What size cherry picker do I need for a house?
Gutters, fascias, windows, roofs and trees round a house all need a lift that reaches high enough, reaches out far enough and fits on the drive, lawn or path. Every figure below comes from the machines we list, and each one links to its machine page.
Measure the job first
Measure from the ground where the lift will stand to the highest point you need to work on, such as the gutter, the top of a window or the ridge. Working height already adds roughly two metres for a person standing in the basket and reaching, so pick a working height at least that high. Then measure how far out the work is from where the lift can stand, for example across a flower bed, a bay window or a porch roof, and compare that with the outreach.
Houses vary, so we never assume a height. If you are not sure, the free lift finder takes your measurements and suggests the right class of lift.
Which lift do I need? Free tool
Enter your height, outreach, ground and access width and get the right class of lift with live prices.
How far each boom reaches out, and what up-and-over height means.
How high each type of cherry picker goes
These are the working heights and longest outreach of every type of cherry picker we list. The lowest self-drive cherry picker we list is the Skyjack SJ30 ARJE 11m electric articulated boom lift, at 11m (36ft 1in) working height and 6.26m of outreach.
| Type of cherry picker | Working height | Longest outreach | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articulated boom lifts | 11m to 43.15m (36ft 1in to 141ft 7in) | 21.6m | 24 |
| Spider lifts | 12.75m to 35m (41ft 10in to 114ft 10in) | 6.05m | 11 |
| Trailer mounts | 12.2m to 21m (40ft to 68ft 11in) | 12m | 4 |
The smallest of each type, for drives, lawns and gardens
Round a house, the smallest machine that reaches is usually the easiest to get in and set up. This is the self-drive cherry picker with the lowest working height of each type, with its stowed width and weight. The narrowest cherry picker we list is the 12.75m hybrid spider lift, at 0.78m wide stowed. The lightest is the 12.2m trailer mounted cherry picker, at 1,400kg.
Measure the narrowest and lowest point on the route in, and ask whoever is responsible for the ground whether a drive, path or lawn can take the machine weight.
| Machine | Type | Working height | Outreach | Up and over | Stowed width | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyjack SJ30 ARJE 11m electric articulated boom lift | Articulated boom | 11m (36ft 1in) | 6.26m | 3.99m | 1.19m | 5,750kg |
| 12.75m hybrid spider lift | Spider lift | 12.75m (41ft 10in) | 6.05m | Not published | 0.78m | 1,640kg |
| 12.2m trailer mounted cherry picker | Trailer mount | 12.2m (40ft) | 6.1m | Not published | 1.5m | 1,400kg |
The stowed width, height and weight of every lift we list.
Who works the lift
On a self-drive cherry picker, the operator must hold a valid IPAF PAL card for its category: 1B (Static Boom) or 3B (Mobile Boom) for the cherry pickers we list. If no one has a card, 4 lifts come with our own trained operator, who drives the lift to the house, sets it up and works the controls.
| Machine | Type |
|---|---|
| 12m operated van mounted platform | Van mount |
| 14m operated van mounted platform | Van mount |
| 22m operated van mounted platform | Van mount |
| 20m operated truck mounted platform | Truck mount |
Do I need a licence to hire a cherry picker?
The IPAF card, towing a trailer mount, and operated hire.
How operated hire works and what we need for a quote.
Every cherry picker we hire.
Questions
- What height cherry picker do I need for a two-storey house?
- It depends on your house, so measure it. Measure from the ground where the lift will stand to the highest point you need to work on, such as the gutter, the top of a window or the ridge. Working height already adds roughly two metres for a person standing in the basket and reaching, so pick a working height at least that high. Then measure how far out the work is from where the lift can stand, for example across a flower bed, a bay window or a porch roof, and compare that with the outreach. The lowest self-drive cherry picker we list is the Skyjack SJ30 ARJE 11m electric articulated boom lift, at 11m (36ft 1in) working height and 6.26m of outreach.
- Can a cherry picker get through a side gate?
- Some can. The narrowest cherry picker we list is the 12.75m hybrid spider lift, at 0.78m wide stowed. Measure the narrowest point on the route from the road to where the lift will work, allowing room either side to steer, and compare it with the stowed width on the machine page.
- Can I use a cherry picker on my house myself?
- Yes, if the person working it holds a valid IPAF PAL card for its category. The self-drive cherry pickers we list are IPAF category 1B (Static Boom) or 3B (Mobile Boom), depending on the machine. If no one has a card, operated hire sends a lift with our own trained operator.
Ready to choose? See every machine by working height