The future of homebuilding is here

Potain self-erecting cranes are changing the nature of residential construction projects in North America and beyond.

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What is the one tool that can reduce labor needs, do the jobs of several pieces of heavy equipment (such as telehandlers and forklifts), and dramatically increase efficiency on the jobsite all at once?

If the speedy Potain self-erecting cranes come to mind, you are correct.

These tower cranes are called “self-erecting” because they only require the push of a button to erect, setting up on a job site within minutes.

Already widely popular in the global construction and energy industries, self-erecting cranes are making a positive impact on residential building projects.

“These cranes offer significant cost advantages over traditional equipment and more efficiency when delivering several of the most common tasks associated with homebuilding,” said Mike Heacock, vice president of tower crane sales at Manitowoc.

Homebuilders in the United States and other countries are able to perform countless tasks right at the job site using the cranes (see below). They’re also easy to learn and operate.

“Only one crew member is needed to operate the crane by remote control, and they are able to place loads exactly in place with increased visibility and efficiency,” said Heacock.

Contractors note Potain self-erecting cranes are quick to setup and decommission. They praise their compact footprint with the benefit of no foundation and minimal ground preparation needed. They also mention how the cranes reduce unnecessary trucking around the jobsite, as the crane’s reach covers large areas

“All these benefits are great, but the bottom line is that self-erecting cranes are big money-savers. Some contractors report as much as US$19,800 in savings from a single residential project,” said Thibaut Le Besnerais, Manitowoc’s vice president global product for tower cranes.

Improving every step of the process

With just one self-erecting crane, homebuilders are able to:

• Lift masonry blocks right into place, rather than using a forklift

• Attach a concrete bucket to enable up-and-over reach that can access an entire jobsite

• Help set floor joists, eliminating manual labor costs and speeding up the process

• Lift prefabricated wall sections from a truck directly to a wall location, with the extra ability to hold the walls in place for efficient installation

• Hoist assembled roof trusses into place, cutting the need for a special lift

• Move sheetrock and roofing materials directly to a roof’s location

• Use a hopper attachment to move landscape materials to exactly where they are needed, including lifting up and over the home