Construction projects in London often come with a familiar set of challenges: limited access, tight spaces, restricted roads, time constraints, and extremely costly crane options. But for one recent residential redevelopment, our hiab crane fleet proved to be the smarter, safer, and significantly more efficient solution.
This short job report takes a closer look at how our team completed a complex lift inside a scaffold-covered structure, and why construction companies are increasingly turning to Hiab cranes as an alternative to temporary site cranes and mobile crane installations.
A Challenging London Location
The project was located in a central London mews, where two townhouses were being converted into a single, extended property.
The construction team required two large, heavy roof lights to be lifted 12m high and a reach of 20m inside a temporary scaffold roof structure. A tight and highly constrained environment.
The narrow mews, restricted access and limited set-up area made conventional crane options extremely difficult and expensive in comparison to the option our lifting team were able to specify.
Why a Temporary Gantry or Mobile Crane Wasn’t the Best Option
The contractor explored the possibility of using a temporary overhead gantry crane for the installation. While technically viable this came with considerable drawbacks:
Much higher cost – The installation, testing, and dismantling of a gantry crane, or mobilising a large mobile crane in a tight mews, would have driven the project costs up significantly.
Time-consuming setup – Gantry cranes require design, installation, inspection and dismantling. Mobile cranes require stabilisation, traffic control and extended safe zones. All of this could have added days, not hours, to the programme.
Longer road closures & more disruption – Larger crane options would have required a substantial and extended closure of the mews, affecting residents and risking project delays.
By comparison, a HIAB crane:
- Arrived on site
- Set up quickly
- Completed the lift in just a couple of hours
- Required only a short, controlled closure
- A smart choice for the location, timeline and budget.
HIAB Contract Lift: The Smarter Choice
Sussex Transport was contracted on a full Contract Lift basis, meaning our lifting team handled:
- Lift planning & method statements
- RAMS documentation
- Appointed Person oversight
- Road & mews closure permits
- Insurance
- Crane operation
- Supervision & slinging
In addition, the lift featured;
- Safe road closure – We managed a controlled closure of the mews to create a safe lifting environment.
- Precision lifting at height – Our hiab crane achieved the required 12m height and 20m reach, comfortably placing both roof lights inside the scaffolded temporary roof.
- Fast completion – The entire operation was completed in just a couple of hours, from setup to final placement.
- Significant cost savings – Compared to a gantry crane or mobile crane solution, the HIAB option saved
- Time
- Money
- Disruption
- Planning complexity
The Result
Thanks to our experienced lifting team and the versatility of our HIAB crane fleet, the entire lift was completed Safely, Efficiently, Fully compliant, On time, With minimal disruption to neighbours
The construction contractor has since engaged Sussex Transport to support additional lifting elements on this and future projects.
Why Construction Companies Are Turning to HIAB Cranes
HIAB cranes can replace or reduce the need for:
- Temporary gantry cranes
- Mobile cranes
- Mini cranes
- Scaffold loading bays
- Tower crane support lifts
- and more…
They are especially suited to:
- London mews streets and restricted access sites
- Residential extensions and conversions
- Rooflight, glazing and steels installation
- Urban construction projects
- Logistically complex environments
If your site is challenging, space restricted, or near sensitive public areas, a lorry loader / hiab could be the safest, most cost-effective lifting solution available.
