“How much will it cost?” is the first question almost every plant manager asks a rigging company. It is also the hardest one to answer over the phone. Industrial rigging prices depend on what is being moved, where it is, where it is going and how much risk is involved.
That does not mean you have to go into a project blind. Rigging companies price their work in predictable ways, and once you understand the building blocks, you can budget with confidence and spot a quote that does not add up.
The short answer
Based on published 2026 rate guides from U.S. rigging and crane companies:
- A rigging crew typically bills about $200 to $500 per hour, usually with a minimum of around four hours.
- A simple single-machine rigging job usually starts around $3,000 to $3,500.
- Most full machinery moving and installation projects fall roughly between $3,500 and $30,000 to $45,000.
- Complex plant relocations and critical lifts can run well past $200,000.
- A mobile crane with operator generally runs about $150 to $600 per hour for common sizes, with larger cranes costing more.
These are national ranges, and actual prices vary by region, season and job. The rest of this guide explains what sits behind those numbers so you can estimate your own project.
How Rigging Companies Price a Job
Most industrial rigging quotes are built in one of three ways.
Time and materials (hourly). You pay an hourly rate for the crew, plus equipment, trucking and materials. This is common for small jobs, emergency work and projects where the scope is hard to define in advance. The risk of delays sits mostly with you.
Fixed price (lump sum). The rigger quotes one price for a clearly defined scope, such as “disconnect, move and set three CNC machines.” This gives you budget certainty. The rigger builds in some allowance for risk, so the price is often a little higher than a perfect-world hourly estimate.
Unit or per-piece pricing. On large plant relocations, some contractors price per machine or per ton, with separate line items for cranes, trucking and storage.
Whichever method is used, the quote is usually made of the same pieces:
- Labor: riggers, millwrights, a foreman and sometimes an engineer
- Equipment: skates, jacks, forklifts, gantries, cranes and rigging hardware
- Trucking: tractors, trailers and any escorts or permits
- Planning: site surveys, lift plans and engineering
- Mobilization: getting people and equipment to and from the site
- Extras: storage, crating, fabrication, overtime, insurance and permits
Knowing these pieces makes it much easier to compare two quotes that look very different on the surface.
Typical Rigging Costs by Job Type
The table below pulls together ranges published by U.S. rigging companies in 2026. Use it for early budgeting only, since your project could land above or below these figures.
| Type of job | Typical published range (2026) |
| Simple single-pick lift or short single-machine move | From about $3,000 to $3,500 |
| Industrial rigging and lifting job | About $3,500 to $5,500 |
| Machinery moving project | About $3,500 to $7,500 |
| Millwright installation project | About $4,500 to $8,500 |
| Typical full rigging project | About $3,500 to $30,000 |
| Plant or factory relocation (smaller) | About $12,000 to $28,000 |
| Complex multi-week relocation or critical lift | $200,000 and up |
The wide spread reflects the wide range of work. Moving a 5,000-pound machine across an open shop floor and setting a 100-ton press through a roof opening are both “rigging,” but they share very little in cost.
Crane Rental Rates in 2026
Many rigging jobs do not need a crane at all. Skates, jacks, forklifts and gantries handle most indoor moves. When a crane is needed, it is often the largest single line on the quote.
These are typical published hourly rates for mobile cranes rented with an operator:
| Crane size | Typical hourly rate with operator | Typical minimum |
| 23 to 30 ton boom truck | About $155 to $175 | 3 to 4 hours |
| 40 to 75 ton mobile crane | About $175 to $310 | 4 hours |
| 100 to 210 ton mobile crane | About $275 to $550 | 4 to 8 hours |
| 275 ton mobile crane | About $595 | 4 hours |
Other 2026 guides show similar ranges, with small cranes at roughly $150 to $350 per hour, mid-size mobile cranes at $250 to $600 per hour and large cranes from $400 to more than $1,200 per hour. When a crane is rented without an operator, an operator typically adds about $50 to $150 per hour.
Two billing details have a big effect on the final crane cost:
- Minimum hours. Even a 30-minute pick is usually billed at the crane’s minimum, often four hours.
- Travel time. Many crane companies bill portal to portal, meaning the clock runs from when the crane leaves its yard until it returns. A site 45 minutes away can add about 1.5 hours to the bill.
Rigger and Millwright Labor Rates
Labor is the core of every rigging quote. It helps to understand the difference between what a rigger earns and what a rigging company bills.
What riggers earn. In 2026, the average rigger in the U.S. earns about $26 per hour, with most falling between roughly $23 and $30 per hour. Ohio pay sits a little below the national average. PayScale reports a similar average of about $27 per hour for workers at equipment rigging contractors. Union scale in some regions is higher.
What rigging companies bill. The billed rate is much higher than the wage, because it covers far more than pay. It includes payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, liability insurance, training and certifications, trucks, rigging hardware, equipment upkeep, supervision and overhead. That is why a three-person crew with basic equipment commonly bills about $250 to $500 per hour as a team, often with a four-hour minimum.
Skill premiums. A master rigger or lead millwright usually bills at a higher rate than a journeyman, with one 2026 guide putting the premium at about 25% to 40%. For complex lifts, precision installations and alignment work, that experience is worth paying for, because one mistake can cost more than the entire labor bill.
Overtime. Nights, weekends and holidays are usually billed at time-and-a-half or double time. Many shops still choose them, because the savings in lost production outweigh the premium.
Factors That Drive Rigging Costs Up or Down
Two jobs that look alike on paper can be priced very differently. These are the factors riggers weigh when building a quote.
Weight and size. Heavier and larger loads need bigger cranes, gantries and trailers, more crew and more planning. Weight also affects whether permits and escorts are needed on the road.
Access. Open floors, wide doors and dock-height loading keep costs down. Basements, mezzanines, rooftops, narrow aisles and low ceilings add time, equipment and risk. Removing a wall panel or lifting through the roof adds construction costs too.
Distance. An in-plant move needs no trucking at all. A cross-country haul adds trucking costs, often quoted per loaded mile, plus permits for oversize loads.
Complexity and risk. A critical lift near live production, over occupied areas or close to power lines takes more engineering and supervision. Tandem crane lifts, tight tolerances and fragile equipment all raise the price.
Disassembly and reassembly. If a machine must be split into sections to fit or to meet weight limits, millwright hours increase at both ends.
Scope. A quote that covers only “pick and set” is much cheaper than one that includes electrical disconnect, draining, trucking, leveling, alignment, reconnection and startup support. Make sure you are comparing the same scope.
Schedule. Rush jobs, nights, weekends and holiday shutdowns cost more. Flexible timing can sometimes earn a lower price.
Location and season. Rates vary by region. Winter work in the Midwest can add costs for weather protection, snow removal and slower site conditions.
Extra Costs That Are Easy to Miss
These items often appear as separate lines, or are left out of a low quote and show up later as change orders.
| Extra cost | What it covers | Typical published figure |
| Engineered lift plan | Drawings and calculations for critical or complex lifts | About $1,500 to $8,000+ |
| Heavy haul trucking | Specialized trailers for heavy or oversize loads | About $5 to $15+ per loaded mile |
| Mobilization | Moving crews, cranes and equipment to and from the site | Varies by distance and equipment |
| Minimum charges | Billing for a minimum number of hours, often four | Applies to crews and cranes |
| Permits and escorts | Road permits, street closures, pilot cars | Varies by state and city |
| Extra insurance | Added coverage for very high-value equipment | Quoted per project |
| Storage and crating | Holding equipment between sites, export crates | Quoted per project |
| Electrical and utility work | Disconnecting and reconnecting power, air and water | Often by separate trades |
Ask every bidder to state clearly which of these are included, which are extra and which are your responsibility.
Example Cost Scenarios
The examples below show how the building blocks add up. They are illustrations built from the published ranges above, not quotes, and real jobs can come in higher or lower.
Example 1: In-plant move of a CNC machining center
A 15,000-pound vertical machining center needs to move 150 feet across an open shop floor. A three-person crew uses jacks and skates, then sets and levels the machine.
- Crew time: about 6 to 8 hours at $250 to $500 per hour, or roughly $1,500 to $4,000
- Electrical disconnect and reconnect by an electrician: billed separately or included, depending on the contractor
- No crane and no trucking
Likely total: roughly $2,000 to $5,000, depending on scope and leveling time.
Example 2: Setting a rooftop unit with a crane
A 6-ton rooftop HVAC unit is lifted onto a two-story building using a 75-ton mobile crane.
- Crane with operator: about $175 to $310 per hour, billed for a four-hour minimum plus about 1.5 hours of travel, or roughly $950 to $1,700
- Rigging crew to rig, signal and set: about 4 hours at $250 to $500 per hour, or roughly $1,000 to $2,000
- Possible street use permit and a basic lift plan
Likely total: roughly $2,500 to $5,000 or more.
Example 3: Relocating a small machine shop
Ten CNC machines move from one building to another about 50 miles away. The job includes disconnect, rigging out, trucking, setting, leveling and reconnection.
- Rigging and millwright labor at both ends over several days
- Several truckloads, some on air-ride trailers
- Forklifts, skates and possibly a gantry
- Project management and scheduling
Likely total: often in the tens of thousands of dollars, with many projects of this size landing roughly between $30,000 and $75,000. Machine size, access and how much reinstallation work is included move the number most.
Why Alltracon Is Ohio’s Best Choice for Industrial Rigging
Alltracon is Ohio’s best-value choice for industrial rigging. From our Medina base, we give hassle-free quotes after a site visit, so scope is clear upfront. One team covers rigging, cranes, trucking, storage and millwright work, which cuts vendor handoffs, avoids costly delays and keeps your total project cost under control.
How to Get an Accurate Quote and Compare Bids
The more a rigger knows, the more accurate the quote. Before you call, gather:
- Make, model, weight and dimensions of each item, from the nameplate or manual
- Photos of the equipment, its connections and the path out
- Addresses of both sites, and any access limits such as dock heights, door sizes and ceiling heights
- Your target dates and any production deadlines
- What you want included: disconnect, trucking, storage, leveling, reconnection and startup support
Then insist on a site visit for anything beyond a simple job. A quote written without one is an educated guess, and guesses tend to turn into change orders.
When the bids come in, compare them line by line:
- Is the scope the same? One bid may include electrical work and leveling while another does not.
- What is excluded? Look for cranes, permits, mobilization, overtime and insurance listed as extras.
- What equipment is planned? A bid using a smaller crane or fewer people may be cheaper, or may not be workable.
- What is the schedule? A lower price that takes twice as long can cost more in downtime.
- What insurance is included? Ask for a certificate showing liability and cargo coverage that matches your equipment’s value.
- What experience do they have? Ask for references from similar jobs.
The lowest bid is only the best bid if it covers the same work, safely, on your schedule.
How to Lower Rigging Costs Without Cutting Safety
There are smart ways to bring the price down that do not add risk.
- Bundle the work. Moving several machines in one mobilization is cheaper per machine than calling the crew back three times. Combine crane picks on the same day to make full use of minimum hours.
- Prepare the site. Clear the path, move stored material, empty machines of tools and parts, and have utilities ready at the destination. Every hour the crew waits is an hour you pay for.
- Have the information ready. Accurate weights, drawings and photos reduce guesswork and contingency in the quote.
- Plan early. Rush jobs cost more. Booking ahead gives you better crew and crane availability and more flexible pricing.
- Use the right method. A gantry or skates indoors can sometimes replace a crane entirely. Ask your rigger whether there is a less costly method that is still safe.
- Use one contractor. A single company handling rigging, trucking, storage and installation avoids duplicate mobilization and handoff delays.
- Think about total cost, not just price. A good install reduces downtime and protects equipment worth far more than the rigging bill.
What you should never cut is planning, qualified people or the right equipment for the load. The savings disappear the moment something is dropped.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a rigging crew cost per hour?
Published 2026 guides put a typical three-person rigging crew with basic equipment at about $250 to $500 per hour, and some companies list $200 to $400 per hour depending on equipment. Most have a minimum of around four hours.
What is the minimum charge for rigging services?
Many rigging companies bill a four-hour minimum for crews, and cranes commonly carry three- to eight-hour minimums depending on size. Simple single-machine projects often start around $3,000 to $3,500.
Is a crane included in a rigging quote?
Not always. Some riggers own cranes and include them; others rent them and list them as a separate line. Always ask.
Why are rigging quotes so different from one company to another?
Differences usually come from scope, method and risk. One bidder may include disconnect, leveling and reconnection while another quotes only the lift. Equipment choices, crew size and how much risk the company builds into a fixed price also vary.
Do I pay for travel time?
Often, yes. Many crane and rigging companies bill portal to portal, from leaving their yard to returning. Others charge a separate mobilization fee.
Is it cheaper to move equipment with my own maintenance team?
For light equipment, sometimes. For heavy, valuable or top-heavy machines, the risk of damage, injury and downtime usually outweighs any savings. Professional riggers also carry the insurance that protects you if something goes wrong.
Conclusion
Industrial rigging costs follow a clear logic once you know what goes into them: labor, equipment, cranes, trucking, planning and the extras that come with each job. In 2026, small rigging jobs typically start in the low thousands, full machinery moves commonly run into the tens of thousands, and complex relocations can pass $200,000.
The best way to control cost is to define the scope clearly, prepare the site, book early and compare quotes on what they actually include. The cheapest bid is not always the lowest-cost job once downtime and risk are counted.
Need a rigging price for a project in Ohio or the surrounding states? Request a quote or call Alltracon to schedule a site visit and get a clear, detailed estimate.
