Getting ready to kick off a construction project?
Before it gets underway, you’re likely going to need to bring in a crane to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Cranes are essential for those construction companies that are going to be moving around materials that weigh thousands of pounds.
But buying a new crane isn’t usually in the budget for most construction companies. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to purchase one, and it can cost even more than that to maintain and store it.
Instead, you should call on a reputable crane rental company to provide you with the crane you need. They can bring a crane out to your construction site, help you set it up, and even offer a crane operator to you in most cases.
Just make sure you ask the right questions prior to welcoming a crane rental company into the mix. Here are five important questions you should always ask a crane rental company ahead of time.
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How Much Experience Does Your Crane Rental Company Have?
Before you work with any business, crane rental company or otherwise, you should always ask about their experience level. Ideally, your construction company should only work with companies that have been in business for at least a few years now.
This is especially important when it comes to crane rental companies. You want a company on your side that knows the ins and outs of cranes and can help you pick out the best crane based on your specific construction project.
Don’t be afraid to ask a crane rental company to tell you when they first set up shop before you ask anything else. This will let you know whether or not they have the experience that it’ll take to offer you the best crane rental services.
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What Types of Cranes Do You Rent?
One of the things that you’ll discover when you go to rent a crane is that there are so many different types of cranes out there. It can make it challenging to find the crane that you’ll need for your construction project.
Some of the most common types of cranes are:
- Tower cranes
- Telescopic cranes
- Overhead cranes
- Loader cranes
- Rough terrain cranes
There are also mobile cranes that can be moved on and off construction sites as needed. It really all depends on what you’re looking for from your crane rental.
The crane company that rents you a crane should have a large selection of them available. They should be able to walk you through the various types of cranes and help you pick out the one that suits your needs best.
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Do You Provide Crane Operators to Go Along With Crane Rentals?
If your construction company doesn’t own a crane, there’s a decent chance that you don’t have anyone on your staff with the necessary training to operate a crane. This means that you’re going to need to bring in a crane operator along with your crane rental.
Many companies that rent cranes understand the need that construction companies have for crane operators. They’ll provide these businesses with both crane rentals and crane operators to go along with them.
Check to make sure that a company offers crane operators prior to renting a crane from them. The last thing you want to do is to be scrambling around trying to find someone to operate a crane for your construction company at the last minute.
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What Are Your Crane Rental Rates?
As we mentioned earlier, it costs a lot of money to buy a crane outright. Most construction companies aren’t able to do it until they’re well-established and need to use cranes almost every day.
It’s why it makes good financial sense for construction companies to rent cranes as opposed to buying them. But it’s not going to make much sense for your company to do it if you work with a crane rental company that charges an arm and a leg for their cranes.
Shop around when you’re in search of crane rentals and find the company that offers the most affordable prices around. A good mobile crane hire will work with you to ensure that your rental fits well within your project’s budget.
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Is There a Crane Available During the Time Frame When I Need It?
Since cranes are so expensive to buy, most crane rental companies don’t have an unlimited number of cranes to rent out. They might only have one or two of each type of crane available at any given time.
With this in mind, you might not be able to get your hands on a certain type of crane during a specific time period if another company is going to be using it. You should ask about the availability of cranes before you put down a deposit to rent one.
You should also talk to a crane rental company about how long you’ll be able to keep a crane. There is a chance that you might have to make sure you return the crane by a predetermined date.
In most instances, you can keep a crane for as long as you want when you rent it as long as you’re able to pay for it. But this won’t always the case, so it never hurts to ask about how long you can use a crane for.
Call on the Right Crane Rental Company to Help You
You might not be able to pull off your next construction project if you don’t have a crane on your worksite. You should plan ahead and look for the crane you’ll need so that you know it’s there once you’re ready to get started.
Call on a crane rental company that has a great reputation in your area. They should be prepared to provide you with the right crane at the right price at the time when you need it most. It’ll help your construction project go off without a hitch.
Read the rest of the construction-related articles on our blog to learn more about setting the stage for successful construction jobs.
