Mobile cranes play a vital role in many small and large construction projects in an array of industries. If your construction company regularly requires the use of various cranes, you may be considering buying a crane. However, mobile cranes are expensive pieces of equipment and there is a lot of considering before committing to purchasing a crane. Hiring a mobile crane may be more beneficial and cost-effective.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A MOBILE CRANE?
Purchasing a crane can be beneficial if you have a high volume of projects that require a crane. However, buying a crane is a big commitment that should be carefully considered.
STORAGE
Cranes are large pieces of machinery that require proper storage. Before purchasing a crane, you must consider if you have somewhere suitable to securely store a crane. If not, you may have to invest in a storage yard or unit that is safe and secure.
MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cranes are complex pieces of equipment which need a lot of maintenance. Crane maintenance should be carried out regularly and is usually very costly. Similarly, crane repairs much be carried out by a qualified technician or engineer with a specific skill set.
TRANSPORTATION
If you are planning on purchasing a crane, you will also have to purchase a truck or trailer to transport the crane. Safely transporting a crane requires planning and is a job in itself. Most crane hire companies deliver the crane to your site and take full responsibility for transporting the crane.
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
It is essential to maintain a safe working environment, particularly in an industry as high-risk as construction. There are numerous rules and regulations surrounding crane safety. If you purchase a crane, it is your responsibility to ensure all extra safety measures are met.
TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING
If you have a crane, you’re going to need a fully qualified crane operator, which means more additional costs. You will be responsible for paying for all training, certification and licensing of your staff before your crane can be operated on-site. Staff training is mandatory and is something you cannot cut corners on.
INSURANCE
Much like maintenance and training costs, you will also have to pay for insurance cover. Not only will you have to insure the crane, you will also have to have the right type of insurance cover for your operators and for each job where the crane is in use.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HIRING A MOBILE CRANE?
Hiring a mobile crane from a quality crane hire company can have a range of benefits for your company.
WIDE RANGE OF CRANES
Crane hire companies have a variety of cranes available to hire including mobile cranes, tower cranes and rough-terrain cranes. This gives you flexibility to use various types of cranes depending on your project requirements. You will also have the flexibility to swap the crane for a different type of crane if it isn’t working as well as you’d hoped.
Also, hiring from a crane hire company gives you the opportunity to hire more than one crane. You can hire numerous cranes for a large project from the same trusted company which means less paperwork and a guaranteed quality of service. Cranes are expensive pieces of machinery and it would be costly to purchase more than one that would fit your company’s needs.
FLEXIBLE TIME PERIODS
When hiring a mobile crane, you have the flexibility to hire it on a short-term leaser or a longer-term lease. If a project runs longer than initially planned, you can easily extend your lease. A quality crane hire company like Altida also offer CPA Crane Hire and CPA Contract Lift Hire which is beneficial for a construction company that requires fully inclusive, long-term mobile crane hire.
STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT
Hiring rather than buying gives you the opportunity to use the latest lifting equipment and new technological features. Altida pride themselves on their world class fleet and are regularly introducing new equipment to their fleet.
EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF
When hiring a mobile crane, you can be confident that you are getting a piece of equipment that is fully maintained and meets all legislation requirements. The service, maintenance and transportation costs are usually included in the price.
Also, you have the help and advice of crane experts who can tailor the equipment to your specific needs and requirements. Not only that, you don’t have to pay for staff training as your crane will come with a fully qualified crane operator. At Altida, we offer a free, no obligation site survey and can give you advice on which type of crane is best for your project.
GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CRANE HIRE EXPERTS
Here at Altida, we are experts in everything to do with lifting and can make the process of hiring cranes simple and straightforward.
We are the UK’s leading provider of mobile cranes and contract lift hire and can offer an excellent service with fantastic operators and a world class fleet.
Whether you are planning a large construction job or a small-scale event; we have the right crane hire service for you. We will do all we can to ensure the safety of your lifting operations.
Get in touch with us at sales@altida.co.uk or call 01246 261915. Or, you can fill in the contact form here.