Insights
How much does crane hire cost in Kent?
There is no honest single price for crane hire, and any company quoting one over the phone without knowing the load or the site is guessing. What we can do is explain exactly which factors move the number, so you can prepare the right information and get an accurate quotation quickly.
What drives the price
Crane size is the biggest single factor, and it is determined by working radius as much as by weight. The further the load has to travel from the machine, the larger the crane required to lift the same weight.
Duration matters. Rates vary with how long the crane and personnel are required on site, and a job that overruns because of poor information costs more than one planned accurately.
Personnel: a contract lift includes the Appointed Person, Lifting Operations Supervisor and Slinger/Signaller. Those are real costs that a bare hire rate excludes.
Access and ground conditions can change the machine required entirely — soft ground, restricted setup space or overhead obstructions may mean a larger crane or additional matting.
Travel distance from our Rochester base affects the figure, as does out-of-hours, weekend or road-closure working where permits and traffic management are involved.
Contract lift vs hire rate
A CPA hire rate looks cheaper than a contract lift quotation because it excludes planning, supervision, lifting accessories and insurance for the operation. When you cost those in yourself, the gap narrows. Compare like for like before deciding.
How to get an accurate quote
Have this ready: the weight and dimensions of the load, where it is coming from and going to, the distance the crane will have to reach, the available setup area, ground type, any overhead obstructions, and your preferred date.
Where the job requires it, our Appointed Person will attend site to survey the working environment and discuss the aims of the project before anything is quoted or planned.
Frequently asked questions
- Why can't you give a price over the phone?
- Crane selection depends on the load, the working radius, the setup position and the ground conditions. Without that information any figure is a guess.
- What information do you need to quote?
- Load weight and dimensions, lift radius, site location, available setup space, ground conditions and your required date.