Tower crane or self-erecting crane: how to choose

Choosing between a tower crane and a self-erecting crane should be based on the facts of the job, not on habit. Both lift materials on site, but they differ a lot in size, erection and related costs.

What each one is

A self-erecting crane travels folded and raises itself on site, without another crane. It needs no poured foundation: it stands on a base with counterweights. In the FORTZA range, self-erecting cranes reach about 22 m high and 32 m of jib.

A tower crane has a tower made of sections, on which the jib and counter-jib are mounted. It is erected with a mobile crane and needs a foundation or a base sized for it. The tower cranes in the FORTZA fleet reach 48 m high and 55 m of jib.

When to choose a self-erecting crane

• The building is low or medium height: houses, two- to five-storey buildings, small halls.
• Space on site is limited, and the job lasts a few weeks or months.
• You want to start quickly: erection is short and you do not wait for a foundation to be poured and cure.
• The loads are moderate and can be taken to the radius you need according to the model’s load chart.

When to choose a tower crane

• The building is tall or the working area is large, and a self-erecting crane’s jib does not cover the whole site.
• You have heavy loads far from the tower.
• The job lasts a long time, so the cost of the foundation and erection is spread over a long period.
• Very tall buildings may need a self-climbing crane, which rises with the building.

The four facts that decide

1. Load and working radius: the heaviest load and how far from the crane it has to go. Capacity is highest next to the tower and drops towards the jib tip.
2. Height under hook: the final height of the building, plus room for the load and slings, usually 3–5 m.
3. Location and access: space for the base or foundation, access for trucks and the mobile crane, the power connection.
4. Duration and services: how long you need the crane and which services must be included: transport, erection, service.

You can check the first two in the crane selector, which immediately shows the catalogue models that can make the lift.

The total cost, not just the rent

For a tower crane, the monthly rent usually comes with the foundation or base element, the mobile crane for erection and dismantling, the pre-erection documentation and the power connection. For a self-erecting crane these costs are lower or absent. That is why, for a short job, a self-erecting crane can work out cheaper even if its monthly rent is not the lowest. Details in the guide to the real cost of crane rental.

In short

If the facts of the job fit within a self-erecting crane’s capacity, it is usually the faster and cheaper option. When the height, radius or loads go beyond that, a tower crane becomes necessary. The FORTZA team recommends the right model once it has your site details through the quote request.