1 Renting a small backhoe can cost $100-$200 for a half-day or day, depending on location and model. 2  Hiring an operator and a bulldozer, skid steer loader or similar equipment can cost $50-$150 or more an hour, depending on local rates and the type and size of equipment used. Costs vary depending on whether the land is being graded to grow grass, put in a pond or build a house. 2  Renting a scraper attachment for a small tractor or similar machinery for a straightforward project like leveling a gravel driveway can cost $50-$70 a day.