Lift work

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Alwayslearningelec

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Ok i’d like to try and get a consensus here. i’ve had a few very smart experience pooled tel me
most installations off a lift with 25-35’ ceilings , new construction and floor pretty clear s faster than working off ladder with standard 12-15’ height ceilings. but the other people say the same parameters would take longer.

take for instance high baby 2x4 fixture installed in a high ceiling off lift. you could only take so many up so that’s a lot more up and down this more time than working off ladder and shorter distance to get the other fixtures. thoughts ??? thanks
 
i believe the NECA manual of labor units has a factor increase for higher work. not 100% sure. their units are based on feedback so i guess that means something . again not sure they do but i thought in the beginning of the manual it mentions something about high work.
 
I think there were some pretty insightful posts from where this was discussed on a earlier thread of yours:

Fixture Install

For those who estimate how do you approach laboring fixtures mounted on high ceiling? Say above 15’ working off lift. Do you apply labor factor/increase labor?
forums.mikeholt.com
I would say there were a number of factors involved not the least of which is the number of fixtures involved From those posts the concensus of opinions seems to be a lift is quicker but you need to take into account time get the lift on the job in position.. I can see a ladder bring quicker if it's on site and there are limited fixtures..
 
horsegoer said:
take for instance high baby 2x4 fixture installed in a high ceiling off lift. you could only take so many up so that’s a lot more up and down this more time than working off ladder and shorter distance to get the other fixtures. thoughts ??? thanks
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Working off a lift is much easier than climbing a 12 ft step ladder all day installing fixtures and in my opinion much safer.

There is the added expense of renting the lift and getting set up.

As ActionDave says the higher the work the more you charge to make up for added time and expense.
 
growler said:
Working off a lift is much easier than climbing a 12 ft step ladder all day installing fixtures and in my opinion much safer.
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I agree, if the space is wide open even at greater heights the lift will be faster than a ladder at a lower height. The lift can be loaded with a lot of material that would otherwise need to be humped up the ladder. And as you've mentioned the lift is much safer.
 
infinity said:
I agree, if the space is wide open even at greater heights the lift will be faster than a ladder at a lower height. The lift can be loaded with a lot of material that would otherwise need to be humped up the ladder. And as you've mentioned the lift is much safer.
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Thanks, so some lifts have a "platform" aside from what you stand on to place material?
 
growler said:
Working off a lift is much easier than climbing a 12 ft step ladder all day installing fixtures and in my opinion much safer.

There is the added expense of renting the lift and getting set up.

As ActionDave says the higher the work the more you charge to make up for added time and expense.
Click to expand...
That's a contradiction. If it's more time it's more $.
 
horsegoer said:
Ok i’d like to try and get a consensus here. i’ve had a few very smart experience pooled tel me
most installations off a lift with 25-35’ ceilings , new construction and floor pretty clear s faster than working off ladder with standard 12-15’ height ceilings. but the other people say the same parameters would take longer.

take for instance high baby 2x4 fixture installed in a high ceiling off lift. you could only take so many up so that’s a lot more up and down this more time than working off ladder and shorter distance to get the other fixtures. thoughts ??? thanks
Click to expand...
Don't overthink it....if the work is in a 35' ceiling...use the column for that height regardless of lift vs ladder/scaffolding
 
horsegoer said:
Thanks, so some lifts have a "platform" aside from what you stand on to place material?
Click to expand...
Larger scissor lifts might have about a 4 foot x 10 foot platform. If you load it with what you need you may hardly even need to come down when running raceways other than to replenish your supply occasionally. With a ladder you usually need to come down for every piece, to move to every spot you need to get to, to make bends or cuts, etc. The larger lift platform has room to do bending, at least with smaller sizes and and a hand bender.

If you in a single man bucket type of lift, you probably coming back to ground level a lot more often, similar to like you would working on a ladder.
 
kwired said:
Larger scissor lifts might have about a 4 foot x 10 foot platform. If you load it with what you need you may hardly even need to come down when running raceways other than to replenish your supply occasionally. With a ladder you usually need to come down for every piece, to move to every spot you need to get to, to make bends or cuts, etc. The larger lift platform has room to do bending, at least with smaller sizes and and a hand bender.

If you in a single man bucket type of lift, you probably coming back to ground level a lot more often, similar to like you would working on a ladder.
Click to expand...
Good info, thanks.
 
If you ever bid to Turner the decision will pretty much be made for you, they basically do not allow ladders.
 
We use lift every time we can, many years back for the price of the rent on a project we got a used one, when it comes to a point like this I think more on my techs that in my profit, up and down ladders entire day kill them, and even more if is a few days or large projects. Other aspect to consider is the risk of working on ladders that high. Is hard to get good techs, I always look out for them, at the end of the day they are who make the business run, keeping employees on a good, happy and save environment is an important key for the successful of a business. Safety First.
 
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