Crane Hire Plymouth

Cranes for Plymouth jobs

Tell us the weight, radius and access for your Plymouth job and we’ll recommend the right machine. Not sure where to start? Read our guide to what size crane you need.

Where we work in and around Plymouth

Most of our Plymouth crane hire work falls into a handful of sectors.

Naval, marine and the waterfront

Devonport is the largest naval base in western Europe, with dry docks, tidal berths and miles of waterfront, and a long refit and regeneration programme running through it. Lifting anywhere on that estate is governed by the site’s own standard: security clearance, permits, exact exclusion zones and lift plans written to their requirements. See our maritime and industrial sector pages.

Ship repair and marine engineering

The yards and workshops around the waterfront handle repair, maintenance and fit-out work, where lifts are usually into a confined space over water or between structures, with tidal working to allow for. See our maritime sector page.

Industrial estates and manufacturing

Faraday Mill near the city centre, Burrington to the north, Eurotech Park off the A386 and Lee Mill out on the A38 hold manufacturing, engineering and building supply operations. Typical jobs are machinery deliveries and installs, factory moves and rooftop plant. See our HVAC sector page.

Hospitals, universities and schools

Derriford Hospital and the university and college estate bring chiller and air handling unit replacement, plant room equipment, laboratory kit and modular building lifts, mostly on sites that stay open or during a holiday shutdown. See our healthcare and pharma and education sector pages.

Construction and waterfront regeneration

Residential, commercial and waterfront schemes across the city bring steel erection, precast and cladding lifts, often on sloping ground close to the water. See our construction sector page.

Access and planning for lifts in Plymouth

Every site is different, but a few things come up again and again on Plymouth jobs:

• Getting there. Plymouth is around 40 miles beyond the end of the M5, so everything comes in on the A38. Route planning for larger all-terrain cranes and ballast loads matters more here than in most cities, and we do it before we quote.
• The Tamar crossings. Work in Cornwall means the bridge or the ferry, both with their own limits for heavy and abnormal loads, so we check the crossing as part of the route rather than after the fact.
• Secure sites. Naval and defence sites need clearance, inductions and permits arranged in advance, and the lead time on that has to be built into the programme.
• Tides, water and wind. Lifts over or beside water bring tidal windows and exposure, so we plan around wind limits and the state of the tide where it matters.
• Road closures. Where a lift needs part of a road or pavement closed, we can arrange the traffic management and road closure with Plymouth City Council as part of the job.

Postcodes and areas we cover

We cover every PL postcode and the districts around the city:

• Plymouth: city centre, Devonport, Stonehouse, Mutley, Greenbank, St Budeaux, Ernesettle, Estover, Plympton, Plymstock and Turnchapel
• East of the city: Ivybridge, Yelverton and Tavistock
• Cornwall: Saltash, Torpoint, Liskeard and Bodmin
• Wider area: Totnes, Kingsbridge and Okehampton

Beyond Plymouth we also work across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. See all the areas we cover.

Why Plymouth firms choose Synergy Lifting for crane hire

• Used to controlled sites. Clearance, inductions, permits and client lifting standards are part of normal planning for us.
• Route and timing planned first. With the M5 well to the north, we work out the approach and the realistic on-site window before a date is agreed.
• Qualified and accredited. CPCS and NPORS operators, lifts planned to BS 7121, and a business certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, with Constructionline Gold Member registration.
• One contractor for the whole lift. We can take on the lift plan, appointed person, RAMS, supervision and insurance.

More than cranes

Many Plymouth jobs need more than a lift, so we also offer:

• Machine movement
• Machine delivery and installation
• Factory relocation
• Industrial plant dismantling
• Steel erection and dismantling
• Plant room strip out
• Traffic management and road closures

How to book a crane

1. Send us the site location, load weight, access details and dates. Photos help.
2. We quote, usually the same working day. Complex lifts may need a site visit first.
3. For contract lifts we prepare the lift plan and RAMS. For CPA hire we advise on crane position and set-up.
4. We arrive on the agreed day and carry out the lift to BS 7121.

Common questions

How does lifting inside the naval base or the dockyard work?

It runs on the site’s own clearance, escort and permit regime, and the lead time on that is usually longer than the lift takes to plan. Tell us the site, the induction and escort requirements and the date you are working to, and we will plan the lift and the paperwork around them.

Do you cover Cornwall as well?

Yes. Saltash, Torpoint, Liskeard and the wider south east of Cornwall are regular working area for us, with the Tamar crossing checked as part of the route for anything heavy.

Can you lift over water?

Often, yes, and it is a normal part of waterfront work here. It changes the plan rather than ruling the job out: tidal window, rigging arrangement, rescue provision and wind limits all get set out in the lift plan.

Get a quote for crane hire in Plymouth

• Phone: 01752 712 008
• Email: plymouth@synergy-lifting.co.uk

We also provide crane hire in Exeter, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport. See all the areas we cover.