Should a Construction Company Rent or Buy a Mobile Crane?

12 Nov 2020 Mobile Cranes

Most construction companies will end up using a mobile crane over and over again for all kinds of building projects, so many company owners wonder if it might be more cost effective to own their own crane rather than rent one repeatedly from a mobile crane rental company like Stampede Crane & Rigging. As a crane rental company, we deal rentals in the construction industry all the time and we know that there are a couple of different factors that determine whether a construction company should rent or buy a mobile crane for the work it does.

Is it Better for a Construction Company to Own or Rent a Crane?

When determining whether it is better to rent or buy a crane for a construction company, it is important to note that the answer will change depending on the company in question. For some companies, it may be better to own a crane than rent one; in most cases, however, the benefits of using a good crane rental company far outweigh the convenience of having your own crane. It may seem like a crane rental company is a little bit biased when it comes to this topic, but there are many reasons that it can be better to rent a mobile crane rather than buy one, including:

Maintenance

Mobile cranes take a lot of maintenance and check-ups to ensure that they are operating safely. If a construction company owns the crane, the responsibility to maintain it falls on the employees and company owner, even when the crane might not be in use. When a crane is rented, the rental company’s trained professionals are responsible for all maintenance and care that the crane requires.

Storage

Storing a crane can be a major hassle. Because the crane will not likely be in constant use, it will be necessary to have a safe place to keep the crane between jobs. It is often best if this place is also dry to improve the lifespan of the crane and reduce the maintenance required.

Variety and Flexibility

Not every crane is suitable for every job. Some jobs require specialized types of cranes to reach certain areas or lift larger loads. If a construction company owns a crane, it is tied to that crane’s capabilities. Crane rental companies tend to have a wide variety of crane types at their disposal, so they are able to adapt their services to suit the job at hand.

Operators

Only certified crane operators are legally allowed to operate cranes on construction sites. It can cost money to train and employ specialized personnel. Crane rental companies will have plenty of experienced operators on staff, ready to work on whatever job you need done.

Cost

The cost of purchasing a crane, maintaining it, and keeping a trained operator on staff can often exceed the month over month costs of renting a crane for occasional jobs. Make sure that you look into how much it would cost to rent a crane for a few jobs a year and compare that with the ongoing costs of keeping one in your construction company’s inventory.

If you would like to learn more about whether a construction company should rent or buy a mobile crane, or to get started with any of our crane rental services, feel free to contact Stampede Crane & Rigging.