What should you have ready before requesting a crane quote?

The checklist

• Location: street address, or for farms and remote sites the nearest roads, field or ranch name, or a GPS pin.
• The load: what it is, the heaviest piece's weight (spec sheet, submittal or delivery paperwork) and its dimensions.
• Number of picks: one unit, a truss package, a load of steel, or several items on one site.
• Reach and height: distance from where the crane can park to where the load lands, and the landing height.
• Setup area: parking lot, street, alley, gravel yard, dirt or field, and how much open space there is for outriggers.
• Ground: recent trenching, backfill, irrigation pipe, septic tanks or vaults near the setup spot.
• Overhead: power lines, palm trees, canopies, carports or anything else in the swing path.
• Access: gate widths, canal crossings, soft shoulders, low wires and weight-limited bridges.
• Dates: target date, a backup date, and whether early-morning work is possible (useful in summer).
• Crew: whether your people will rig and land the load, or whether you need riggers from the crane provider.
• Photos: the setup spot, the landing spot and the item. Note in the form that you have them.

Helpful extras

• A site plan or drawing with distances
• Whether the crane has to set up in a street (see permits and lift plans)
• Any safety or lift-plan requirements from your general contractor or facility

Estimates are fine

You don't need every answer before you ask. Fill in what you know, and the operator will follow up on the rest. The cost guide explains how these details affect the price.