Why Hire a Crane Rather Than Buy One?
Posted on: 30 June 2020
Lifting equipment of all kinds – including cranes – can be much more flexibly deployed when it is rented as opposed to being bought outright. For many construction firms, crane hire is the only sensible option given the sort of projects they take on. Only main contractors which are likely to need a crane in the same location for a year more are likely to consider purchasing or leasing them. That said, even in these circumstances, crane hire can still be the preferred option. Here's a look at why.
Trained Operatives
When you hire a crane from a specialist company, you don't just get the lifting equipment itself but the trained professionals that go with it. In most situations, this means a crane operator but there is more to it than that. Getting the crane to a site in sections may require specialist truck drivers with the right training, for example. There again, putting the crane together for you on-site once it arrives will commonly be part of the service you can expect from a specialist crane hire company.
Ongoing Service
As well as supplying the trained operatives you might need to operate your crane, a hire company will help you to keep the crane in full working order for the duration of the project. In other words, if some spare part is needed or an adjustment has to be made to the crane, then this will be the responsibility of the crane hire firm, not of the building contractor. It should mean a more smoothly running operation from start to finish with no unexpected onward costs.
Health and Safety Expertise
All construction firms have to take health and safety issues seriously. However, working at height requires a particular skill set that you might not have in-house. Not only does hiring a crane means you get the use of the lifting equipment but also the know-how you need to operate it safely. Many accidents on site come from items being dropped so this is not just about safely operating the crane but of putting together loads so that they are rigged correctly and can be moved without falling apart.
Lower Expenditure
Compared to buying or leasing a crane, hiring one makes economic sense. Like many other pieces of equipment on a building site, you may only need the type of crane you are using for one project. This could mean being lumbered with an asset you no longer need at the end of it. With crane hire, however, this is not an issue since you just pay for what you need.
You can learn more about the process by contacting crane hire companies.
Share