Stop Calling General Tool Yards That Don't Own a Crane
If you search for crane rental in Danville, Somerset, Richmond, or Frankfort, most public directories hand you general equipment rental yards that only rent scissor lifts and mini-excavators. When you have a rooftop HVAC package unit arriving on a flatbed, 60-foot roof trusses to set, or a CNC press to offload inside a plant, you need an operated hydraulic crane or rigging crew that actually dispatches along US-127, US-150, US-27, and I-75.
Use the form on this page to send your lift weight, approximate radius, and job site city. We route your pick specifications directly to vetted Central and South-Central Kentucky crane and rigging fleets serving Boyle, Pulaski, Madison, Franklin, Mercer, Lincoln, Taylor, and Garrard counties.
Published Regional Crane Rental Rate Guide (Central & South-Central KY)
Unlike major metro markets that hide their hourly rates behind multi-day quotes, regional Central Kentucky crane fleets price straightforwardly by tonnage, boom length, and hourly minimum (plus travel/mobilization outside their home county):
| Crane Class / Capacity | Typical Boom / Jib Reach | Minimum Booking | Standard / After-Hours Rate | Best Local Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5-Ton Carry Deck | ~42' Main Boom (Low Profile) | Daily / Weekly (Bare or Operated) | ~$250/day · ~$750/week (+$50–$150 haul) | In-plant maintenance, tight indoor millwright picks, shop machinery |
| 17-Ton Boom Truck (Terex) | 70' Main Boom / 110' w/ Jib | 2-Hour Minimum | ~$85/hr regular · ~$105/hr emergency | Residential roof trusses, small commercial RTUs, sign & pole setting |
| 35-Ton Hydraulic Truck Crane | 127' Main Boom | 3-Hour Minimum | ~$135/hr regular · ~$155/hr emergency | Commercial HVAC rooftop units, steel erection, long-reach residential trusses |
| 60-Ton Link-Belt Truck Crane | 110' Main Boom | 4-Hour Minimum | ~$160/hr regular · ~$180/hr emergency | Heavy industrial lifts, tanks, chillers, precast concrete, bridge/utility work |
| 70-Ton Link-Belt Truck Crane | 115' Main Boom / 182' w/ Jib | 6-Hour Minimum | ~$200/hr regular · ~$225/hr emergency | Multi-story commercial picks, cell towers, heavy distillery & plant rigging |
| Heavy Industrial Rigging / Versa-Lift | 17–80 Ton Versa-Lifts & 65T Tri-Lifter | Project / Day Quote | Custom by machine weight & lowboy haul | CNC machine moving, factory relocation, quarry & manufacturing installs |
Local Service Corridors & Common Picks
- Danville, Junction City & Boyle County (US-127 / US-150 Corridor): Industrial plant machinery installs, quarry crane support, commercial rooftop HVAC replacements, and custom residential roof truss sets across Boyle, Mercer (Harrodsburg), Lincoln (Stanford), and Garrard (Lancaster) counties.
- Somerset, Burnside & Pulaski County (US-27 / Cumberland Parkway): 17T to 70T crane dispatch for truss setting, boat/marina lifts near Lake Cumberland, steel fabrication erection, and millwright maintenance across Pulaski, Russell, Casey, and Laurel counties.
- Richmond, Berea & Madison County (I-75 Corridor): Heavy equipment assembly/disassembly, manufacturing line relocations, institutional lifts near EKU, and commercial steel erection.
- Frankfort, Georgetown & Versailles: Distillery tank and process equipment picks, state/municipal infrastructure support, and warehouse construction lifts.
Frequently Asked Questions — Central KY Crane Rental
How much does operated crane rental cost in Danville, Somerset, and Richmond, KY?
In Central and South-Central Kentucky, operated hydraulic truck cranes typically bill hourly with a 2- to 6-hour minimum. Small 8.5-ton carry deck cranes rent around $250/day ($750/week) plus delivery, 17-ton boom trucks run ~$85–$105/hr (2-hr min), 35-ton cranes run ~$135–$155/hr (3-hr min), 60-ton cranes run ~$160–$180/hr (4-hr min), and 70-ton cranes with jib up to 182 feet run ~$200–$225/hr (6-hr min).
What information do I need before requesting a crane quote?
To size the crane accurately and avoid paying for a bigger rig than necessary, have four numbers ready: (1) weight of the heaviest pick in pounds, (2) horizontal radius from the center pin of the crane setup spot to the load target, (3) vertical lift height/tip height required, and (4) overhead obstacles like power lines, trees, or roof parapets.
Can I book a crane for rooftop HVAC units or wood truss setting in Danville or Somerset?
Yes. Rooftop package HVAC changeouts, residential/commercial wood and steel roof trusses, modular sets, grain bin erection, and plant machinery moving are the most common picks scheduled through our Central Kentucky desk.