An electric hoist is hired on two numbers: the load it must lift and how far it has to lift it. A half ton chain hoist with a standard ten to twenty foot lift runs near $45 a day, while capacity up to five tons costs well past $150. The harder question is almost always what you are going to hang it from.
Capacity and lift are separate choices
Rated capacity is the load, and a standard chain length gives a fixed lift height, so a hoist strong enough for the job may still not reach the floor from your beam. Give the counter both figures plus the headroom between anchor and load, because a bulky hook and block eats several inches of that space before anything moves.
The anchor is your responsibility
A hoist is only as sound as the point it hangs from. A structural beam, a hired gantry frame or an engine crane are anchors. A joist in a domestic garage or a roof purlin usually is not. Yards hire adjustable gantries and beam clamps alongside the hoist, and the trolley that lets a load travel along the beam is a separate item.
Power, duty and control
Most rental hoists run from a standard single phase supply, but the larger ones do not, and a long thin extension will drop the voltage enough to matter. The duty rating limits how many lifts an hour the motor will take. Check the pendant cable reaches somewhere you can stand safely and still see the load clearly.
Before it lifts anything at all
Look over the chain or rope for kinks, twists and flat spots, check the hook latch closes, and test the upper limit switch with nothing on the hook. Confirm the slings and shackles are hired too and rated above the load. Anything with a slipping brake or a damaged pendant goes back to the yard rather than up.
Questions people ask about electric hoist rental
What can I safely hang an electric hoist from?
A structural steel beam sized for the load, or a hired gantry or A frame rated above it. Domestic garage joists, timber purlins and roof trusses are generally not designed for a concentrated point load. If you cannot confirm the capacity of the structure, hire the gantry and stand it on the floor.
How much chain comes with a rental hoist?
Standard lifts are commonly ten, fifteen or twenty feet, with longer chains available on request. Tell the yard the drop from the anchor to the lowest point the hook must reach, and remember the load itself uses some of that height.
Do slings come with the hoist?
Usually not by default, but the same counter hires round slings, chain slings and shackles by rating. Ask for gear rated above your load and check the tags and colour codes. Damaged or untagged lifting gear should be refused at handover.