The question “how much does it cost to rent a tower crane” is one of the first questions a contractor or project manager asks, and also one that is hard to answer with a single number. A tower crane is not an off-the-shelf product: the final price depends on the model, the site conditions, the height of the building and the length of the project. In this article we break the cost down into its components, so that you can compare quotes fairly and plan a realistic budget.
RMA has worked in tower cranes since 1981. As of 2026, our rental fleet includes 190 tower cranes from the Potain (Manitowoc) MD and MDT series, and we provide ongoing service to about 500 cranes across the country. That experience shows that most of the gaps between quotes come from components that were not defined in advance, not from the rental fee itself.
The monthly rental fee is the fixed component of the budget. It is affected mainly by the following factors:
A crane that has to lift heavy loads at the tip of a long jib will come from a heavier series. As a rule, the higher the lifting capacity at the jib tip, the higher the rental fee. It is therefore important to choose a crane from the manufacturer’s load chart, so that every load, including the weight of the lifting accessories and the loading equipment, is within the lifting capacity at the radius where it will be lifted, and not from a general estimate.
A longer jib covers a larger area, but needs more parts, more counterweights and a suitable foundation. Mast height also matters: more mast sections mean more equipment and more erection work.
A long project usually allows the one-off costs to be spread over more months. The availability of the requested model during the relevant period also affects the pricing.
A crane that works for many months on site needs regular servicing and a quick response to faults. It is worth checking whether service is included in the rental fee, what it covers and what counts as an additional repair. A crane standing idle because of a fault costs the project far more than the rental fee for those days.
Alongside the monthly rental there are costs paid once, at the start and at the end of the project. These are the components most worth checking when comparing quotes:
More information on the stages of erection is on the crane erection, ties and raising page.
In a building that rises floor by floor, the crane has to rise with it. Raising means adding mast sections, and tying means connecting the mast to the building when the height exceeds the free-standing height the manufacturer allows. Today there are cranes with a reinforced mast that stand without ties up to a height of nearly 100 metres (for example a Potain MDT 368 with a reinforced mast, up to 93.7 metres according to the data sheet). This is relevant mainly when there is not yet a building to tie to, but the crane must pass over neighbouring buildings or cranes within its working radius. Every raising or tying involves a work crew, sometimes a mobile crane, and usually an inspection by a certified inspector before returning to work. Regulation 86 of the Safety at Work (Tower Cranes) Regulations, 1966, requires such an inspection after any change to the crane’s structure, and what is required for each raising and tying should be clarified in advance with the certified inspector and the safety officer. In addition, the regulations require an inspection by a certified inspector immediately after erection and before operation, and a periodic inspection at least once every six months.
The number of raisings and ties is determined by the height of the finished building and by the manufacturer’s data sheet. It is therefore worth knowing in advance how many raising stages to expect, and making sure the quote refers to them explicitly.
Some components are included in the rental quote and some remain the customer’s responsibility. The split changes from agreement to agreement, so the following table is a checklist and not a fixed rule:
| Component | What it includes | What to check in the agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Crane operator | An operator holding a valid certificate | Whether the operator is provided by the lessor or by the contractor |
| Certified inspector | Inspection after erection, after a structural change and at least once every six months, plus non-destructive testing, an electrical inspector and an engineer’s opinion as needed | Who orders and pays for each type of inspection |
| Insurance | Equipment insurance and third-party insurance | The scope of cover, the excess and who is insured |
| Service and maintenance | Regular servicing and service calls | Response times and what is included in the rental fee |
| Site power | A suitable supply to the crane’s panel | Who is responsible for the connection and for the electrician |
RMA’s team of 60 staff, technicians and engineers, including engineers, mechanics, electricians, technicians and consultants, accompanies the cranes throughout the rental period, and this information is included in the quote we submit.
On sites where the work areas of cranes overlap, collision-prevention measures are required, and near sensitive buildings and infrastructure, restrictions on work zones are sometimes needed as well. RMA installs advanced anti-collision systems that have been tested and approved by the Standards Institution of Israel and the Ministry of Communications. The cost of the system, its installation and calibration is a component worth including in the budget already at the planning stage. In addition, depending on the height and location of the site, requirements for marking and lighting the crane may apply.
The fuller the information you provide, the closer the quote will be to the actual cost:
If it is still unclear where to place the crane, the consulting and planning of crane placement on a building site service can save costly changes later. The range of models is in the crane rental catalogue, and details of the full service are on the tower crane rental page. For a quote, call 08-9202882, send a WhatsApp message or leave your details on the contact page.
No. The price is set according to the model, the jib length, the lifting capacity needed, the mast height, the length of the project and the site conditions. So every quote is built from the project’s data.
The main one-off costs are transport, foundations, erection and dismantling. During the project, the costs of raising, ties to the building and inspections by a certified inspector may be added.
Every raising includes adding mast sections, crew work, sometimes a mobile crane, and usually an inspection by a certified inspector before returning to work. The number of raisings depends on the height of the finished building.
It depends on the agreement. In some agreements the operator is provided by the lessor, and in others the contractor employs a crane operator holding a valid certificate. It is important to define this in advance.
It is usually priced as a separate component covering the system, installation and calibration. On sites with several cranes or next to sensitive buildings, it is worth including it in the budget already at the planning stage.
A site plan, the height of the finished building, a schedule, the heaviest loads and their distance from the crane’s position, and information on access routes to the site.
The information in this article is general only and is not engineering, safety or legal advice. Before any decision, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the applicable law, and consult certified professionals.
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