For most maintenance and repair work on the outside of a building, the real question is not how to do the job but how to reach it. Scaffolding, mobile platforms (MEWPs), cradles and rope access all get people to height. Each has a place.
Where rope access wins
- Speed to start. A rope access team rigs from roof anchors in hours, not the days or weeks a scaffold takes to design, licence and erect.
- Short or scattered jobs. A few defects spread across a tall elevation are reached drop by drop, without scaffolding the whole face.
- Busy streets. Only a small barrier zone is needed at ground level, so there is usually no road closure and no long-term pavement licence.
- Occupied buildings. No scaffold over windows for weeks, no security risk from a climbable structure, and less disruption for residents and tenants.
- Hard-to-reach places. Atria, lightwells, set-backs, bridges and areas a cradle cannot reach.
Where scaffolding is better
- Long programmes of heavy work across a whole elevation, such as full re-roofing or re-cladding.
- Work that needs a large, stable platform for many trades at once, or a lot of heavy materials stored at height.
We will tell you honestly if scaffold is the better option for your job.
What about cranes for glass?
Large glass units are often assumed to need a crane. In many cases we can lift and lower them with an A-frame, davit or powered winch rigged on the roof, guided in by technicians on ropes. See glass replacement without a crane.
Is rope access safe?
IRATA rope access is a highly regulated way of working at height. Every technician uses two independent ropes, every team is supervised by an IRATA Level 3, and a rescue plan is in place before work starts. See how we keep rope access safe.
How to compare quotes
Compare the whole cost: scaffold hire and erection, licences, road closures, the length of time the building is disrupted, and the cost of the work itself. For a defined repair, rope access often comes out cheaper and quicker, but the only way to know is to price your building. Book a free site survey.
By Ryan Hawkins, Managing Director ·