Ideas on how to reach these facias to repair and paint?

ahar

ahar

ahar

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We live in a converted bungalo, and there is a section on one side that is pretty awkward to get at (see pic below). We want to get at the facias to repair and paint them, paint the port hole window frame and possibly do something to the bricks to make them less nasty looking (the photo doesn't do them justice).

Any ideas how to get at them? I have a large ladder (not the little step ladder in the photo) that will get me to the roof level at the corner, but the facia and bricks beyond the port hole look pretty hard to get at from the corner.

I've looked at hiring a cherry picker / mobile boom which seems perfect but no one will hire to an individual - they will only hire to another company with public liability insurance.

I could hire a large roofing ladder and place it along the slope (about 6.5m along the roof), but I still probably won't be able to reach the middle of the peak of the facia when standing on it.

Anyone have any other ideas? The painting / repair is easy and I can do it myself, and even if I do hire someone to do it for me they will need to work out how to get at it!



 
Other than a small scaffold I think you will be quite stumped. You could always hire a tower scaffold and put it up at the corner of the double storey, then if you take a few tiles out, you could then rest a few batons from the tower scaffold on the tile lathes on the bungalow roof.

Other than than, I think youre options are quite limited without doing something that may end up on your butt.



Quick doodle to put it in to Layman terms.

Wouldn't try doing it off a cat ladder (roofing ladder) as you'll make a crap job.
 
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Proper roofing ladder that hooks over the ridge then use your other ladder to reach that, you'll be painting overhand though and I wouldn't do it as I hate heights.
 
Thanks chaps

@Cosmic - Would the baton hold the weight of me and the plank of wood?

@Maccapacca - do you mean a roof ladder on the roof slope underneath the port hole window, or on the smaller bit of roof over the top of the port hole?

I really want to use a cherry picker, but no one will hire one to me!
 
Of course it will, without any problems, If you take a few tiles off, just pop a bit of 4x2 or something from spar to spar so the batons not resting just on the lathe. It's certainly youre best bet to do a proper job, and your safest and quickest too, as youre on the job, rather than reaching and struggleing. I work in construction and if it was me doing it, thats how I'd do it. If you dont want to do it that way, your only other option really is to try do it off a roof ladder.

If you can do it quicker, and easier than above, theres your way :p
 
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Phone round & get a few scaffold quotes, safest way to do the job, rather basic scaffolding tower with two stages, to give you complete gable access is all you need
Will work out much cheaper than a cherry picker.
 
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Nightglow said:
Phone round & get a few scaffold quotes, safest way to do the job.
Will work out much cheaper than a cherry picker.
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@Night glow: I'd assumed that scaffolding would be really expensive - given I'd only need it for am couple of days to do the work, could I assume a ball park cost of £200-£300?

@Cosmic: hmmm, may be a cunning plan. Need to investigate a tower to come across from.
 
ahar said:
@night glow: I'd assumed that scaffolding would be really expensive - given I'd only need it for am couple of days to do the work, could I assume a ball park cost of £200-£300?
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Depends on your area, your need is rather simple scaffold, with two stages, your only doing end gable, worth get three quotes though.

£300 down here, would be enough to completely scaffold the front of a house.
 
bitslice said:
Complete Scaffold towers are under £200
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/scaffold-towers-galvanised-NO-VAT-6ft-x-4ft-/121132574581

Do the job, then resell it.

Don't forget to tie yourself (and the scaffold) off onto something solid, even a short fall is surprisingly painful.
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If your thinking of spend £200 on a scaffold tower, with no guarantee of getting the full £200 back, plus you need to secure the tower, THEN it's cheaper to have a scaffold firm come & erect a proper two stages full scaffolding to the gable end giving 100% safe access to the whole area.
 
Thanks guys. Sounds like scaffolding with a tower and planks out is the way to go. Will get a couple of quotes and work out if it is worth hiring someone or trying it myself (if the wife will let me. She has this strange idea I'm accident prone ... )
 
Its not worth getting a scaffolding firm out to do that! Tower Scaffold will be perfect, Its quicker, easier, and cheaper hiring it for a couple of days or whatever you prefer, and just putting some batons across. Least this way you can do a proper job of it and youre only going up once to do it. If you set the tower scaffold up on a nice level base, you wont need to secure it to anything with the height youre going to (and even if you do, just tie some rope round and if needed drill an anchor in to the wall of some sort), just dont overthink it too much like some do on here as it really is an easy job. You'll be fine.

Post some pics up when youre done! :)
 
Seriously make damned sure you tie the tower to the building. Even a small lateral movement at the top could push it over and you'll end up in hospital before you know it. get a wide tower too. You can hire them for beans.
 
We had the gable end of our house pointed a few weeks ago.
We have a single story extension with pitched roof on the gable end and have never been able to get to the fascias above the extension due to the extension being in the way.
Scaffold cost us £180 and the guys that put it up made it look easy.
I cant abide heights and if it were me I would prefer to have something solid behind me working at that height. Scaffolders like cash and its surprising how much room for manoeuvre there is on their initial 'deep intake of breath' price.
Also, you'll invariably end up with the scaffold up for a few weeks rather than days (they don't like collecting so much), so make the most of it.
 
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Lt_Red said:
Seriously make damned sure you tie the tower to the building. Even a small lateral movement at the top could push it over and you'll end up in hospital before you know it. get a wide tower too. You can hire them for beans.
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I think even if I wanted to do it myself, my wife may force me to get some scaffolders in!

Thanks for the advice chaps. @Cosmic - although I think I may get some scaffolders in now, your suggestion is really helpful when speaking to them so they don't hoodwink me!
 
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