Mistakes to Avoid That Will Increase Crane Rental Costs
Crane operation, maintenance, and planning is an area of knowledge many contractors can feel lacking. It is essential to plan carefully when selecting a crane and rental company. A wide array of factors affect crane rental prices that go beyond the type of crane and rental duration, such as additional personnel and site hazards.
When doing your research and planning, take your time, ask lots of questions, and make sure to avoid the following scenarios, which can quickly add up to costly mistakes for your project.
1. Inadequate Use Planning
All of these mistakes in some way have to do with poor planning, but in this case, we are specifically looking at an inadequate site and lift plan.
Site plans should be completed to help determine hazards and constraints for the projects that will be placed on any selected crane. If you have a tight operating space, this will directly affect your lift plans and likely increase the level of experience you need from personnel. Crane operation has the potential to damage structures or harm workers if site hazards are not adequately planned for.
Going off of those site plans should be detailed lift plans. You need to know how much material you will need to lift, how far, and how high. This prep work will help determine the crane you select and help you start to plan how long you will need the crane on-site.
As you make these plans, if there are any hazards you can address before selecting the crane or its arrival on-site, it is recommended to do so. Planning will make lifts both safer and more efficient.
2. Picking the Wrong Crane
You can’t hammer a nail with a screwdriver (well, maybe you could, but it would be frustrating, take a long time, and be potentially dangerous). The same goes for picking the wrong crane for a job. Selecting a crane that can do the lifts you want will cost time and money and risk hazardous working conditions.
Now is where planning your site and expected lifts come in. Be very clear when looking for a rental company about the types of lifts you will need to complete. Provide your prospective rental companies with the following information:
- Set-up area and ground conditions
- Overhead obstructions
- Type of material(s) being moved
- Expected weight of those materials
- Height requirements for your project
Remember, you don’t want to test the upper limits of any machine. Inclement weather and other site hazards may lower the capacity and leave you with a machine that can’t handle your requirements.
3. Last Minute Rental
Scrambling to get anything at the last minute always comes at an increased price. When it comes to renting cranes, this is true from several angles. Last-minute rental means you may be selecting from a smaller pool of currently available cranes and get one poorly fitted for the job, or that is more than what you really need.
Renting in advance means you can have the crane there precisely when you need it to keep your project moving along on schedule. Delays can quickly become costly, and having a plan in advance can help you work around poor weather, utility shut-offs, and permitting.
4. Traffic and Transport
One often-overlooked mistake is failing to consider the transport time of the crane to the site and traffic during that time. This may not be a significant factor for long-term rentals, but for rental periods of only a day or two, such as for small home construction, traffic delays can take a substantial chunk of time out of your planned rental.
Minimize this by planning delivery off of peak rush hours for the area, or plan to have the crane delivered a day early.
5. Overlooked Permits and Contract Points
Crane equipment is expensive to maintain and dangerous on-site, and any reputable company will take agreements to use it seriously. Take your time to review the formal contract; if the company you choose doesn’t offer one, reconsider your selection.
Read through the documents thoroughly with a lawyer and address any questions you may have. Pay special attention to the following details within the contract, so you know who is responsible for what.
- What happens if inclement weather or other delays on the site cause any overage on time?
- Who is responsible for maintenance and servicing during the rental?
- Will a replacement crane be provided in the event of a breakdown or other incident?
- What responsibilities do your crew have on-site during crane lifts?
Crane Rental in North Carolina
If you have never rented a crane before or are looking for a new rental company to partner with, Parker's Crane provides quality crane rental, rigging, and heavy hauling services throughout the Carolinas and the East Coast. We pride ourselves on safety and our Zero Accident Philosophy, and conduct many detailed safety measures when performing a job to ensure that no project carries unnecessary risk.
Even with a simple job, the right tool makes an enormous difference. Similarly, the right equipment, backed with experience and support, can make your job worlds easier (and safer).
With a fleet of well-maintained hydraulic truck cranes, we offer not only the best equipment but can also help with site installation, maintenance, and operation. Our crew is OSHA and MSHA compliant to ensure your site and crew safety.
Contact us today if you would like to discuss your needs and whether or not our services and equipment will work for your construction project. We provide free on-site quotes and evaluations.