Boom lifts are commonly used during construction or repair projects, tree trimming, painting, or window cleaning. But they can be used for anything that requires reaching a height inaccessible by ladder or other lifted platforms.
Home Depot, known for being the most popular home improvement center in the US, rents boom lifts as part of their large equipment rental program.
They also rent scissor lifts, telehandlers, concrete buggies, dump trailers, tractors, excavators, and more.
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What Sizes Do Boom Lifts Come In?
Home Depot rents out several different sizes and styles of boom lift, including:
- 35 ft. towable boom lift
- 50 ft. towable boom lift
- 30-33 ft. DC-powered articulating boom lift
- 34 ft. 4WD articulating boom lift
- 40 ft. telescopic straight boom lift with jib
- 45 ft. 4WD articulating boom lift with jib
- 45 ft. DC-powered articulating boom lift
- 60 ft. articulating boom lift with jib
- 60 ft. telescopic straight boom lift with jib
- 80 ft. articulating boom lift with jib
- 80 ft. telescopic straight boom lift with jib
- 40 ft. DC-powered narrow art boom lift with jib
As you can see, there are a ton of different options here, ranging from 35 feet to 80 feet. These lifts are useful for a wide variety of projects, and you’ll want to make sure you have a good idea of how tall the space is you’re trying to navigate before deciding which boom lift to rent.
How To Rent A Boom Lift At Home Depot
The process of renting a boom lift starts with browsing the selection at Home Depot to decide which kind of boom lift you need. This can be done conveniently from home on homedepot.com.
Once you’ve decided, click on the boom lift you’d like to rent and click “Find a store” to check on availability near you.
Once you have selected a store, you will see prices displayed next to the item you’d like to rent. You will also see an option that says “Rent now.” In some cases, Home Depot might even be able to deliver your equipment directly to you.
By following the prompts on the screen, you can schedule a rental and delivery of your equipment in minutes.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of renting a boom lift from Home Depot will depend on a few different factors:
- Where you live
- What size and style of boom lift you’re renting
- How long you need the boom lift for
In my area, a basic 35 foot towable boom lift currently rents for the following rates:
This is the smallest and least expensive boom lift you can rent from Home Depot. As you can see here, the prices vary depending on how long you plan to rent your equipment. Home Depot offers hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly rentals.
The largest boom lift available at Home Depot, which is the 80 foot articulating boom lift with jib, currently rents for the following rates in my area:
As you can see, there is quite a price difference here. The 80 foot boom lift rental is about four times the price of the smallest lift. However, there’s also a less extreme jump from the hourly to the monthly rentals on this lift, increasing by only 5x. The smallest lift, on the other hand, is 10x more expensive to rent for one month than it is to rent it for four hours.
It’s important to be aware that there are also some additional charges that you’ll incur when you rent from Home Depot in addition to the basic price of the rental. Home Depot offers delivery, which is super convenient, but isn’t free.
Depending on the size of your equipment and where you live, delivery charges can be up to several hundred dollars on top of the price of your rental.
There are also some optional add-on costs, such as damage protection (cost varies depending on the equipment), as well as an optional safety harness rental for $120.
Home Depot also offers a prepaid fuel fee for equipment that runs on diesel or gasoline so that you don’t have to worry about returning the equipment full of fuel. The cost of the fuel fee varies depending on the type of fuel and size of the fuel tank.
If you do not pay this fee, then you are responsible for replacing the fuel you used before you return the equipment. You will also incur an additional fee if you do not return the equipment full of fuel.
If you do not return your rental equipment to Home Depot, this is considered a criminal act by law and is punishable as fraud and/or theft. This also applies to costs incurred for damaging Home Depot’s equipment.
If you do not pay the full cost of the damages, you will be considered liable for criminal fraud charges.
Are Towable Boom Lifts Safe?
It’s true that boom lifts can pose serious risk for injury and damage because of how tall they are and how high their center of gravity is. Boom lifts and scissor lifts both, if used improperly, can pose serious danger to operators and those standing nearby.
Towable boom lifts in particular might cause some concern due to the fact that they are especially lightweight. However, if a towable boom lift is used properly and safely by a trained operator, there is no reason why this equipment should be seen as unsafe.
The advantages of towable boom lifts include:
- They’re lightweight and easy to transport
- They excel in areas that might not support heavy machinery
- They’re perfect for everyday tasks like tree trimming, decorating, painting, etc.
FAQs
Does Home Depot have a boom truck?
No. Home Depot rents out boom lifts and telehandlers, but they do not rent boom trucks.
What is a jib on a boom lift?
A “jib” is the uppermost articulated arm on a boom lift. Jib booms have greater range of motion due to an additional articulation point. Basically, the jib is the section above the highest articulation point that extends out horizontally. Boom lifts with jibs are distinct from regular boom lifts, such as a straight boom lift or a standard articulating boom lift which only has one point of articulation.
Can you use a boom lift on a hill?
It’s not recommended. Boom lifts have a high center of gravity and are quite prone to tipping over. Using a boom lift on a hill or incline can cause serious risk for unintended damage to the machinery or even injury to those in the vicinity.
Can you use a boom lift in the rain?
No. Boom lifts and similar equipment should never be operated in rain, sleet, or snow. Operating Home Depot rental equipment improperly can put you in a position of being liable for costly damage charges.
How long do boom lifts last?
Around 30 years. Built to list, boom lifts are heavy industrial equipment and should not need to be replaced for many decades.
Conclusion
Home Depot is an excellent place to rent boom lifts, offering a dozen different sizes and styles. Whether you’re looking for a piece of heavy duty machinery to use at a construction site or something more lightweight to help you with some hard-to-reach tasks around the yard, Home Depot’s boom lift rental service is a great option.
Just remember that the cost of the rental will go up once you see the additional costs for delivery, optional damage protection, and safety equipment.
Still, Home Depot offers some pretty reasonable prices on heavy equipment rentals, especially if you only need a lift for a few hours.
