Those have existed for quite a while now. For smaller projects it is cheaper to get a human.

Depending on the task, a human doing it may be highly discouraged by H&S regulations, or the insurer.

Even on individual small building sites in France I'm now seeing mini-diggers instead of human shoveling, everywhere, or tile elevators (for a 3 man roofing team!) instead of the stereotypical exploited immigrant manual labourer. These are justified by insurers quoting such a high price for covering the expected accident and long term health costs of human shoveling or tile carrying to roofs that buying the machines is cheaper.

▲

venzaspa 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Mini diggers are cheap to rent for a few days on a job and you can shift absolutely tons more in a single day than a labourer can do in a whole week.

If a roofing company can complete three jobs in a month compared to one job without a goods lift then renting one for each job makes economic sense, especially if it's physically easier too.

	▲	ovi256 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I agree, should have mentioned that it must help productivity too. I was just surprised to see it on even the smallest building sites, like a 2 story house, where I thought the bother wouldn't be worth it.

▲

randomNumber7 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Have you ever dug a hole with a shovel?

▲

inglor_cz 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If you can get him in time, plus are willing to risk unknown quality of his work. Reliable professionals tend to be booked long in advance, at least where I live.

▲

HPsquared 8 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Cheaper, for now.