Mobile Crane Hire for Residential Construction Projects: What You Should Know

Mobile cranes are incredibly useful pieces of machinery for any project, including residential construction or renovations. When it comes to residential building projects, foremen or project managers may be less familiar with the options available. This is especially the case with owner-builders.

We are going to run through some of the mobile crane hire options available and outline their potential uses.

There are many types of mobile cranes, however, there are a few which are more typically used for residential construction projects. Each type of crane fulfils a particular need within a construction site. Read on to learn more.

A Spider Crane, also known as a mini crane or crawler crane, is a small crane on caterpillar treads. Their small size makes them ideal for areas with limited access such as indoors or backyards. They can even be used when working on suspended slabs if you are building a second (or higher level) floor.

Mini crawler cranes are available in a variety of sizes and specifications. As every project is different, it is good to check that a particular model fits your specific needs. The smallest model we offer for hire is even able to fit through a standard doorway.

Because spider cranes have a working weight limit of under 3 tonnes, they can be operated with a C2 class license. Of course, you still need to understand how they work; their risks, restrictions and safety elements in particular.

Our fleet includes a number of spider cranes for hire, with or without operator. In the construction industry, crane hire without an operator is known as “dry hire”. Unsurprisingly therefore, crane hire with an operator is known as “wet hire”. If you are not sure of exactly what you need for your project, come speak with us and we’ll point you in the right direction.

You can also read more about Spider Cranes here.

The Franna Crane was designed by an Australian engineer, Dave Francis. The name “Franna” is a combination of his surname and his daughter’s name “Anna”. Otherwise known as a pick and carry crane, the Franna crane are compact and manoeuvrable making them suitable for working in tight spaces.

For residential builds Franna cranes are extremely useful for moving shipping containers or materials around the building site. They can be used to carry structural beams, installing framework or lifting roofing trusses into place. A Franna can even be used to lift household contents to upper floors if this is beyond the capabilities of a spider crane.

Typically, you would hire a Franna crane for the specific days of your project where these tasks are required.

Less commonly used in residential construction projects, these are larger cranes with considerably higher lifting capacity. DPS’s fleet includes a 45t city crane and 80t and 130t all-terrain cranes.

Heavy cranes such as these may be required when you have a particularly heavy load to lift. They may also be useful where a load needs to be lifted a long distance as these cranes have an extended reach.

Both the all-terrain the city crane are also frequently used for arborist work. They are able to handle the sometimes-considerable weight of a tree, especially for more mature trees or those that retain a lot of water.

In order to get the most value from your mobile crane hire, it is important to prepare your work site in advance. Make a plan for the lifting day so that you make the most efficient use of the crane’s time.

Any materials that are to be lifted should be gathered together beforehand (if possible). If you are receiving a delivery of components, make sure that you confirm the delivery schedule ahead of time.

Also ensure that you have obtained all the relevant permits and clearances to operate a mobile crane on your construction site. This is particularly relevant if the crane will be operating on the street at any stage.

If you’d like to speak further about your residential construction project anywhere in the NSW Southern Highlands, please contact us.