There are jobs that are impossible to do without the help of a crane.
It can give you the convenience you need and the muscle to lift heavy loads.
However, we all know this piece of heavy equipment is complicated to operate that require trained people to ensure safe and correct use of it.
We also know that buying crane is also expensive and impractical to own if the task at hand is temporary and only require short term use of the crane.complicated to operate that require trained people to ensure safe and correct use of it.
What will you do then? The solution is to rent a crane.
And there’s an associated crane rental cost. You could hire a crane in an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. Depending on the period you want the crane to be on your site.
If you do due diligence, you will save more money from the rental rates. We mentioned below some ideas for you to save from renting.
Common Types of Cranes and the Corresponding Average Rental Cost
First, you may need to understand what kind of crane that suits your job requirement. Here are the common types of cranes:
Tower Crane
Tower cranes are very common on constructions sites and used in the construction of tall structures. They are used for lifting building materials and construction supplies to a great height that would be impossible for other lifting equipment.
An average monthly rental cost of tower crane is approximately $14,000. Additional fee may be charged for other attachments such as the climbing frame and extra mast sections.
Mobile Crane
Mobile crane as easy to assemble and setup, they can be used in many types of terrain and ideal in construction site and work in tight passages and spaces, in fact, it doesn’t need large space to operate.
The rental rate for a mobile crane starts at $120 an hour including its operator and can go over as much as $600 for high-capacity mobile crane.
Mini Crane
Mini crane is designed to use in confined spaces where a conventional big crane cannot operate. They are used in tunnel operations, in the building rooftops, plant maintenance, glass installation, stone monument erection and in many other applications.
The hourly rental cost for this type of crane is $120.
Boom Truck
A standard boom truck is mainly used in erecting towers, antennas
Renting boom truck equipment with a capacity of 23 tons with 92” boom and 44” jib would cost around $600 per day, $2500 per week and $6000 per month. The cost may vary depending on the job site, capacity, and complexity of the work.
Crawler Crane
It has lifting capacity of 80 tons to 1,000 tons. It is best used when the weight is enormous. You can typically see this kind of crane in construction or in super heavy lifting operations such tank erection.
The average monthly rental rate for a 120T-capacity crawler crane is $17,000.
The Cost Will Depend On Several Factors Such As The Following
- The lifting capacity of the crane. The higher the lifting capacity of the crane you will choose, the more costly it is to rent. To make sure you choose the right equipment, discuss with the representative of the capacity about your lifting requirements.
- The time period you need the crane on the job site. The longer you have the equipment in your possession, the more expensive you have to pay.
- The type of project the crane is required for. If your project is building construction, you may need a tower crane, which might have a rental cost around $14,000 per month.
- The closeness between job site and the crane rental yard. The clock ticks from the time a crane leaves the yard. The more distant the job site is, the longer the crane takes to arrive.
- Whether you need a rental crane with operator included or excluded. Though, I strongly advise you to have a manned crane rental agreement, but it is up to you if you need unmanned crane.
- Whether you choose a contract lift or CPA crane hire (applicable in UK). With contract lift, the rental company will take over all lifting capacity, including delivering the crane onsite, planning of the operation, preparation of risk assessment and method statement, provision of operator and appointed person, application of necessary permits, etc. In short take over everything until the job is finished. On the other hand, in crane hire, you the hirer, will oversee the operation, you select the crane suitable for the job, you provide the operator and competent staff, you appoint persons to do the signaling and rigging, you are responsible to prepare risk assessment and method statement.
Other Fees Involved in Renting
- Flagman and Rigger are required personnel in every lifting operation. They work in coordination with the crane operator, director and other staff. The wage of these personnel, depending on the number required, will cost around $80 per hour.
- Lift Plan is usually cost at $250 depending on the type of crane to be utilized for the job. You can request lift plan from the rental company.
- If in the job site you have to temporarily disconnect utility lines, there could be the corresponding fee you need to pay to the utility company.
- In some instance, if a large crane is being used, you may need to secure a permit from your local city, applying for the permit will add to the cost. The exact amount cannot be determined. Permit fee depends on the state or city where you are.
How to Save Money Renting Cranes?
- Contact three or more rental companies, and see who can give you the best offer in terms of lifting capability and quality of service. Again, don’t choose a cheaper one if they can’t deliver on time, the progress of your project will suffer.
- Make a look ahead schedule of your tasks so that you can plan out when you will need the crane to be delivered to the work site and when they will be finished. Doing so, you will have the equipment for the least amount of time. The lesser time you have the crane in your possession, the lesser amount you have to pay for the equipment.
- Always select the right crane equipment for the job. You can ask the support personnel of the rental company, they will make an initial interview about your requirements. Depending on the scope of the project, the rental company may also send estimators to the actual work site to verify the technical requirements. Requesting the company to send an estimator to your job site eliminates the mistake and possible delay. In which the end result, you will save money.
- To improve the crane operator’s work productivity and to avoid delay that would result to wasting your rental money, rent a crane with extra lifting capacity.
- When the crane is operational, keep a constant boom angle and swing radius to improve operating efficiency. The efficiency reduces the time you need the crane onsite, thus, lessening the amount of money you have to pay to the rental company.
- Appoint a competent crane operator. A crane operator that is CCO certified works well because of the proper training he attained. Crane operator certification or license is not required in some US states, but OSHA has implemented a new law effective in November 2014, requiring crane operators in the country to have such CCO certification.
How Do Companies Charge the Pricing?
- You may encounter a rental company that charges for time out and not time used. They do it so because they can’t hire the crane to anyone else until you return it to them.
- Rental companies also charge more during overtime. Overtime means if the crane is utilized on Saturday or Sunday or beyond 8 hours of weekday operation. Let’s say for example you rented a 23.5T Terex boom truck with a basic hourly rental cost of $130, but during overtime, its hourly charge is $150.
- Some rental companies will ask you how long you will be using the crane (approximate period), they will then charge you based on that estimated period. You can ask for refund or reimbursement if you return the equipment sooner.
- You may find other companies that do not accept initial deposit which beneficial for you if you don’t have upfront cash in your pocket.
In a Nutshell
The crane rental charges will depend on which type of equipment is required for your job and how long you will use it.
With that being said, you have the option to rent the crane in the hourly rate, when you have a short job scope. If you think you need the equipment for several days, you can rent it in a weekly basis. If you have lengthy project and you want the crane to be on the job site for the longer period, you can make a monthly rental arrangement.
There also many other factors that come into play in renting crane that could keep you from wasting money.
