Crane for a rooftop AC unit in Naples
Old unit down, new one set, on the day you told your customer. Most rooftop AC swaps are a short boom truck job. Weight, reach and where the truck parks decide which crane and what it costs.
The short answer
A typical packaged rooftop unit weighs roughly 440 to 2,200 pounds, so most Naples AC swaps are a short boom truck job. The crane is sized by weight at reach - the distance from where the truck parks to the roof curb - not weight alone. Published operated boom truck rates run about $125 to $250 an hour with a 3 to 4 hour minimum plus travel.
- Get the model number of the old unit and the new one. That gives the operator both weights.
- Pace off the distance from the truck spot to the curb. Reach changes the crane more than weight does.
- A rooftop unit in unincorporated Collier County goes through plan review, not a self-issued permit.
- Plan the swap as one visit so it fits inside a single minimum charge.
How heavy is a rooftop unit?
Lighter than most people guess. One common packaged rooftop line, by cooling size:
| Cooling size | Approx. weight |
|---|---|
| 3 ton | 437 lb |
| 5 ton | 511 lb |
| 7.5 ton | 743 lb |
| 10 ton | 815 lb |
| 15 ton | 1,325 lb |
| 25 ton | 2,174 lb |
Source: Carrier 50FC technical specifications. Options, curb adapters and economizers add weight. Other brands differ.
Your number is on the unit’s spec sheet or data plate. Grab the model number of the old unit and the new one. That alone answers the first question any crane operator asks.
Why reach matters more than weight
A crane loses capacity as the boom reaches out. So a 500 pound unit 50 feet back from the truck can need more crane than a heavier one sitting at the roof edge. The operator reads that off the crane’s load chart, which the rules require them to follow.
What the operator will ask about your AC lift
- Both weightsThe old unit coming down and the new one going up. Model numbers work.
- Truck to curbWhere the truck can park, and how far that is from the roof curb or stand.
- Roof heightStories, parapets and anything the load has to clear.
- Overhead linesThe operator has to plan around any line the crane or load could come within 20 feet of.
- PaperworkCondo boards and property managers often want a certificate of insurance before the lift. Put "COI needed" on the form.
How the lift day usually runs
- Your crew gets the old unit ready
Power off, refrigerant recovered, disconnected and unbolted before the crane shows. Crane time is billed while it waits.
- Old unit down, new unit up
The operator sets up, rigs per the unit's lifting instructions and makes both picks in one visit.
- You tie it down
Florida's mechanical code wants rooftop equipment anchored to its curb or stand to resist wind. That's your crew's work after the set, not the crane's.
Permits for a rooftop changeout in Collier County
Before you book the crane
- Unincorporated Collier: a unit on the roof of a building is not a self-issued A/C permit. It goes through plan review with plans showing where the unit sits and the change-out data sheet.
- City of Naples or Marco Island: they run their own building departments. Check with them for work inside city limits.
- Crane in the street? Ask the operator who pulls any street-use permit and whether it is in the price.
- Condo or HOA: ask the board or manager about lift-day rules and the COI they need.
What a rooftop AC lift costs
A swap is a short lift, so the minimum charge and the travel time matter more than the hourly rate.
| Crane | Hourly | Minimum charge |
|---|---|---|
| 23 to 30 ton boom truck | $155 to $175 | $465 to $700 |
| Operated boom truck, general range | $125 to $250 | 3 to 4 hour minimum plus travel |
Sources: RiggingForce; Equipment Rental Compare.
Fuel, a rigger, spreader bars and permits can land on top. The full crane cost breakdown shows how to compare two quotes line by line, and the towns we cover page shows the drive from downtown Naples, which is what travel time is billed on.
Those are rates from other states. The Naples number comes from your weight, your town and your truck spot.
Still deciding? The crane rental questions page covers insurance, weather and timing, and the guides hub has the rest of the planning articles.
Questions people ask
Can a boom truck lift a rooftop AC unit?
Most small packaged units and condensers are boom truck jobs. What decides it is the weight at your reach, not the weight alone. The operator checks the crane's load chart for the distance from the truck to the roof curb.
Can the old unit come down and the new one go up in the same visit?
Usually that is the plan, and it keeps the job inside one minimum charge. Say on the form that it is a swap, and give both weights if you have them.
Do I need a permit for a rooftop AC changeout in Collier County?
In unincorporated Collier County, an A/C replacement on the roof of a building does not get the self-issued permit. It goes through plan review with plans showing the unit's location and the change-out data sheet. The City of Naples and Marco Island run their own building departments, so check there for jobs inside city limits.
Who brings the rigging?
Ask the operator what is included. Basic slings usually are. Spreader bars, a rigger or a signal person can be extra, and the quote should say so.
Is this site a crane company?
No. It explains crane rental in the Naples area. If you send a request, we pass it to a local crane operator, who prices and does the work under their own business.
More answers on the crane rental questions page.
Sources
- Carrier, WeatherMaker 50FC technical specifications
- Collier County, A/C Replacement (PRAR) application requirements
- Palm Beach County BCAB, wind resistance of exposed mechanical equipment (FBC Mechanical 301.15)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1417, operation (load charts)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1408, power line safety
- RiggingForce, cost to hire a crane for a day
- Equipment Rental Compare, boom truck rental price
Want a price for this lift?
Tell us the job and the town. We pass it to a crane company that works your part of Collier or Lee County, and they come back to you with a price. Asking costs nothing.
This site is an information site. The crane work itself is done by an independent, licensed and insured company.
Keep reading
- How much crane rental costs in Naples
Published hourly rates, minimum charges and travel, with a worked example and the extras to ask about.
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Towns we cover around NaplesDistances from downtown Naples to Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, Ave Maria and more.
- Crane rental questions
Short answers on boom trucks, operators, travel time, permits and power lines.
The Pick Sheet Crane job prep kit for Naples and SW Florida
Answer what every crane operator asks - before you call one.
The Pick Sheet is a one-page job sheet for weight, reach, height, access, ground and power lines. It comes with a typical-cost table from published rate sheets and a short list of what to ask before you book. Fill it in from the job site and your first call is about price.
- Job sheet: weight, size, reach, height, access, ground, power lines
- Typical-cost table from published rate sheets, with sources
- HOA, permit and street-use checks to make before lift day
- What to ask before you book