3.5T HIAB Van Hire in Kent, Surrey, Essex & Sussex
Short Notice. Same-Day Distance. Loads Itself at Both Ends.
Self-loading at both ends and out at very short notice on most days. Lifts up to 600kg; carries around 800kg.
Get a Free QuoteSmall HIAB Van Hire — a Crane That Fits Down Your Street
The van is a 3.5-tonne Iveco Daily dropside fitted with its own vehicle-mounted crane — a HIAB in miniature. It does the same job as our full-size lorry: drives to site, sets up, lifts your load on or off, and drives away. The difference is scale. The crane lifts loads of up to 600kg on and off the bed, and the van carries loads of up to 800kg — call us to talk through your exact load and we will confirm it is within the van's limits.
Because it is van-sized, it goes where a full-size HIAB lorry simply cannot: narrow residential streets, tight driveways, height-restricted yards and weight-limited lanes. And because it costs less to run, the price of the job comes down with it — smaller vehicle, smaller bill. The bigger saving is what you do not have to pay for: one vehicle does the lifting at both ends, so there is no forklift hire and no waiting on labour at collection or delivery. It also covers ground fast: Kent, Surrey, Essex and East Sussex day to day, and long-distance same-day runs across the UK when an oversized pallet or an awkward piece of steel has to be hundreds of miles away by the end of the working day.
Self-Loading — No Forklift Needed
The crane travels with the load, so the van is completely self-sufficient — it loads itself at collection and unloads itself at delivery, with no forklift, telehandler or extra labour needed at either end. That independence, plus availability at very short notice on most days, is what makes it the right tool for the jobs below.
Same-Day Oversized Pallet Delivery
Not parcel-network pallet work — this is for the loads pallet couriers turn away: oversized or overweight pallets, heavy single items that need a crane offload at the far end, and oddly shaped or heavy pieces of metal. We collect, drive direct and lift the load off exactly where it needs to land — same day, long distance, no forklift at either address.
Road Plate Delivery & Placement
Steel road plates delivered and placed flat on the ground, ready for your road workers — not dropped at the kerb for the crew to manhandle. To be clear: we do not supply or hire out plates. We deliver and place your own, or your hire company's, collecting from any depot you name.
Event Barrier Delivery
Pedestrian and crowd barriers delivered for events and traffic management, offloaded by crane wherever the site plan calls for them. Same model as road plates: the barriers are your own or your hire company's stock, and we collect them from any depot you name.
Generator Delivery & Placement
Small generators carried to site and lifted into their final position — onto a compound base or over a fence line — not left on the pavement. The crane lifts up to 600kg; call with your unit's weight and we will confirm it is within that limit.
Multi-Drop Day Hire
The van and driver can also be hired by the day for multi-drop routes — several collections and several deliveries handled in one hire. Because the crane travels with the load, every stop is self-loading: the van picks up at a merchant, a fabricator or a depot, lifts off at each site, and moves straight on to the next. No forklift booked at any address, no crew standing around waiting to unload.
That is also why the rate works. One vehicle and one operator replace a delivery van, a driver, and the forklift hire or extra labour you would otherwise need at each end — the van does the lifting at both ends of every leg. Within the crane's 600kg lift limit and the van's payload of around 800kg, tell us the stops on your route and we will price the day — call us or use the quote form below.
When the Van Is the Right Call
Book the van rather than the lorry when at least one of these is true:
- You need a vehicle at very short notice — on most days, the same day you call
- An oversized pallet or a heavy, awkward item must travel a long distance the same day
- Road plates, event barriers or a small generator need placing, not just dropping
- The load is a single item the crane can lift — 600kg or less
- The whole delivery is within the van's payload of around 800kg
- Access is tight — narrow streets, small drives, height limits
- It is a small material drop: timber, sheets, bagged aggregate, small steel
- Small plant, attachments or tools need shuttling between sites
- The day's work is multi-drop — several collections and deliveries on one route
- There is no forklift at either end — the van loads and unloads itself
- The job is too small to justify full-size HIAB rates
- The item is too heavy for a courier or a tail-lift van
Van or Lorry? Two Vehicles, One Phone Call
We run two crane vehicles, so you never pay for more vehicle than the job needs. The van covers the small end; the full-size HIAB lorry covers everything above it — heavier lifts, longer reach and bigger loads. Tell us what needs moving and we will put the right one on the job.
Choose the van for single lifts up to 600kg — the small end of our heavy item delivery work — total loads within its ~800kg payload, tight access, short-notice bookings and smaller budgets.
Choose the lorry for heavier lifts, multi-tonne loads, longer crane reach and nationwide work.
Why Choose A Arnold Transport
ALLMI CSCS Certified
Every operator holds a current ALLMI CSCS card — the industry standard for lorry loader crane operations.
LOLER Compliant
All lifting equipment is regularly examined and holds current LOLER certificates, keeping your site compliant.
Family-Run Since 1975
Over 50 years of transport and delivery experience across Kent and the South East.
Fully Insured
Public liability and goods-in-transit cover on every job — fixed prices, no hidden charges.
HIAB Van Hire FAQs
How quickly can you get to us?
On most days the van is available at very short notice — often the same day you call. If timing is tight, phone rather than email and we will tell you straight away whether we can fit the job in.
Can you take an oversized pallet a long distance the same day?
Yes — that is the van's core long-distance job. We are not a general pallet courier: the van earns its keep on the loads the networks turn away — oversized or overweight pallets, heavy single items that need a crane offload, and awkward pieces of metal. We collect, drive direct and lift off at the far end: one vehicle, one driver, no depot hubs, no forklift needed at either address.
Do you supply road plates or barriers, or just deliver them?
We deliver and place — we do not supply or hire out equipment. The plates or barriers are your own or your hire company's stock; we collect them from any depot you name, then the crane places road plates flat on the ground ready for your road workers, sets barriers out wherever the site plan calls for and lifts small generators into their final position — anywhere within reach of the crane, for lifts up to 600kg.
Can we hire the van and driver for a full day?
Yes — multi-drop day hire is a regular booking. You get the van and an ALLMI-certified driver for the day, running as many collections and deliveries as the route allows, with the crane doing the loading and unloading at every stop. Tell us the stops and we will quote for the day — pricing always comes from a quick call or the quote form, matched to your actual route.
How much can the van's crane lift?
The crane lifts loads of up to 600kg for loading and offloading. If your item is close to that figure, call us with the exact weight and we will confirm it before booking.
How much can the van carry?
As a guide, loads of up to 800kg. Real-world payload depends on what the load is and how it sits on the bed, so we would always rather you called to talk it through than guessed.
Is the van cheaper than a full-size HIAB lorry?
Yes — for jobs within its limits. A smaller vehicle costs less to run, so smaller jobs are priced accordingly. You are not paying full-size HIAB rates for a 400kg lift.
Can it reach tight-access sites?
That is the point of it. The van fits narrow residential streets, small driveways and height-restricted sites that a full-size HIAB lorry cannot get near.
Can you run the van and the lorry on the same day?
Yes. They are separate vehicles with separate drivers, so one can be on a small drop while the other handles a bigger lift elsewhere.
Need a Small HIAB in the South East?
Need it moved today? On most days the van can be out at short notice — call us directly, or send a message through the contact form and we reply within 1 working hour during business hours.
Request a Free QuoteGet a Free HIAB Van Hire Quote
Ready to discuss your project? Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.
Email Us
info@aarnoldtransport.comCall Us
07769 299566Our Location
Based in Medway, Kent — serving the whole South East including Essex, Surrey and East Sussex.