Did you know that the largest crane in the world is named “Big Carl” and it can carry a maximum weight of around 5,000 tons? This monstrous crane is taller than 800 feet and it’s routinely used by construction companies in the United States and Canada.
However, chances are that you don’t need the biggest crane in the world to accomplish your project. In this case, you might be interested in the crane rental cost for a medium-sized crane that can still lift many tons. The price of renting a crane depends on various factors. Keep reading this article to find out what aspects affect the crane rental prices these days.
1. Type of Crane
There are multiple types of cranes out there and they’re suitable for different types of jobs. For example, some cranes are ideal for relatively small projects while others are tall, imposing cranes suitable for large construction projects.
As a rule of thumb, you can select from tower cranes (the largest ones), mobile cranes, telescopic cranes, truck cranes, loader cranes, floating cranes, etc. Telescopic cranes are good for most projects while truck cranes are ideal if you need a lot of mobility in your construction site.
Obviously, some cranes are more expensive than others, especially if you go for large ones such as overhead cranes or harbor cranes. I
2. Size of Crane
The size of the crane here doesn’t only refer to the physical dimensions of this type of equipment. We also talk about how many tons is the crane able to lift. If your project is relatively small, you might need a smaller crane that can easily lift up to 20 tons or so. Larger projects require bigger cranes that can lift several hundred tons of materials.
As you probably have already guessed, the larger the size of the crane, the higher its rental price. That’s why you need to know what types of materials you need to move around before renting a crane, so you can buy the right one. If you’re lifting heavy containers weighing a few dozen tons, you need to take out more money out of your pocket. If you’re just limited at lifting a few tons at a time, go for a smaller crane and save money.
3. Rental Period
The longer the rental period, the smaller the fee gets. In most cases, construction companies can rent cranes for a single day, for a week or an entire month. It depends on the type and size of the crane, but in most cases, you should expect to pay up to $1,000 for a single day of work. For example, if you are interested in how much you need to pay for a mobile crane, you should learn more about mobile crane hire.
If you need the crane for longer, you might decide to rent it for an entire week. This will probably set you back a few thousand dollars. However, if your construction project takes a lot of time to accomplish, renting the crane for several months in a row might be required. In this case, certain tower cranes can cost around $10,000 or more for each month of renting, so be prepared to come up with a larger budget.
4. Transport and Assembly
If you’re lucky to need a truck-mounted crane, you probably don’t have to worry too much about transport. Such pieces of equipment are shipped on their operating truck and you probably just have to pay for the fuel used by the driver to move the crane around.
However, if you go for a large crane such as a tower crane, the situation is different. Such cranes are shipped disassembled to construction sites. When they arrive at the destination, an entire team of engineers starts to assemble the crane from the ground up. When the project is done, the crane has to be disassembled and moved back to its original place.
You’ll eventually have to pay fees for the transportation and assembly of this monstrous crane. The exact price depends on various factors, but it usually includes fuel costs, labor, and other fees.
5. Operator Cost
Not everyone can operate a crane safely and effectively. The larger the crane, the more dangerous it can be to its surroundings. In most cases, you can rent a crane and it will come to you without an operator. You’ll probably have to hire one by yourself and depending on his expertise, you’ll eventually have to pay $50-$100 or more for each hour of labor. The larger the crane (such as a tower crane), the more you’ll eventually have to pay the operator to use it successfully.
Keep in mind that operators usually work 8 hours a day. If you want your construction site to be busy all the time, you probably need to hire 3 different operators for the same crane. If you want to keep an operator working for more than 8 hours, this will be paid extra. If you need help covering these costs, you might be interested in title loans that don’t require the car.
6. Additional Fees
On top of paying for the crane and the operator using it, you will eventually also have to pay additional fees, depending on where you want to construct your building. For example, you might be required to obtain permits that can be priced at $100 or $200 each. If the operator comes from a long distance to operate your crane, you probably have to pay shuttling fees.
In some cases, a flagger and a rigger work in tandem with the crane operator to ensure the safety of the project. These guys also need to be paid and they usually charge by the hour. Operating a large crane without a flagger and a rigger is illegal, so you cannot simply ignore this aspect.
Now You Know More About Crane Rental Cost!
The factors involved in crane rental cost might be discouraging at first, but you shouldn’t despair. It’s important to have everything on paper before renting a crane to know exactly what you should expect and what budget to prepare. You can also obtain discounts if you rent a crane for a very long period of time or you rent more than one crane for your project.
In the meantime, keep an eye on our blog to read more articles related to construction sites, buildings, and how to save money when renting equipment!
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