Crane Delivery for Spa Pools in Australia: When You Need It and How It Works

Crane Delivery Guide for Spas and Swim Spas

It's critical to remember that if you think a crane might be required for your hot tub or swim spa delivery, you should always contact your local dealer and request a site visit or site check by the dealer's delivery team or their prefered crane operator to get an estimate and confirmation that it can be done.

Installing spas into your preferred position in your home will almost always require a crane or Hiab. If the site is difficult to access, a crane may be required. Cranes are also required for lifting spas into tight places or onto second story patios and decks.

Although most spa retailer will go through the exercise of coordinating the crane and getting a quotation for the customer, crane fees are outside of a "regular spa delivery" and are passed along to the buyer.

Evaluating Spa Crane Costs and Process

Most crane firms charge an hourly price based on the crane's size (i.e. 20 tonne, 40 tonne, 50 tonne, etc.). Crane companies also typically charge for a minimum of 2-3 hours, which begins when the crane leaves the crane operator's site.

Swim spas are often larger and thus more expensive to crane into position. The cost of a swim spa crane ranges from $500 to $3000, depending on the size. Crane costs also vary based on where you live, number of crane companies in your area (competition), and availability.

Factors Determining Crane Hire Costs

Here are some factors to consider while deciding whether or not to use a crane:

• Power lines or telephone lines – even for the shortest of crane jobs this can be a problem if you live on a street where telephone wires and power lines run right in front of your home.
• Cranes are mounted on extremely huge trucks, and if the street or driveway is narrow, they may not be able to set up correctly to complete the task. The greater the crane's size, the more area it will require. Consider that cranes have big outriggers that stretch out from the truck and rest against the ground, giving the vehicle a wider stance and allowing it to boom out further.
• Street Access – As mentioned above, some of the larger cranes can take up a lot of room, especially when the outriggers are deployed, so if your driveway isn't big enough and the crane needs to park in the street, a road use permit may be required, as well as a small crew to re-direct traffic while the crane is in use. Although this type of situation is uncommon, when all of the costs are added up, it may be rather costly.
• Cost - depending on the distance and crane size necessary, using the services of a crane may not be cost viable. For example, if you need a large enough crane to move an 800 pound hot tub 125 feet for $1500, it might not be worth it.

Summing Up

If you have not yet discussed shipping access with your sales representative, please do so as soon as possible. Depending on your site access you have, you may be able to install the hot tub with a crane using a truck-mounted Hiab. This type of crane delivery may be the most cost-effective, however it requires the truck to be able to travel an appropriate distance from the intended spa location.

Remember, if you have ordered a swimming spa, you will need a crane. If this is the case with your delivery, unless otherwise stated in your sales order; you are responsible for the crane lease and installation, organisation and expenses. The size of the crane required depends on the size and location of your spa.

Cranes are not as expensive as some people think, it is important to use suitable cranes to complete the work to avoid unnecessary costs. We recommend that the selected crane company visit the site to assess potential access, any access issues and ensure that the proposed site is within reach.

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