Renting A Crane: More Than Just Bare Bones

Big projects often require big machinery, and unless you have a place to store a a huge crane in between projects, you may find that renting makes a lot more sense. However, there are a lot of options when it comes to crane rentals. If you are considering renting a crane for your next big project, here are a few things to consider.

Bare vs. Manned

If there are members of your crew who are experienced and licensed crane operators, a bare rental may be a great option for you. This type of rental is often for a longer period of time, and allows you the flexibility of using the crane as needed throughout the day or week, without being tied to a specific block of time.

However, if there is no one on your crew with crane operating experience, or you are not planning to expand your payroll for the project, a manned crane rental may be a great option for you. In this type of rental, the crane rental company offers not only the equipment, but also an experience operator for a certain amount of time, and charges an hourly rate.

If you are planning on using the manned option, make sure to have an organized schedule in order to get the most out of your time with the crane operator. Otherwise, you may be paying a lot of money for someone to sit around waiting for instructions.

Hourly vs. Weekly or Monthly

Depending on the length of your project, and your specific crane needs, the length of the rental contract may need to vary. If you are only needing to move a few things, or have a very specific part of the project that needs crane work, an hourly rental may be the best option for you. Because of the short duration of this contract, hourly rentals are often manned rentals, saving you the time of delivery and pick up, as well as having to free up labor in order to use the crane.

Weekly and monthly rentals are great for projects that need a crane frequently, such as building tall structures, or cargo loading and unloading. Because these types of rentals are generally bare, you have the flexibility of using the crane as needed, and it can be ready at a moment's notice. However, be aware that most rental contracts have a minimum amount of time for the rental period. If your project is expected to be a particularly short one, such as less than a week, it may be necessary to choose an hourly rental period, or plan to store the crane for a few days.

When selecting the right rental options for your next big project, consider your options. The availability of an experienced crane operator, and the length of time that you can rent for are important to the success of your project. (For more information on this topic, contact D Crane)


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