Crane hours and minimums in Idaho Falls
A short boom truck job around Idaho Falls starts near $300 once the 2-hour minimum is counted. A 40-ton truss day lands near $850, and a larger crane for a wide roof passes $1,000.
Rates three crane companies post
| Machine | Rate | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-run boom truck, Kalispell MT | $148/hr | 2 hours |
| 40-ton hydraulic crane, Kalispell MT | $210/hr | 3 hours |
| 50-ton hydraulic crane, same yard | $235/hr | 3 hours |
| 65-ton hydraulic crane, same yard | $260/hr | 4 hours |
| Mobile crane visit, Cache Valley UT | $500 | 3 hours included |
Sources, all read November 12, 2026: the 2026 rate posted by Rocky Mountain Crane, an owner-operated boom truck service in Kalispell, Montana ($148 an hour, 2-hour minimum, port to port); the hydraulic crane rates posted by Harmon Crane, also in Kalispell (port to port, plus $25 an hour past 50 miles and $60 an hour for overtime); and the Cache Valley mobile crane booking price of Utah Crane Services in Hyrum, Utah ($500 for 3 hours). None of the three works eastern Idaho, and Idaho Falls operators quote by phone, so use these as a yardstick.
Price an eastern Idaho crane job
Choose the closest job and a machine. The tool uses the posted hourly rates and minimums from the table above. The mileage add-on, a rigger and permits are left out.
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Who posts these rates
Crane companies around Idaho Falls quote once they know the job, and none of them posts a price. Three Mountain West outfits do. Rocky Mountain Crane, an owner-operated boom truck service in Kalispell, Montana, posts $148 an hour with a 2-hour minimum for 2026.
Harmon Crane, also in Kalispell, posts its hydraulic cranes: $210 an hour for 40 tons and $235 for 50 tons, each with a 3-hour minimum, and $260 for 65 tons with a 4-hour minimum. Utah Crane Services in Hyrum, Utah books a Cache Valley mobile crane visit at $500 for 3 hours.
Minimums, mileage and overtime
Every rate here carries a minimum, and the Montana rates run port to port, so the clock starts when the truck leaves the yard. A job in Rexburg or Blackfoot uses more of that minimum on the road than one by the greenbelt.
The Harmon sheet adds $25 an hour past 50 miles and $60 an hour for overtime. Eastern Idaho yards set their own add-ons, so ask how they bill travel to a farm out past Roberts or St. Anthony.
Bills worked from the posted rates
- $296The boom truck for its 2-hour minimum, 2 times $148.
- $840The 40-ton crane for 4 hours, 4 times $210.
- $1,040The 65-ton crane for its 4-hour minimum, 4 times $260.
Built from a posted rate. The operator sets your actual price.
Start my crane quoteWhat the hourly rate does not cover
Each posted rate covers the machine and its operator. Ask about the rest:
- Travel past the yard, and any mileage add-on for long runs.
- A rigger or second hand, which one Kalispell sheet lists at $120 an hour with a 2-hour minimum.
- Truss spreaders, slings and tag lines.
- Mats or cribbing on a soft lot, a wet field edge or fresh fill.
- A traffic control plan and right-of-way permit when the crane sits in an Idaho Falls street (traffic control policy).
- Idaho Transportation Department permits for a crane over legal size on the highway.
Boom truck, or a bigger crane?
Weight and reach decide it. A boom truck handles most condensers, hot tubs and single-story truss sets with the truck close to the house. A two-story package, a wide shop roof or a unit far across a commercial roof needs the reach of a 40 to 65-ton crane.
The truss guide and the rooftop unit guide go further into sizing.
Pricing questions we hear in eastern Idaho
What is the smallest crane bill around Idaho Falls?
On the posted rates, 2 hours of the boom truck at $148, which is $296. Local operators set their own minimums, so ask when you call.
Is a flat-price crane visit cheaper?
Sometimes. The Utah visit at $500 for 3 hours works out to about $167 an hour. For a short lift close to the yard, an hourly rate with a 2-hour minimum can come in lower.
Does the drive count toward the minimum?
With port to port billing, yes. The clock runs from the yard and back, so a lift in Rexburg or Pocatello spends more of the minimum on the road.
Sources
- Rocky Mountain Crane (Kalispell, MT), 2026 posted rate
- Harmon Crane (Kalispell, MT), posted crane rates
- Utah Crane Services (Hyrum, UT), Cache Valley mobile crane booking
- City of Idaho Falls, traffic control policy
- Idaho Code 49-1010, vehicle width and height
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1408, power line safety