Skip to content Why rent a crane?
Have you ever wondered why people need to rent a crane? Every job that you do is different, so how do you know when to rent a crane? There are several good reasons to rent a crane, so let’s run through some of them together.
Too expensive to buy for yourself.
The most obvious answer: Cranes are not cheap. They can range from a quarter of a million dollars to a few million dollars for a single crane. Buying one does not make sense unless you plan to use it daily.
Government licensing requirements.
All cranes require a crane-licensed operator to use them. Most people do not have this, so you have to rent one with a licensed crane operator. Operating a crane without a valid crane license is setting yourself up for a legal nightmare when something goes wrong. Always make sure you have an experienced licensed crane operator to do your work.
It is too heavy.
Depending on how strong you and your buddies are, there is a magical weight in the 500-pound range, where the item(s) needs to be lifted by equipment, not manpower. This equipment could be a pump truck, forklift, tele-handler or, in our case, a crane. The terrain and obstacles impeding your move will determine which heavy equipment is best for your job. When traversing the ground is not an option, cranes are the logical piece of equipment. Cranes are often used on construction sites for lifting things around. They also used to lift large items like hot tubs, swim spas and prefab pools to get them into backyards that had no other way or access to get there. Another popular use for cranes is lifting large HVAC units onto roofs.
It is the only way to get it in.
The biggest advantage of cranes is their ability to lift up and over things. Sometimes, weight has nothing to do with it; there is no good way to get where you want to go except up. There is no way around it; you must go up and over. Some common examples of these obstacles could be a house, fence, bush or tree. Cranes are also great at lifting objects from one level to another. For example, moving something from the ground to a balcony, window or roof. Like a piece of furniture or appliance that will not fit up the stairs. Or an HVAC unit onto the roof.
Precision placement.
Heavy objects like statues, lawn ornaments/art or common HVAC units not only need to be lifted over uneven terrain, but they also need to be placed on a specific spot in a certain way. The crane can hold and suspend that object in the air, allowing you to spin and guide it into place as it comes down. This is critical when that item might weigh over a thousand pounds.
It is safer for everyone.
Accidents happen when people push themselves or the equipment they use to the limit. Using the right crane for your lift can remove all that risk and heavy lifting. The Canadian government is making everyone’s workplace as safe as possible. While there is always the risk of an accident (people doing dumb things), cranes used properly almost always make jobs safer for all workers involved.
Cheaper in the long run.
While cranes can seem expensive initially, they can save a small fortune if used correctly. Swim spas are a perfect example of this. Your average swim spa weighs 2000-4000 pounds and is huge. How many people do you think it will cost you to move it safely? Four, six, eight, ten people? Now add the damage they caused while dragging it into place or the personal injuries you might need to deal with afterwards from strains or over-excursion to the people who helped you. One crane and an experienced operator could reduce your expenses significantly with fewer manpower hours, fewer repairs and no insurance or WSIB claims to deal with.
Cranes just make sense
You always want the right tool for the right job. Cranes are no exception. They can save you a lot of headaches and aggravation. Not sure if a crane would make your job easier and safer? Call our crane specialists to see what crane options might be right for you.
