With the proliferation of remote working, we’re seeing countless office blocks in all major cities across the United States being repurposed for housing development–something we’ve seen as a provider of crane services. In response to this, many owners of office blocks are looking at converting their offices into apartments. This not only breathes new life into these spaces but also provides much-needed housing for the countless people struggling to afford renting out entire homes.
While some office blocks may already be easily converted, many will require a bit more work to turn the larger areas into multiple rooms or flats. Although, as these buildings are already constructed, moving large amounts of materials up the floors via stairs or elevators may not be efficient. As one of the leading companies in the bay area offering crane services and other engineering contributions, we have several services available which can help you to achieve your conversion in a quick and efficient manner.
Here is how our services can help you to convert your office block into an apartment building.
Seismic Retrofitting
One of our more popular services is seismic retrofitting to ensure the stability of the building during earthquakes. The danger of an earthquake around the San Andreas fault is very real, with the United States Geological Survey stating there is a 70% chance that one or more major earthquakes will occur before the year 2030. Seismic retrofitting your building before starting the conversion to an apartment block can not only protect your investment, but also the countless lives of those who occupy these spaces.
Engineering
Turning an office block into an apartment building will require a variety of heavy materials and pieces of equipment which may pose a threat to the structural capacity of the building. This is just one of many considerations that can be resolved by working alongside one of our engineers. Through their expertise and the apt use of both 2D and 3D Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD), they can help you to plan your conversion so it goes off without a hitch.
Shoring
With the necessity of the heavy machinery and materials which are needed on varying levels of a building while it’s being renovated, shoring can guarantee that the building stays upright while you work. Again this will not only protect your investment, but also any staff who are working on the building at the time.
Storage
As we’re talking about converting office buildings into apartment blocks, one can assume that this is undertaken in densely populated areas. This can limit the amount of materials and machinery which you can have on-site and may require the storage of certain elements as you go along. Storage by itself is helpful, but on top of that, it’s important to have people who know how to handle the machinery and materials too, so as to not damage them.
A popular service with most of our clients, our convenient locations near the Port of San Francisco and Port of Stockton have aided many businesses in housing their equipment or being able to access it from a convenient location.
Hauling
On top of storing your machinery and materials in a responsible manner within the convenient vicinity of the location, we can also offer hauling services to bring you what you need. As with storage, correct handling is of the utmost importance when it comes to hauling.
Cranes
Finally, the crème de la crème of our services, we have a variety of cranes and operators that can help with the rigging of materials and equipment. Whether you simply need it lifted from the ground to one of the higher floors, or you need a roof-mounted one to extend the height of the building, we’ve got you covered.
Types of Crane
We have several different kinds of cranes which may be relevant to your project:
- Lattice Boom Crane – also known as a crawler crane due to their tank-like treads, these are suitable for jobs with soft or uneven terrain. Capable of carrying 165 to 225 ton.
- Hydraulic Truck Crane – these are more maneuverable than other crane types, and are ideal for loading and moving equipment onsite. Capable of carrying 22 to 90 ton.
- All Terrain and Rough Terrain Cranes – somewhat irrelevant in a cityscape, these are purpose built for hard terrains. All terrain cranes can carry 200 to 500 ton, while rough terrain cranes can carry 10 to 70 ton.
- Roof Mounted Cranes – perhaps one of the most relevant for converting an office into an apartment, as the name suggests these can be mounted on the roof. These can carry 30 or 50 ton.
We also have a variety of support equipment that will be useful in the use of a crane for your project, including:
- Crane mats
- Debris boxes
- Flying jib
- Man-baskets
- Pallet forks
- Weights and load test equipment
- 100 – 800 ton hydraulic gantries
Crane Services Bay Area, CA
To learn more about how we can help with your conversion, or any other project, check out our website or contact us today to learn more about our crane services.