BNC Crane Raises the Roof for Habitat for Humanity

BNC Crane used its Terex T 650-1 truck crane to raise a roof on a Habitat for Humanity home build ENLARGE IMAGE

December 17, 2015 - Habitat for Humanity Brant, Ontario, Canada, has built 19 new homes since 1999, relying on the generosity of volunteers for most of the construction work. When the organization’s current project called for a crane to place a roof on a two-story house, BNC Crane Services, Brantford, was happy to lend a hand. Using a Terex T 560-1 telescopic truck crane, BNC helped make the dream of home ownership possible for a family of five. 

 

The new home was built in an existing neighborhood, and the jobsite was small. Also, the crew had to account for electrical wires and other houses next to the site. To make sure the lift was successful, Habitat for Humanity involved BNC's team in the planning stages of the construction process. The job required BNC to lift an 8,000-lb. roof, with a radius of 55 ft., two stories high for workers to secure it to the home. To perform the lift, BNC chose the Terex T 560-1 crane because of its ability to be quickly positioned and rigged on the jobsite. 

 

“The Terex T 560-1 crane’s compact chassis configuration was beneficial for achieving the proper positioning in the tight working quarters,” said Brad Moore, owner of BNC Crane. “It only took us 15 minutes to get set up. My apprentice and son, Nathan, worked with Habitat for Humanity’s volunteers to strap the roof, which was pre-built on the ground, including sheeting and shingles, and from there, I had to perfectly lift the roof without adding stress to the structure. The whole process went smoothly, and two hours later the roof was in place and secure.” 

 

BNC Cranes purchased the T 560-1 truck crane in March, 2015, from Cropac Equipment, a Terex Cranes distributor with locations in Oakville, Ontario; Laval, Québec; and Nisku, Alberta. “We’ve worked with BNC Crane for a long time,” said Dan Sweeney, sales representative at Cropac. “They work hard and are well-respected in the area. When they were in the market to upgrade their equipment fleet, they did their homework. Brad knew exactly what he wanted in a crane. And, the T 560-1 was the perfect unit for their needs.”

 

Since BNC operates in a rural area, travel speeds are important to them. With travel speeds of up to 65 mph, the T 560-1 crane met those requirements and comes equipped with an air-ride suspension for smooth travel even on rough terrain. “We do a wide range of jobs around the area,” explained Moore. “Our work varies from performing large jobs like steel erecting, mounting air units, [and] installing concrete and roof trusses, to smaller residential jobs like installing hot tubs [and] swimming pools, and moving decorative rocks. We needed a machine that could lift up to 60 tons, while having the versatility to perform smaller jobs fast and efficiently. And, that’s exactly what we get from our Terex T 560-1 truck crane.”

 

BNC also selected the truck crane because of its 110-ft. boom height and 33- to 57-ft. telescoping jib range. “Prior to purchasing this unit, we’ve been primarily using boom trucks, which limited us a bit,” added Moore. “Purchasing a telescopic truck crane is a good investment, and we expect it to help us get additional work.”

 

Moore is impressed with how smoothly the T 560-1 crane performed the Habitat for Humanity lift. The crane features electro-proportional joysticks which require less effort to operate, regardless of the load weight, while the unit’s two-speed winches shift on the fly, allowing the operator to match hook speed to the needs of the job. “I’ve been impressed with how precise the controls handle and the power of the hydraulics,” says Moore. “We may not have needed all that power on the Habitat for Humanity lift, but it’s sure nice to have.”

 

Everyone at BNC Crane is proud to be a part of the Habitat for Humanity build, and the charitable organization is certainly thankful for their help. “We are always happy to lend our expertise to a great cause,” Moore concluded.