften quickly in South West rain, so line up the concrete delivery before you finish digging.
Access and transport
The Sunward SWE 18UF is small by excavator standards, but it is noticeably bigger than a micro digger. Plan both the delivery and the route onto site.
Delivery by us
Most customers have us deliver. The lorry needs a safe place to unload, ideally on a drive or hardstanding. Tell us about narrow lanes, weight restrictions, low bridges and overhanging trees on the approach, which are a regular issue on Devon and Cornish lanes. A postcode and a photo of the entrance help us plan the right vehicle.
Towing it yourself
Some customers tow a 1.8 tonne machine on a plant trailer to save delivery or to work to their own timetable. It is heavier than you might expect once trailer weight, buckets and fuel are added, so check every limit carefully. Ask us which of our plant trailers suits this machine and what the combined weight comes to. This is general information, so check the current guidance.
- Licence. GOV.UK says that if you passed your car test from 1 January 1997 you can tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). If you passed before then, you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined MAM of up to 8,250kg. Check your licence information online.
- Vehicle limits. Your vehicle’s maximum towing weight is in the handbook, and its gross train weight is usually on the VIN plate. GOV.UK says the gross train weight must not be exceeded, and that if the VIN plate does not list one you should not use the vehicle for towing.
- Trailer limits. The machine, attachments and the trailer’s own weight together must be within the trailer’s gross vehicle weight.
- Size. GOV.UK towing weight and width limits sets the maximum trailer width at 2.55 metres and, for a towing vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg or less, a maximum trailer length of 7 metres.
When loading, line up squarely, drive up slowly with the bucket low and a banksman guiding, then lower the bucket and blade onto the bed and chain or strap the machine at its lashing points. Recheck the restraints after a few miles. If any part of this is new to you, let us deliver instead.
Getting onto the plot
Measure the narrowest point between the road and the dig, including gate posts, walls, meter boxes and bins, and compare it with the transport width on the spec sheet. Protect block paving and lawns with boards or ground protection mats, and watch for lightweight inspection covers along the route. If access is too narrow, the SWE 08B 0.8 tonne machine may be the answer.
Attachments: ask us
The right bucket makes a bigger difference to output than most people expect. A narrow footing or trenching bucket suits strip footings and pipe runs, a wider general-purpose bucket moves bulk soil, and a grading or ditching bucket helps shape banks, swales and levels. Breakers and augers can also be useful on some jobs.
What comes with the machine and what else we can supply changes over time, so ask us when you book. Give us your footing widths and pipe sizes, and describe the ground, and we will tell you what is available or point you in the right direction. Only use attachments that are compatible with this size of machine.
How the Sunward SWE 18UF compares with our other Sunward sizes
Our Sunward excavators run from 0.8 to 9 tonnes. The 1.8 tonne zero tail swing model sits near the lighter end, which is why it suits so many domestic sites. Ask us for the spec sheet for any model you are weighing up.
| Sunward model | Class | Type | Typical jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE 08B | 0.8 tonne | Mini, zero tail swing option | Narrow garden access, cable trenches, small footings, indoor dig-outs |
| SWE 18UF (this machine) | 1.8 tonne | Zero tail swing | Extensions, drainage runs, footings, driveway dig-outs |
| SWE 20F | 2.0 tonne | Conventional mini | Drainage and utility work with more room to slew |
| SWE 25UF | 2.5 tonne | Zero tail swing | Versatile mid-range groundworks, larger footings |
| SWE 35UF | 3.5 tonne | Zero tail swing | Larger groundworks, site strip, bigger drainage schemes |
| SWE 60UF | 6.0 tonne | Zero tail swing | Medium groundworks, bulk loading, farm and estate work |
| SWE 90UF | 9.0 tonne | Full-size excavator | Heavy demolition and bulk digging |
SWE 18UF or SWE 08B?
The Sunward SWE 08B is our 0.8 tonne mini, available with a zero tail swing option. Choose it when access is very narrow or the job is small. Choose the 1.8 tonne machine when the access allows, because it digs faster and is more stable on deeper trenches.
SWE 18UF or SWE 20F?
The SWE 20F is a 2.0 tonne conventional mini excavator, well suited to drainage and utility work. On open ground with room to slew, it is a good alternative. On tight plots where the tail would swing over a boundary or wall, the zero tail swing SWE 18UF is the safer choice.
SWE 18UF or SWE 25UF?
The 2.5 tonne SWE 25UF gives more depth and weight for bigger footings and longer days of loading, but it needs more room to get onto site. Our construction equipment page lists the full range, along with the dumpers, compaction kit and mixers that go with it.
Site preparation before your excavator arrives
A few hours of preparation saves days of hire. Before delivery:
- Set out the work with profiles, lines and paint.
- Locate buried services using utility plans, a cable locator and trial holes. Mark everything clearly.
- Book spoil removal. Skips, grab lorries or muck-away should be arranged before the first bucket goes in. Footings for a modest extension can produce more spoil than people expect once it bulks up.
- Arrange a dumper. A Hyundai 500kg tracked dumper, Mechbadger tracked dumper or the Tracspider 1000kg carrier keeps the excavator digging rather than waiting.
- Line up inspections and concrete so open trenches are not left standing in the rain.
- Clear the unloading area and the route onto site.
- Brief the neighbours, especially on terraced streets and shared drives.
Ground and weather in the South West
Heavy clay in parts of Devon and Somerset holds water and turns slippery after rain, while granite areas around Dartmoor and much of Cornwall can throw up boulders and hard bands. Build some slack into your hire, keep trench bottoms protected from standing water, and do not track across waterlogged lawns if you can avoid it.
Worked example: drainage for a new extension
As an illustration, picture a semi-detached house in Exeter adding a rear kitchen extension, with a new surface water run of around 15 metres to a soakaway and a short foul connection. With a weekly hire, a sensible plan might be: footings dug and inspected over the first couple of days, concrete poured, then the drainage trench dug to the required fall later in the week once the footings have gone off.
The soakaway pit goes in last, with spoil loaded straight into a tracked dumper and run to a skip at the front. Compaction of the backfill around the pipes is done in layers with a reversible plate or trench roller. One machine covers the whole groundworks phase, which is where a 1.8 tonne excavator earns its place.
Safety and training
Hire is self-drive unless otherwise agreed, and the hirer must hold appropriate training or certification. The following is general information, not legal advice.
PUWER and competence
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) cover equipment used at work. HSE guidance on training and competence says everyone who uses, supervises or manages work equipment should be sufficiently competent to do so safely, and that self-propelled work equipment should only be driven by people who have received appropriate training in safe driving. If you are not trained, use a trained operator.
Excavations
HSE excavation guidance advises deciding on trench support before work starts and keeping spoil, materials and plant away from the edge of excavations. Footing trenches for extensions are often deep enough to be dangerous, so never enter one that is unsupported, and barrier off open trenches at the end of each day.
Daily checks
- Walk round the machine every morning: tracks, pins, hoses, leaks and lights.
- Wear the seat belt and keep the cab or canopy area clear.
- Keep everyone outside the working radius, and use a banksman when loading dumpers near people.
- Travel with the bucket low and avoid working across slopes.
- Never lift people with the bucket.
- At the end of each day, lower the bucket and blade, remove the key and secure the machine.
Insurance is not automatically included with our hire. We refer customers to our partner insurance4plant.co.uk for plant hire cover.
Hire periods and Flex Hire
The Sunward SWE 18UF is available daily (minimum usually one day), weekly, monthly and long-term. Weekly is our most popular option, and for footings and drainage it gives room for inspections, concrete and weather. We do not publish hire prices, so WhatsApp us for a current quote.
For a build that runs for months, our long-term rental gives monthly rates with on-site servicing included. Contractors who need different machines over the course of a month can use Flex Hire: one flat monthly fee, swap kit any time, servicing and collect-and-redeliver included, a 10% rebate and no long-term contract.
Tier 1 covers compact kit and everyday tools at £795 +VAT and delivery per month. Tier 2 at £895 adds excavators and crushers, Tier 3 at £995 adds large excavators and forklifts, and Tier 4 at £1,495 includes everything up to 9 tonne excavators and tractors. Ask us which tier matches your mix of kit.
Delivery from our depot near Okehampton
We deliver across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset from our depot near Okehampton. Same-day delivery is possible across most of Devon and Cornwall, and Day 1 delivery is available. For Somerset and Dorset, booking a little further ahead helps.
When you enquire, send the machine you want, your site postcode, your dates and access details such as gate width, slopes and where the lorry can unload. If a machine develops a fault, call or WhatsApp us and we will assess it and arrange a repair or replacement fast. When you have finished, park the machine on firm ground and off-hire with us; charges stop once the off-hire is confirmed. If you need several machines across a project, use our contact form and we will put together a tailored proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sunward SWE 18UF zero tail swing?
Yes. It is a 1.8 tonne zero tail swing excavator, so the rear of the machine stays within the track width as it slews, which suits tight plots.
Can it dig footings for a two-storey extension?
It is often used for extension footings. Check the required depth on your drawings against the dig depth on the spec sheet, which we can send you.
How wide an opening does it need?
Ask us for the spec sheet and compare the transport width with the narrowest point on your route. If it is too wide, the 0.8 tonne SWE 08B may fit.
Can I tow it on my own trailer?
Only if your licence, your vehicle’s towing limit and gross train weight, and the trailer’s gross weight all allow for the combined load. Ask us which of our trailers suits it.
What dumper goes well with it?
The Hyundai 500kg tracked dumper and Mechbadger tracked dumper are popular pairings, and the Tracspider 1000kg electric carrier works well over soft ground.
How long should I hire it for?
Footings or a drainage run alone often fit within a week. For a full groundworks phase, consider a monthly hire or Flex Hire.
Do I need a CPCS card?
Our hire is self-drive and the hirer must hold appropriate training or certification. Many sites ask for a recognised card, so check what your principal contractor or client requires.
Hire the Sunward SWE 18UF
WhatsApp or call 07841 036064 (Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm) with your postcode, dates and a photo of the access. We aim to reply to WhatsApp messages within the hour in business hours. For written quotes, accounts or multi-machine enquiries, use our contact page or email info@conagri.co.uk.
