Alachua County, Marion and Columbia
Gainesville crane rental, priced before the truck rolls
Send the weight, the address and how high it goes. A crane operator who works the Gainesville area prices the lift and calls you back.
What are you lifting?
One form, one local operator. You describe the lift once. It goes to a crane company that runs boom trucks and hydraulic cranes around Gainesville, and they call with a price.
- Boom trucks from 28 tons up
- Hydraulic cranes to 150 tons
- Most calls back the same business day
- Free to ask
What a crane costs in Gainesville
Rates below come from a public bid, so every number is on paper. Florida operators price close to these, and the minimum usually matters more than the hourly rate.
| Machine | Per hour | Minimum billed |
|---|---|---|
| 28-ton boom truck | $180 - $220 | 4 to 8 hours |
| 40-ton boom truck | $195 - $255 | 4 to 8 hours |
| 60-ton boom truck | $265 - $310 | 4 to 8 hours |
| 120-ton crane | $375 - $430 | 4 to 8 hours |
| 150-ton crane | $480 - $530 | 4 to 8 hours |
Source: Tennessee Tech University crane and boom truck bid tabulation, the three closest of five bids. Two bidders added a counterweight haul ($1,000 or $2,000) on the big cranes, and one added a 7% fuel charge.
Three lifts, three bills
- $720 - $880A condenser swap on a two-story clinic with a 28-ton boom truck, finished inside a 4-hour minimum.
- $1,760The same truck from a company that bills 8 hours minimum, even though the pick took two.
- $4,000A full day with a 120-ton crane at $375 an hour, plus the $1,000 counterweight haul one bidder charged.
Your own job gets its own price from the operator.
Price my crane liftThe full price breakdown covers travel, overtime and what to ask before you sign.
Guides for common Gainesville lifts
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Crane for a rooftop HVAC unitUnit weights, reach and what an apartment or clinic swap costs.
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Boom truck rental in GainesvilleTruss packs, panels and steel, with sizes and day rates.
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Crane rental in OcalaTravel from Gainesville, Ocala permits and the jobs that come up there.
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Crane rental in Lake CityAn hour north on I-75, with the drive priced in.
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Why Gainesville lifts lean toward mid-rise work right now
Alachua County permits jumped in 2025, and most of the jump was apartments.
The county authorized 3,336 housing units in 2025, up from 1,750 the year before. About 79% were in buildings of five units or more, by Census building permit counts. Through September 2026 the county was still at 2,088 units, mostly multifamily.
On campus, the state Board of Governors approved $443 million of debt for two phases of new UF student housing, four 8 to 9 story halls with 2,217 beds, scheduled to finish in 2028 (project summary). That brings tower cranes for the big halls and steady boom truck work for mechanical sets, glass and roof gear.
For a property manager or a mechanical contractor, that means two things: a busy calendar for the larger cranes in town, and a good reason to book a smaller lift a week or two out instead of the day before. Here is how a request reaches an operator.
Lifting on campus or in a city right of way
If the crane sets up on a city street or sidewalk, Gainesville Public Works needs an obstruction permit. Review takes 14 business days, plus 7 more when a crane sits in the right of way (city ROW permitting).
UF runs its own building permits through its Building Codes Enforcement office, so the city is not the one to call for a job inside campus (UF EHS). Outrigger pads or stakes that go into the ground on campus fall under a UF dig permit, which takes 2 to 3 business days (UF dig permits).
Most backyard and driveway lifts at a house need neither. Tell the operator where the truck will park and they will say if a permit applies.
Boom truck or crane?
A boom truck is a crane on a highway truck. It drives in, sets outriggers and is usually lifting within half an hour. Most rooftop units under about a ton, truss packs and generator sets around Gainesville go on a 28 to 40 ton boom truck.
Weight times distance is what pushes you to a bigger machine. A 2,000 pound unit set 20 feet from the truck is easy. The same unit 70 feet back over a two-story building can need a 60 ton or larger crane. Pace off the gap between the outrigger spot and the set point, then type that figure into the form.
Towns covered from Gainesville
- Gainesville downtown
- Alachua 9 mi
- Newberry 17 mi
- High Springs 20 mi
- Starke 24 mi
- Ocala 34 mi
- Lake City 42 mi
Miles are straight-line from downtown Gainesville. The service area page lists permit offices for each town.
What Alachua County callers ask first
How much does it cost to rent a crane in Gainesville?
A 28-ton boom truck with an operator runs about $180 to $220 an hour on public bid sheets, with a 4 to 8 hour minimum. Small lifts usually land between $720 and $1,760. Big cranes for mid-rise work run $375 to $530 an hour.
Do I need a permit to put a crane on a Gainesville street?
Yes, if any part of the setup is in the city right of way. Public Works reviews obstruction permits in 14 business days, plus 7 more when a crane is involved, so apply about four weeks ahead.
Who issues permits for a crane lift on the UF campus?
UF does. Its Building Codes Enforcement office handles building permits on campus, and outrigger stakes or pads that dig into the ground need a UF dig permit, which takes 2 to 3 business days.
How far ahead should I book a crane in Gainesville?
For a boom truck, a few days to a week is normal. For a crane over 60 tons, allow two weeks or more, because the big machines in town are often tied up on apartment and campus jobs.
Can a crane lift over a house in Gainesville?
Often, yes. The operator needs the load weight, the distance from the truck to the drop point and anything overhead like power lines. OSHA rules keep the boom at least 20 feet from lines up to 350 kV unless the utility de-energizes them.
Ready to price the lift?
It takes about a minute, and a rough weight is enough to start.