ASPAR BLOG
Short answer
There is no meaningful standard “price per metre” for a freight lift. Two sites with the same travel height may require different platforms, drives, doors, steel structures and installation work. A quotation therefore starts with the load and operating process, not with a fixed price.
The following groups of parameters should be prepared when comparing proposals.
1. Rated load
The calculation must cover the full mass moved by the equipment: goods, packaging, trolley, pallet truck and any other part of the approved operating scenario. Do not add a universal contingency percentage without a technical assessment. The rated load must reflect the actual process and the documentation for the configuration.
2. Clear platform dimensions
State the maximum dimensions of the load and how it will be presented, not just its mass. A larger platform may change the frame, doors, guides, drive and required building zone.
For an accurate enquiry, provide the pallet, container or trolley dimensions and show the operator's position if the operator is involved in loading.
3. Travel, levels and stops
Travel height and the number of stops affect the structure, controls, doors and installation scope. Provide the actual level data rather than an approximate building height.
4. Loading arrangement
Single-entry, through-loading and adjacent-side loading require different layouts. The number and position of doors, type of guarding and required clear opening may all affect the cost.
Show the arrangement on a plan wherever possible. This reveals whether the load must be turned inside the platform.
5. Structure and drive type
ASPAR works with several categories of freight-handling equipment, including shaft, mast, vertical, skip and bespoke configurations. The category is not selected by budget alone. It depends on the load, route, available space, operating intensity and site conditions.
Compare alternatives against one agreed technical brief. Otherwise, the lower quotation may simply include a different scope.
6. Doors, guarding and controls
Entrance equipment, interlocks, control stations, indicators and other components are defined for the specific solution. The quotation should show what is included in the supply and what remains the customer's responsibility.
Do not judge safety by the number of features in a marketing description. Check the documentation and the scope of the approved configuration.
7. Materials and environmental conditions
A dry indoor space, an outdoor installation or a special environment may require different steelwork and guarding. Materials should be selected for the actual conditions, not treated as a universal “premium” upgrade.
8. Building preparation
The overall budget may include, or separately allocate:
- a foundation or supporting base;
- a shaft or steel frame;
- openings and structural reinforcement;
- electrical supply and earthing;
- weather protection;
- reinstatement of finishes;
- installation access.
Check the work boundaries before comparing commercial proposals. One figure may include installation and preparation, while another covers equipment only.
9. Delivery, installation and commissioning
The city, movement of large components, access to the installation area, work at height and the facility's operating restrictions all affect project delivery. Time and cost are determined after the site and work scope have been assessed.
How to obtain comparable quotations
Send every supplier the same information: load, dimensions, levels, platform, loading directions, installation conditions, power supply and work boundaries. Compare not only the final price but also the configuration, documentation and responsibilities of each party.
Useful ASPAR pages
- Knowledge: how to choose a freight lift
- Product: ASPAR freight lifts
- Solutions: warehouses and logistics, manufacturing facilities and workshops
- Completed project: 800 kg freight lift for a manufacturing facility in Kamianske
Next step
Send the load description, dimensions, levels, loading arrangement and site photographs. ASPAR will prepare a quotation after the configuration and work boundaries have been clarified.
