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Free calculator · lifting & access

Aerial lift cost calculator for restoration claims.

Pick the right scissor or boom lift for a restoration task and estimate the rental cost from published public rate schedules. Enter how high you need to work, whether you have to reach out over an obstacle, and the site conditions, and the tool recommends the smallest lift that covers the job and prices it by the day, week, or month. Or describe the task in plain terms and let it derive the numbers.

What it covers

What the lift calculator sizes and prices

The calculator starts from working height, the number that matters, and adds the 6-foot person reach so you do not size to the platform by mistake. It reads your horizontal reach to choose between a scissor and a boom, factors the surface into electric versus rough-terrain, and prices the duration at the daily, weekly, or monthly tier it falls into. It covers these tasks today:

Specialty access is covered too: describe a tall facade job and the tool selects between a mast climbing work platform and a two-point suspended swing stage from the work type, facade height, and roof rigging. Swing-stage rental uses a cited rate band; mast-climber pricing is quote-locally, because no published rates exist. Spider lifts and low-clearance machines for confined sites are still coming.

The engine behind this calculator

This same math runs inside AI Estimate Assistant

AI Estimate Assistant, from Antero Trail, turns field notes, photos, and floor plans into carrier-ready Xactimate estimates. The calculator on this page is one piece of that engine, pulled out and made free. In the app, the lift lands in your estimate as Xactimate EQU SLIFT or BLIFT items sized to the working height, with the reasoning attached. No copy-paste.

Try AI Estimate Assistant free See what the app does
Method

How the lift is selected and priced

The choice between a scissor lift and a boom lift comes down to whether you need to reach out or only up. A scissor lift raises a wide platform straight up and is the cheaper, more stable choice for straight vertical work such as ceilings and interior walls. A boom lift, either articulating or telescopic, trades cost for the ability to reach up and over an obstacle, which is what you need to get to a soffit past landscaping or to a wall above a lower roof. The tool reads your working height and horizontal reach and recommends the smallest class that covers both.

Working height is the number that matters, not platform height. A person working from a platform reaches about 6 feet above it, so a 20 foot platform is a 26 foot working height. Getting this wrong is the most common way estimators under-size a lift. Site conditions change the machine too: indoor work and smooth slabs allow an electric lift with non-marking tires, while rough terrain needs a heavier engine-powered unit that rents for more. Cost comes from published equipment rate schedules and steps down at the daily, weekly, and monthly break points, so the tool prices the duration you enter at the rate tier it falls into.

Delivery and pickup are billed on top of the rental rate, each way, so the result shows them as separate line items rather than folding them into the day rate. That keeps the freight visible, which matters most on short rentals where it can rival the rental time itself.

FAQ

Common questions

How much does it cost to rent a boom lift or scissor lift?
From published 2026 rental data, a 19 to 20 foot electric scissor lift runs about $100 to $150 per day, roughly $300 to $450 per week, and $700 to $1,100 per month. A 40 to 60 foot boom lift runs about $350 to $700 per day, $1,000 to $2,200 per week, and $3,000 to $6,500 per month. Delivery and pickup are billed on top, usually $100 to $300 each way depending on distance. These are planning ranges from public rate schedules, not a quote. The calculator prices your specific working height and duration at the tier it falls into.
Scissor lift or boom lift?
Use a scissor lift when you only need to go straight up on a firm, level floor. It gives you a wide, stable platform at the lowest rental cost. Use a boom lift when you have to reach out and over something, or up and back down to a wall above a lower roof. The tool reads your working height and horizontal reach and picks the smallest class that covers both.
What is the difference between working height and platform height?
Platform height is how high the floor of the basket goes. Working height adds about 6 feet for a person reaching overhead, so a 20 foot platform is a 26 foot working height. Under-sizing a lift by entering platform height instead of working height is the most common mistake estimators make. Always size to the working height you need.
When do I need a rough-terrain lift instead of an electric one?
Electric scissor and boom lifts are built for smooth slabs and firm, level ground, and they run quiet with no exhaust so they work indoors. Rough terrain, soft soil, or a grade needs an engine-powered rough-terrain unit with larger tires and often four-wheel drive. It costs more to rent, so the tool only steps you up to it when the surface calls for it.
Why is a weekly rental cheaper than seven daily rentals?
Rental rates step down at the daily, weekly, and monthly break points. A one-week rental almost always costs less than seven separate daily rentals, and a month is cheaper than four weeks. The tool prices the duration you enter at the correct tier instead of multiplying the day rate.
Are delivery and pickup included in the rate?
No. Rental yards bill delivery and pickup as separate charges, usually a flat fee each way that depends on distance and the size of the machine. Budget for both. A one-day rental can cost as much in freight as in rental time, which is another reason to combine the work into one trip.
Can I use this number in an Xactimate supplement?
Yes. The result includes the lift class, the working-height rationale, the rate source, and a narrative you can paste into the supplement. Where a matching Xactimate equipment item exists (EQU SLIFT for a scissor lift, EQU BLIFT for a boom lift), the tool names it so the line prices regionally at import.
Is this a quote?
No. It is a planning estimate built from published public rate schedules. Confirm the machine, access, and price with a rental yard before you rely on it.
Rate basis

Sources

These calculators produce planning estimates from published public rate schedules. They are not a formal quote. Confirm equipment, access, and pricing with a licensed operator or rental yard before you rely on any number for an estimate.