Sarasota, Manatee and the keys
Sarasota and Bradenton crane rental estimates
Tell us what needs lifting and where. A crane operator who works Sarasota and Manatee sends back an estimate.
Pick the closest job
What crane rental costs in Sarasota
Few local companies post prices, so these come from two published rate cards. Sarasota estimates tend to fall inside these ranges, and the 4-hour minimum sets the floor.
- Boom truck, light pick$150Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $600
- Boom truck, mid size$180Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $720
- Boom truck, heavy$225Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $900
- 60-ton hydraulic crane$230Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $920
- 100-ton hydraulic crane$330Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $1,320
- 165-ton hydraulic crane$570Hourly, with operatorAt the 4-hour minimum $2,280
Sources: AP Crane Solutions boom truck rates (California) and Hurd Oilfield Service crane rates (Jack County, Texas), both posted on the companies' own sites. The boom truck minimum counts two hours of travel. Cranes over 50 tons carried a $100 permit fee on the Texas sheet.
How three Sarasota jobs price out
- $720A mid-size boom truck swapping two condensers on a Siesta Key duplex, inside the 4-hour minimum.
- $1,320A 100-ton crane for four hours to reach a rooftop unit set back on a six-story condo.
- $2,380A 165-ton crane at its minimum, plus the $100 permit fee, for a long reach over a pool deck.
Your estimate is built on your own job.
Get a crane estimateSee the pricing page for travel, riggers and the questions to ask before you sign.
Lifts we see most on this coast
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Crane for condo rooftop ACBuilding height, reach, HOA paperwork and what a swap costs on the keys.
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Boat lift and seawall cranesSetting lifts, pilings and seawall panels from land.
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Crane rental in BradentonBradenton permits, the Palmetto side and Anna Maria Island.
- Port Charlotte and North Port
Storm repairs, new homes and the drive south.
Describe the lift once. Your request goes to one crane operator who covers Sarasota and Manatee counties, and they come back with an estimate and a crane size.
- Boom trucks and cranes to 165 tons
- Docks, seawalls and boat lifts
- Condo roofs on the keys
- Estimates are free
The busiest crane market on the Gulf Coast right now
More housing was permitted across Sarasota and Manatee in 2025 than in four other Florida metros combined.
The two counties authorized 17,642 housing units in 2025, worth about $4.9 billion, by Census building permit data. Manatee alone permitted 11,015, with 3,645 in buildings of five units or more. Permits cooled in 2026 but were still above 10,000 units through September.
Big jobs are tying up the large cranes: a $563 million hospital campus going up in Palmetto, set to open in 2028, and two 18-story condo towers starting downtown on South Palm Avenue. If you need a crane over 60 tons, book early.
Five storms in four years, and the repairs keep coming
Sarasota County has been hit by Ian, Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton since September 2022. In June 2026 the county approved another $91.8 million for recovery projects, and Manatee approved its first round of a $252.7 million federal recovery award in November 2026.
For crane work, that means roofing materials to condo roofs, replacement AC units, new boat lifts and seawall panels, and generators being set on raised pads. Most of it is boom truck work, booked a week or two out.
Working on the keys and downtown
A crane on a City of Sarasota street needs a right of way use permit from Engineering, with a staging plan that shows the crane's location and swing radius (City Engineering).
On Siesta, Lido and Longboat, work that changes a structure seaward of the coastal construction control line can need a state CCCL permit (Florida DEP). A like-for-like AC swap usually does not, but ask your contractor before lift day.
Seawall caps and fill near the water are soft. OSHA puts the duty on the site owner to tell the operator about known ground hazards (OSHA 1926.1402), so mention a seawall, pool or septic in the form.
Sarasota crane rental questions
How much does a crane rental cost in Sarasota?
Boom trucks with an operator run about $150 to $225 an hour on published rate cards, with a 4-hour minimum, so most small jobs start at $600 to $900. Hydraulic cranes run $230 to $570 an hour depending on size.
Do I need a permit to put a crane on a Sarasota street?
Yes, in city limits. The City of Sarasota requires a right of way use permit from Engineering, with a staging plan that shows where the crane sits and its swing radius.
Can a crane reach a rooftop unit on a condo on Siesta Key?
Usually. Low-rise condos often take a boom truck. Mid-rise buildings with units set back from the edge can need a 100 ton or larger crane. Send the number of stories and how far the unit sits from where a truck can park.
How far ahead should I book a crane in Sarasota?
A week or two for a boom truck is typical. Large cranes are busier, with hospital and condo tower work underway, so book those two to three weeks out when you can.
Can a crane set a boat lift from land?
Often, if a truck can get within reach of the dock. Lift motors, cradles and beams are light, but the reach over water adds up. Seawall caps are soft, so the operator will want to set outriggers back from the wall.
Areas we serve
- Sarasota downtown
- Siesta Key 5 mi
- Longboat Key 9 mi
- Lakewood Ranch 10 mi
- Venice 17 mi
- Bradenton 12 mi
- Palmetto 13 mi
- Anna Maria Island 18 mi
- North Port 27 mi
- Port Charlotte 37 mi
Distances are straight-line from downtown Sarasota. The areas page has permit offices for each one.
Get your lift estimated
About a minute to fill in. Ballpark numbers are fine.