Homebuilding: U.S. contractors reap benefits with Potain self-erecting tower cranes

In 2021, new construction of single-family homes could exceed 1 million units in the U.S. for the first time since 2007, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Projections going forward are even more optimistic: 1.318 million single-family homes are predicted for 2022, and 1.320 million for 2023. More than ever, people want more space, and builders are rushing to produce enough single-family homes in every part of the country to meet the demands of a heated housing market. With ever tighter deadlines and material prices rising, it’s no surprise that builders continue to turn to Potain self-erecting tower cranes as they look to fulfill orders with maximum efficiency.

Looking Up reviews these three recent single-family home build projects to examine why U.S. contractors are using — and recommending — Potain self-erecting cranes for a variety of different homebuilding styles.

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Link Construction – Shakopee, Minnesota

Self-erecting crane placed in-between two homes increases efficiency on both jobsites

On a recent home build, Link Construction placed a Potain Igo MA 21 self-erecting tower crane between two homes and was able to erect both at the same time. The strategic location – and the crane taking up just 13.8 ft² (1.3 m²) of footprint while reaching 85.3 ft (26 m) of jib radius – allowed workers to reach the entire jobsite using just one piece of equipment, considerably increasing building efficiency on all stages of the project.

“On these two homes the Igo MA 21 self-erecting crane helped put us get ahead of schedule by two and a half to three weeks,” said Patrick Link, owner of Link Construction. “It saved us a lot of time because it’s just so quick and easy to operate. We used it for setting the floors, the walls and the roof trusses, among other tasks.”

The Igo MA 21 crane is operated via remote control, which enables workers to walk around the jobsite and increase cooperation with subcontractors.

“With the remote, you don’t have to stay put in the crane all day. It just gives you a better sense of what you are doing on the job because you can move around and see things for yourself,” Link added.

What’s more, working fully from electric motors, the Igo MA 21’s quiet operation is another significant advantage for residential projects as it minimizes noises and releases no emissions that can disturb neighbors.

Sage Construction – Naples, Florida

Compact equipment enables build in remote location that other equipment could not reach

Sage Construction completed its first home build using a Potain self-erecting crane and reported saving time, money and labor on the project. The contractor deployed an Igo MA 21 to build a two-story log home in a remote forest location in Idaho from the ground up and used the crane to move and place everything from equipment to bags of cement, to flooring and roofing materials.

“This crane is a huge cost saver, and it also saves us time and labor,” said Pete Loerzel, owner of Sage Construction. “We’ve used other cranes many times on previous jobs, but it’s our first time working with an electric crane and the benefits are just obvious.”

Another advantage of the Igo MA 21 is its easy mobility. The crane has a permanently installed transportation axle and ballast so it can travel in one load down roads and highways and quickly maneuver into position on the jobsite. At the Sage Construction project, the crane’s compact size enabled workers to get it up a narrow dirt road driveway and place it in a tight space between several trees that otherwise would have had to be cut down.

“There are a lot of properties in which you’re building between existing buildings, and when you can get a compact crane to do that work, it’s a huge cost saving,” Loerzel said. “If it’s not obvious yet, yes, I would recommend this crane to everybody. It’s a machine that’s going to save time. And time is of the essence on a construction job.”

Pinetop Custom Homes – McCall, Idaho

Reach and building efficiency of self-erector dominates efficiency of custom home builds

Pinetop Custom Homes recently deployed two Potain Hup 40-30 self-erecting cranes in two home projects in Idaho, one in McCall and another in nearby Stanley. At the McCall home build, the self-erector gave the crew access to areas where other equipment wouldn’t have been able to reach, which accelerated the project’s timeline by approximately 60 days.

“The crane gave the crew access to hard-to-reach areas where the topography wouldn’t lend kindly to other equipment,” said Dusty Bitton, owner at Pinetop. “The crane has placed timber frames, roofing materials, rafters, tongue and groove ceiling panels, saving us approximately two months of construction time.”

In addition, the crane’s 131 ft jib (40 m) enabled workers to lift materials to the back side of the home and overcome the challenge of building a home where the footprint was initially larger than the existing land.

At the second project in Stanley, Pinetop took the Potain self-erecting crane to a remote location. The crane selection ended up being the perfect choice to build a home on top of a ridge under a tight deadline before snowy days arrived in the fall. Due to land limitations, there was no access for any other equipment on the south side of the structure, so the crew used the self-erector to offload materials, frame the home and reach the side of the home that was not accessible any other way.

“This home wouldn’t have been able to be built in the location and within the short timeframe we had without the use of the Hup 40-30 self-erecting crane,” Bitton said. “The word is starting to spread about how much better it is to build with self-erectors and how much time and money they can help you save.”