Crane service in Laveen

Laveen was settled by farmers and dairymen in 1884, and for a long time it was cut off from Phoenix by the Salt River until bridges were built. The early community grew up around 51st Avenue and Dobbins Road, where the first general store and school stood. Dairies were a big part of its history; one of the best known, the Cheatham family dairy, grew into one of Arizona's larger operations before closing in 2003.

Today Laveen Village is one of Phoenix's urban villages, and much of it has been annexed into the city since the mid-1990s, while some areas remain under county jurisdiction. The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, which opened through Laveen in December 2019, has brought a wave of new homes and businesses. South Mountain Park sits along the village's edge, and Laveen also borders the Gila River Indian Community.

Lifting heating and cooling equipment for HVAC contractors is our main work, and Laveen's newer subdivisions keep crews busy. Common lifts include:

• Condensers and heat pumps lifted over the house or block wall to a pad in back
• Rooftop package units set on homes and commercial buildings that use them
• Removal of old equipment on the same trip the new unit goes in

Some of these homes are two-story, and many newer homes have concrete tile roofs, both of which can mean a longer, more careful reach from the street. Tell us the number of stories, the roof type and where the equipment sits. Your crew rigs and guides; we run the boom and set the unit in one shot. See HVAC crane lifts for more.

Laveen is one of the farther trips from our Surprise base, so we like to plan ahead. If you have several change-outs in the area, lining them up together makes the most of the drive.

Laveen still has farm land and horse properties, and community groups have long pushed for equestrian trails as the area grows. Larger lots mean a different set of jobs:

• Prebuilt sheds, tack rooms and small buildings set on a pad
• Trusses for barns, shade structures, garages and shops
• Water tanks, feeders and livestock equipment
• Well pumps and pipe for well crews, on properties that have private wells
• Machinery and building materials

On acreage, access matters most. Tell us about dirt drives, gates, irrigation ditches and anything soft near the setup spot. Keep horses and other animals well away from the lift area, since a moving load can spook them.

Homeowners in Laveen's subdivisions call us when a spa, outdoor kitchen piece or heavy planter won't fit through a narrow side gate. If it can't go through the door, over the roof it goes. Our spa and hot tub lifts page covers how to get ready.

Every lift is different. Call with the weight of the item, how far it needs to go and where the truck can park, and Don will confirm the lift. If a job needs more crane than ours, we have trusted relationships with other crane companies.

A few tips: buy the spa knowing how it will get in, measure from the curb or driveway to the pad, and finish the pad before lift day. Clear patio furniture from the landing area and keep kids and pets inside while the load is moving.

• City or county? Parts of Laveen are in the City of Phoenix and parts are unincorporated county. Some jurisdictions require a right-of-way or street-use permit to set up in the street, so check with the City of Phoenix or Maricopa County, depending on your address.
• HOAs. Newer subdivisions have HOA rules about work trucks and equipment. Check before lift day.
• Overhead lines. Rural roads and farm properties often have lines running along them. OSHA requires crane equipment and loads to stay at least 20 feet from lines up to 350 kV unless specific procedures are used (29 CFR 1926.1408).

Skyhook Crane is licensed and insured and run by Don and his son Bryce. Call 602-615-0712 or text 623-258-8361 to schedule.