Last updated October 2026

Overhead Crane Vendor Quotes Checklist: What a Complete Bid Must Include

Crane quotes are where money quietly disappears. Two vendors can bid the "same" 10-ton crane $40,000 apart, and the cheaper one usually wins by omitting scope — runway steel, engineering, the load test — that you'll pay for anyway later. This checklist forces every quote onto the same scope so you're comparing prices, not omissions.

The 12 line items every quote must include

1. Crane equipment, fully described. Capacity, span, lift, CMAA duty class, girder type, hoist type and capacity, speeds, controls, electrification type. If the duty class isn't stated, the quote is incomplete.
2. Runway system scope — explicitly. Included, excluded, or "existing adequate"? If included: columns, beams, rail, stops, and linear footage. If excluded: a written statement of what the vendor assumes already exists.
3. Structural engineering. Who verifies the building can carry the crane loads? Sealed drawings included or by others?
4. Installation labor. Rigging, erection, alignment — and who provides the crane (the lifting kind) to set the bridge.
5. Electrical. Power feed to the runway, disconnects, conductor bar or festoon installation, tie-in to building power. The most commonly "assumed by others" line item in the industry.
6. Freight. FOB point and who pays freight to the site. Oversize loads need permits and escorts — confirm who's handling that.
7. Load testing. OSHA requires a 125% rated-load test on new or substantially modified cranes before first use. Confirm it's in the scope with documentation, not assumed.
8. Startup and training. Commissioning, no-load and rated-load test runs, operator familiarization. At minimum, a documented handover.
9. Paint and finish. Standard industrial enamel vs. specified coating systems — matters in corrosive or washdown environments.
10. Below-the-hook devices. Almost always quoted separately. If you need a spreader beam, magnet, or lifting beam, get it in the same package.
11. Warranty terms. Duration, what's covered (parts? labor? travel?), and who performs warranty service locally.
12. Schedule. Manufacturing lead time, installation duration, and what the vendor needs from you (power available, access, floor space) to hold it.

Scope traps to watch for

• "Crane only" quotes. Equipment price without runway, installation, or electrical isn't a project price. Always ask: "what's the installed total?"
• Missing duty class. A quote without a stated CMAA class is quoting the cheapest build that meets the capacity number. Ask what class is included.
• Electrical by others. Legitimate if stated — dangerous if assumed silently. Clarify the exact handoff point (which disconnect, whose wire).
• No load test mentioned. The 125% test is an OSHA requirement, not an option. Its absence signals a vendor cutting corners elsewhere too.
• Vague runway language. "Runway as required" or "by others" without a structural review is how $80,000 surprises happen mid-project.

Before you solicit quotes, make sure your spec is solid — our specifying guide covers the eight lines that define the crane. And if you'd like help structuring the whole package, request a project brief.

Red flags in crane quotes

• No duty class stated. A quote without a CMAA class is a quote for whatever's cheapest to build.
• Vague scope boundaries. "Electrical included" — from where to where? The disconnect location is where quotes diverge by five figures.
• No mention of load testing. The 125% test is an OSHA requirement, not an option. If it's not in the quote, it's a change order later.
• Unrealistic lead time. An 8-week promise on an engineered 20-ton double girder deserves skepticism and a liquidated-damages conversation.
• No service footprint. The cheapest installer with no local service presence is the most expensive crane you'll own.

Negotiating without cutting the wrong corners

There's legitimate room to negotiate: payment terms, training scope, spare-parts packages, and warranty length are all tradable. What's not tradable: duty class, safety devices, and the load test. A useful tactic is asking each vendor to quote an optional deduct — e.g., "price without the radio control" — which reveals their real margins on accessories and gives you clean levers. Never negotiate by asking a vendor to "sharpen the pencil" on a lump sum; you'll get a cheaper crane, not a cheaper price.

The bid-leveling spreadsheet

Build a simple spreadsheet with one column per vendor and one row per scope element from the checklist above. Mark each cell: included, excluded, or unclear. The pattern that emerges is always the same — the cheapest bid has the most "excluded" and "unclear" cells. Then send every vendor the same clarification list and ask for revised pricing on the gaps. This second round is where quotes become genuinely comparable, and it's also where weak vendors reveal themselves: the good ones answer precisely, the weak ones get vaguer. Never award on first-round pricing.