Should I buy a working platform?

[egamar]

I need quite a lot of work doing on the first storey of the house (fascias & soffits, render repair, painting) and it seems few if any tradespeople have their own working platform and need to buy-in scaffolding.

I don't know if this is a "nice little earner" or not, but it struck me that for around £300 I could buy an adequate working platform/tower and save on costs AND also have it available for the jobs I'd prefer not to do dangling from a ladder.

I won't post a link to the tower I was looking at on ebay as I guess that's not allowed, but it's less than £275 for a 4' x 2'6 x 22' galvanised steel tower. 2'6 is the absolute maximum width I have at one side of the house (a 10m stretch).

Is there any reason to think a tradesman wouldn't work from something like that? He'd probably weigh a bit less than my 27st, too!

 

[Nige F]

I`d use part of it on a bungalow - but for a house I`d want a decent ali tower - still available second hand on eBay

 

[egamar]

It's an interesting idea and I shall have to see if there's a second-hand aluminium tower on ebay Update: sadly nothing similar height as a "Buy it now" and I can't be bothered with bidding on auctions when I actually need something

Having said that, it's only two sides of the house (20m odds in total) that can't be reached from the ground of from a flat roof and I intend moving to a bungalow anyway!

But - would any tradesman actually refuse to work from a brand-new scaffold tower?

 

[foxhole]

Bought a steel tower 6x4 £150 , new, advert in a local newspaper.

 

[egamar]

Looks like I should keep checking maybe, but I guess 6x4 is more available than a 2'6" wide tower,and that's the widest I can use becaue of access limitations.

 

[digdilem]

Trades will prefer to rent in scaff, even small stuff like this because:

1. You're paying.

2. Regular (sometimes weekly) Scaffold inspections (a HSE requirement) are done by the hirer. They don't need to train or pay for this.

3. Flexibility. Scaff or hire company will be able to construct to suit their needs, regardless of site. One call and a five minute site visit and it appears by magic, legal and safe. They'll even sort out pavement permits if required.

4. Transport. Small trades may not have a lorry or van big enough to move it around.

5. Damage? Meh. If the hire company notice, find a way to bill it to the punter.


That's why trades don't do it. As to whether you should for DIY - sure, if you have space for storage. Cheap and long lasting. You don't need to do the safety inspections as it's for your own use. Whether trades will want to use it is up to them!

 

[Nige F]

Good answer Digi - I don`t like them because they wobble ali ones are far more stable / rigid etc.

 

[egamar]

Now to me that's counter-intuitive. I'd have expected "heavy steel" to be more rigid than "light aluminium".

Is it something about the joining method between sections or the bracing? The tower I'm looking at has swaged connections.

I will be able to secure the tower to various protuberances when I'm up it - 27st wobbling at 5m is a lot of momentum! And yes, I know that's over the SWL - but I can't lose 4st quickly enough!

 

[ladylola]

One of the reasons the towers at the cheaper end of the market wobble is due to the way they are braced. Often it is just a pole with a sleeve at the end that is just dropped onto the sections as the tower goes up and often this sleeve is quite large and allows some play in use. I've used one like this and ended up tying opposite corners together with rope to pull it all ridgid.
I do have a couple of towers of my own in steel and they are both about 4x4 .They are ok but I have made outriggers to stablise them further.
If your space is limited is it possible to sprag your scaffold off your house and next doors to prevent any wobble?

 

[egamar]

Thanks for that - and that IS the kind of tower I'm looking at - exactly the 'connection' you describe.

Yup, it'll be easy enough to secure the tower to stop wobble, and I have some wire rope and turn-buckles I can construct bracing with.

I think it'll save me a few hundred per job when I get the contractor to split-out the scaffolding cost and tell him I have a perfectly adequate tower.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[foxhole]

The tower must be secured to the Property when working at first floor or above for safety.

 

[egamar]

The elves will be safe, don't worry - I always pay attention to Elven safety

 

[alumni]

Good answer Digi - I don`t like them because they wobble ali ones are far more stable / rigid etc.

And i don't like them. full stop.

Prefer to get a lifter in wherever possible.

 

[alumni]

Thanks for that - and that IS the kind of tower I'm looking at - exactly the 'connection' you describe.

Yup, it'll be easy enough to secure the tower to stop wobble, and I have some wire rope and turn-buckles I can construct bracing with.

I think it'll save me a few hundred per job when I get the contractor to split-out the scaffolding cost and tell him I have a perfectly adequate tower.

Thanks for all the input.

Apart from oddjobbers, most won't touch it. Insurance issues and as previosly mentioned elf n safety compliance.