Industrial rigging services typically cost $250 to $500 per hour for a standard 3-person crew with a small to mid-size crane, with most full projects running $3,500 to $30,000 from start to finish. Simple machinery installations and single-pick equipment relocations sit at the low end; multi-week plant relocations and heavy critical lifts can exceed $200,000 once cranes, engineering, permits, and crew time are billed end-to-end.
The hourly rate covers the rigger crew, basic rigging hardware (slings, shackles, spreader bars under 5,000 lb), and a foreman directing the lift. It does not include the crane itself, mobilization, custom-engineered lift plans, or municipal permits — those are billed separately. Master Rigger labor commands a 25-40% premium over journeyman rates and is required for ASME B30-classified critical lifts. For crane-only day rates and per-hour pricing, see how much it costs to hire a crane for a day.
Engineered lift plans for non-routine work start at $1,500 and can exceed $8,000 when PE-stamped drawings, finite element analysis, or third-party review under OSHA 1926.1400 are required. Heavy haul transport adds $5 to $15+ per loaded mile depending on permit complexity, escorts, and route surveys. Regional variables like the steep grades and weight-restricted bridges found in Pittsburgh’s industrial corridors often require additional route surveys, pushing per-mile costs toward the higher end of these estimates. Most rigging companies bill a 4-hour minimum and charge mobilization separately for jobs outside their home metro area.
Basic rigger’s liability insurance is typically included in the hourly rate, but high-value lifts (machinery worth $500,000+) often require supplemental hook coverage or a separate damage waiver — confirm coverage limits in writing before any critical lift. A trustworthy rigging quote breaks out crew, crane, hardware, mobilization, engineering, permits, and insurance as discrete line items. Bundled or “all-in” quotes typically conceal margin or omit downstream fees — always ask for the itemized version before committing.