Access towers vs scaffolding

[shd1970]

I'm planning to use the following type of access tower to replace my soffits, fascias and fit either dry verge, or re-point :

http://thetoolhireshop.com/category...oducts/alloy-tower-18m-x-14m-cw-ladder-55mtrs

I have had a verbal quote for scaffolding which is between £250-£300 + VAT so i'm talking approx a £200 saving
That said, there are obvious downsides of the tower as i see it, being :

1 - i'll have to keep moving it left to right as its a 1.8m wide platform, and thus, leveling it each time and positioning the outriggers etc
2 - i have a gravel drive so leveling may be awkward, and moving the platform around also as i'll be working alone
3 - the platform may not feel as safe at that height as proper scaffolding will, and i can't easily tether it to the house due to my house being tiled


Has anyone used one of these access towers and can confirm just how sturdy they are and how much they wobble around please ?

Thanks again all for your input

 

[noseall]

there are obvious downsides of the tower

Yeah they are wazz.

Costly to erect and move around.

Wazz on uneven ground.

Not very stable.

Pointless if someone is offering a proper scaffold for £300 +VAT.

Great if you are inside a factory and changing lighbulbs.

 

[shd1970]

Thanks for the quick reply noseall

Yeah they are wazz.

Costly to erect and move around.

I got the impression they were lightweight and you can build them yourself ?
I have to say, dragging them around my driveway was not something that i was looking forward to doing and was thinking of dropping some temporary slabs down first to make it a tad easier

 

[noseall]

was thinking of dropping some temporary slabs down first to make it a tad easier

Your £300 quid scaffold is looking cheaper (and safer) by the minute.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Towers are ok for spot jobs (got a baby one up at the mo for refurbing a bay window) but it'll be a pain trying to fit 5m lengths of soffit, gutter etc from an 1800 platform and trundling it around a gravel drive on your own will get very dull very quickly. Go witj the proper scaff

 

[shd1970]

Thanks OBND

A valid point that I had not considered namely battling with the length of the plastics whipping around at 6m’s up !

 

[shd1970]

The only other option is one of these :

http://thetoolhireshop.com/category...ts/access-platform-towable-12m-working-height

obviously i'd need to complete inside 48hrs which might be a push if the weather takes a turn for the worse

anyone have any experience of one of these for this type of job please ?
impractical due to the size of the bucket, tools and materials needed to hand ?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Again it'll be a pain fitting the long sections. Take a 5m length of soffit or bargeboard or whatever. First job, get it up to height. Then tack it at one end. Slew to the other end while supporting it. Find you've tacked it 10mm over or under. Slew back while supporting, move the tack. Slew back while supporting again, fix. Slew back, move tack. Slew back, check and if ok fix along length.
More useful than the scaff tower and if you get the soffits done sharpish you could check the chimney pointing.
Do check the manufacturers spec for max windspeed and have a think about how adept you'd be at operating it

 

[noseall]

FFS man, get a proper scaffold!

 

[23vc]

As above, if there’s ever definite justification for scaffolding, it’s soffits/fascias/verges at 2nd storey height.
Also I think it’s pretty unlikely a tower would reach the apex of the gable for your verges? Or if it did it’d be scary and wobbly as hell.
I own a tower, and still wouldn’t attempt to use it for this.

 

[shd1970]

Scaffold booked and due to be erected later this week
Thanks for all the candid input - much appreciated !