Heavy Construction: Cranes, Excavators and Bulldozers

Cranes are essential heavy equipment because they simplify tasks in a construction site such as lifting workers, materials, and tools to upper levels of a building. The good thing about renting a crane is that you don't have to spend a lot of money on machinery maintenance. Since there are various crane types for different tasks, knowing what you are looking for might lead to huge savings because you can get the best crane hire quotes. Here are a few tips to assimilate when hiring a crane for your home construction project. 

Determine the Crane Size and Load Weight

For cost saving, you should only a hire a crane based on the task at hand. For example, paying for a small crane when the magnitude of work is high can be costly in the long run because it may take longer to complete tasks that would otherwise have been completed within a short timeframe. Therefore, estimating the weight of items to be lifted is the first step to ensuring that you get value for money. A crane hiring service can be helpful when projecting loading requirements and crane size.

Inspect the Site

Assume that you have hired a crane that is en-route to your job site; however, you have not inspected your site to make sure that there are no obstacles that might hinder the maneuverability of the equipment. The above scenario could lead to massive losses since the crane would sit idle on site. Notably, site access is critical if you want to use a crane safely and within set schedules. Therefore, determine the distance from the bumper of a crane to the nearest wall to gauge the maneuverability of the equipment.

The height of a structure is vital in determining a crane's maximum reach. For example, be aware of trees, overhead wires, underground utilities, and other factors that might affect the movement and setup of a crane. Finally, inspect a crane's setup area for elements like dirt, pavement, and gradient before hiring to make sure that the equipment can be operated on site. 

Assess Crane Condition 

Instead of taking an expert's word for it when it comes to the condition of a crane, you should hire an expert to conduct a physical inspection of the machinery before you put pen to paper. Have an expert check the engine, motor, cables, and rigging accessories to guarantee that they have not been damaged during previous assignments. The suspension system of a crane truck should also be an optimal state. A good rule of thumb is to hire new machinery or equipment that has not been used for many years. Hiring cranes with poor maintenance history can cause breakdowns and subsequent delays, which in turn can lead to extra expenses. 

Learn more about these and other considerations by contacting services that provide cranes and semi trailers.