Hire a professional petrol post hole borer from Hirelink for fencing, decking, signage, tree planting, and landscaping work. We hire the Stihl BT 131, a one-person earth auger with a range of bit sizes from 60mm up to 250mm diameter. Bore clean, straight post holes in seconds instead of digging them by hand. Daily, weekend, and weekly hire is available. We deliver across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield, Aldridge, and the wider Midlands from our four local depots.
| Make | Stihl |
|---|---|
| Model | BT 131 |
The Cost
Hirelink’s post hole borer is the Stihl BT 131 with a range of interchangeable auger bits. Bit diameter is the main choice you’ll need to make when booking: too small and the post won’t concrete in properly, too big and you’re wasting concrete. Tell us what you’re posting when you book so we can supply the right bit.
The Reason
Every post hole borer we hire is the Stihl BT 131, the professional-spec earth auger fencing contractors and landscapers use daily. It’s built for continuous work, not the occasional weekend hole. Powerful enough to bite into compacted or stony ground where a cheaper machine would stall.
60mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, and 250mm bits are all compatible with the BT 131. Whatever you’re posting (garden fences, gate posts, agricultural markers, decking supports, tree stakes), we’ve got the right bit to match. Tell us what you’re doing when you book and we’ll supply the correct diameter.
The BT 131 has vibration-reducing handles as standard, which matters if you’re boring more than a couple of holes. Extended earth auger use is one of the higher HAVS (hand-arm vibration) exposures on site, so a machine designed to cut vibration keeps you working longer and safer.
Hirelink operates from four depots: Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Aldridge, and near Birmingham Airport. Collect from your nearest depot or have the borer delivered to your site. Local service means faster availability and a direct line for advice.
The standard weekend slot is Friday afternoon collection with Monday morning return, which gives you a full working weekend on the machine for a single weekend rate. Popular with home DIYers putting up a run of fencing over a Saturday and Sunday.
Every borer is checked, tested, and PAT tested between hires. Fuel filter clean, spark plug good, auger bit sharp. It arrives ready to start first pull.
The Return
A post hole borer (also called an earth auger, post auger, or post hole digger) is a petrol-powered hand-held drill with a spiral auger bit that bores clean, round, straight holes into the ground. It replaces the manual shell-and-lever post hole digger, the spade-and-crowbar approach, or a digger with an auger attachment. For any job involving more than a couple of holes, it saves hours of hard graft and gives you consistent hole sizes across a full run.
Our post hole borer hire is the Stihl BT 131, Stihl’s professional one-person earth auger. It runs on Stihl’s 4-MIX engine, which uses 2-stroke premix fuel but delivers lower vibration than a true 2-stroke of the same power class. Weight is approximately 9.4kg (without the bit), which one person can handle comfortably. The BT 131 takes standard Stihl auger bits ranging from 60mm through to 250mm diameter, and drills to a working depth of around 700mm depending on the bit length.
Common jobs for a post hole borer include fencing work of every kind (domestic garden fencing, agricultural stock fencing, security fencing), gate post installation for driveways and paddocks, decking support posts, signage installation for retail and commercial premises, marker posts for agricultural and civil engineering surveys, tree planting for landscaping and reforestation projects, and structural post holes for garden buildings, pergolas, and gazebos. Anyone who’s dug more than four post holes by hand with a spade knows why hire yards keep these machines on the shelf.
Hiring is cheaper than buying for any job that isn’t a full-time fencing business. A new Stihl BT 131 with a full bit range costs over £1,000, before you factor in servicing, fuel storage, and the odd broken bit. For a weekend of domestic fencing or a week of landscaping post work, hire is the right commercial call.
The Difference
Around 9-10kg, hand-held by one operator. Suits bit sizes up to around 250mm and depths up to 700mm. Right pick for domestic fencing, small landscaping jobs, agricultural marking, and any run of holes where you don’t have a second pair of hands.
Larger, heavier auger operated by two people with a shared T-bar handle. Handles larger bits (300mm+) and deeper holes for structural post work, heavy gate posts, and tree planting for mature trees. Not currently in our standard hire range; call the team if you need one.
The standard choice for professional and heavy use. More power for compacted or stony ground, longer continuous run time, no batteries to run flat halfway through a run of fencing. Louder and produces exhaust, so run outdoors only.
Battery-powered options exist (Makita, DeWalt, Stihl) and cut vibration significantly. Fine for a handful of small holes on domestic jobs, or working in noise-sensitive areas. Battery run-time limits them for continuous work. Not currently in our standard hire range; call if you need one.
The Logistics
Hirelink delivers post hole borers from four Midlands depots located in Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Aldridge, and near Birmingham Airport. Together, these depots cover the full West Midlands region and large parts of Staffordshire.
Delivery and collection is available with every hire. Areas served include Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Tamworth, Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Stafford, and the surrounding towns and villages across the Midlands. The BT 131 is compact enough that most hires ship same-day from your nearest depot.
The Process
Tell the team what you’re posting (fence type, gate size, tree species, sign type) and how many holes you need. We’ll match you to the right auger bit diameter. If you need multiple sizes for the same job (say a mix of standard fence posts and one gate post), we can supply both.
We’ll check availability at your nearest depot, confirm pricing, and arrange the delivery slot. For weekend hires the standard slot is Friday afternoon delivery with Monday morning collection.
Your post hole borer arrives PAT tested, with the chosen auger bit, ready to start. Fill it with 2-stroke premix, pull the starter, position the tip on your marked hole location, and bore. Return on your agreed collection date.
FAQs
Post hole borer hire prices depend on how long you need the machine and how many auger bits you need with it. Daily rates suit one-off jobs like a few fence posts, weekend hire works well for a full run of domestic fencing over a Saturday and Sunday, and weekly rates work out cheaper per day for landscaping or agricultural projects. Call Hirelink or submit an enquiry for a current quote on the Stihl BT 131.
For a standard 100mm × 100mm timber fence post, use a 150mm auger bit. That gives you enough clearance around the post for concrete to set properly without wasting bags of mix. For bigger gate posts (150mm × 150mm timber), step up to a 200mm bit. For thinner stakes or agricultural markers, 80mm or 100mm is plenty.
The Stihl BT 131 drills to around 700mm depth using standard-length auger bits, which is deep enough for the vast majority of domestic and commercial fencing work. Building regulations typically recommend post holes at least two feet deep for standard fence posts. Extension bits can go deeper if needed for taller posts or looser ground, though most jobs never need them.
Yes. The Stihl BT 131 is designed for one-person operation with a single throttle handle and vibration-reducing grips. It weighs around 9-10kg with the bit fitted, which is manageable for most operators. If the bit jams in stony or root-bound ground, the engine brake stops it before the machine can spin. For very hard ground or long fencing runs, having a second person to steady the machine and clear spoil speeds things up but isn’t required.
The Stihl BT 131 uses 2-stroke premix fuel (2-stroke oil mixed with unleaded petrol at 50:1, or Stihl’s own MotoMix pre-mixed fuel). Never run it on straight unleaded petrol – that damages the engine within minutes. Confirm fuel arrangements when you book; some depots supply premix with the hire, others expect you to bring your own.
Ear defenders (the BT 131 is loud), eye protection (spoil and stones can fly), heavy-duty gloves, steel toe-capped safety boots, and long trousers rather than shorts. Keep bystanders well clear of the drilling zone. For extended use over several hours, gauntlet-style gloves and taking regular breaks help with vibration exposure.
The BT 131 has an engine brake designed to stop the auger from spinning if it jams. If you hit an obstruction, back off the throttle, reverse the auger a few centimetres, and try to either work around the obstruction or dig it out by hand. Never force the machine – that’s how you break auger bits and hurt yourself.
Yes. Hirelink offers daily hire on the BT 131, which suits smaller jobs like a few signage posts, a short run of fencing, or replacing a broken gate post. For anything longer than a single day of work, weekend or weekly hire is usually better value.
The petrol Stihl BT 131 is our standard post hole borer hire. Cordless and battery-powered options exist and are quieter with less vibration, but battery life limits them for continuous fencing work. If you really need a cordless auger, give the team a call and we’ll advise on what’s available.
The BT 131 handles typical UK ground conditions including clay soil, loam, gravelly ground, and compacted lawn or paddock ground. It struggles with very stony ground (large embedded rocks will stop the auger), heavily root-bound ground (tree root systems), and frozen ground. For very hard clay in dry summers, pre-watering the hole location helps the auger bite.
Hirelink is a Midlands-based hire company with four depots covering Birmingham and Staffordshire. National hire chains run larger national fleets but work through national call centres and longer delivery distances. For trade and domestic customers across the West Midlands, Hirelink offers local service, a team that knows the region, and a direct line for advice on the right bit for your job.
For most hires we’ll need photo ID (driving licence or passport), proof of address dated within the last three months, and a small refundable deposit. Trade customers with an account just need to confirm the booking. For commercial fencing work, your site should have appropriate risk assessments in place before drilling starts.
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The Hire
Post hole borer hire from Hirelink is straightforward. Tell us the bit sizes you need, how many holes you’re boring, and your hire dates, and we’ll have the Stihl BT 131 fuelled, checked, and ready to go. Call the team, or complete the enquiry form below and we’ll get back to you.
