To Crane or Not to Crane
At some point during the delivery of your new home to the site we will need to get the modules off the truck and onto the newly installed foundations. Wherever possible we will try to transfer the modules from the truck directly onto the stumps but in some cases the only possible way is to use a crane. Your site will be assessed individually and the access and modules delivery system determined.
The typical direct installation involves the truck, with the module still chained on, being driven between the stumps and aligned as required. Frenzied activity then take places as the hydraulic jacks are located and connected, the module is lifted, the truck removed, the centre stumps replaced and the module lowered to its final position and welded off to the stumps. In some cases the hydraulic jacks are not required as the hydraulic truck trailer allows the module to be placed directly onto the stumps. The stumps for these installs can be as high as 2.5m in some cases.
For the trucks to be able to directly place the modules there are many considerations;
Is there sufficient room around the site for the trucks to manoeuvre to both drive through the stumps and then drive out again? These areas need to be flat enough that the truck can move easily as well as having sufficient space and run off for the trucks to turn.
The slope of the site cannot be excessive. In order for the modules to be placed on the stumps they need to be level. The hydraulic trailer can accept a fall across the modules of about 0.5m and about 2m along the module.
The trucks can also have a bit of trouble navigating steep slopes. Going downhill can be easy but getting back up can be a bit harder. Rain or dewy ground can make traction impossible. In some cases having a large 4WD tractor or 15 tonne excavator may be necessary to help move and manoeuvre the truck with the modules.
In some cases the only possible solution is to use a crane. This then opens up another can of worms. Problems that need to be considered are;
The crane will have a limited reach for the mass of the module being lifted. Even a 120 tonne crane may have a reach of only 16m with a 19m long module. The location of the crane in relation to the final module position as well as being able to position the module on the truck close enough can be a major logistical problem.
The cranes often have the counterweights delivered separately to reduce the crane transport weight. ( The RMS frowns and fines on overloading on public roads). The counterweights can be as much as 30 tonnes and will need to be delivered in close proximity to the crane position, and then removed again when the job is finished. The counterweights often weigh more than the modules themselves.
If the slope is high then a pad for the crane may need to be excavated so that the crane is on relatively flat ground. It is important that there is no soft fill under the crane outriggers. The outriggers can be blocked up to achieve the desired support.
Attachment points will need to be made on the modules so they can be lifted. In most cases they are lifted from the base but in some instances where the modules are place alongside each other then one of the modules may need to be lifted from the top.
To conclude, the use of a crane may be the only way to place your home in that special position to maximize your views, to include in your landscape that moss covered granite outcrop or to just squeeze your home onto your block. It doesn’t matter whether the crane or the truck is used, Prominda will be there to help. We specialise in delivering homes to difficult rural sites.