Scaffolding vs Rope Access – A Cost Benefit Analysis

When you need building maintenance completed and the building is taller than just a few stories, there are usually only two options available to get high access: scaffolding hire or a rope access company. There are costs that are involved with any kind of building maintenance, so it’s important to look at the two options carefully to see why rope access is so much more affordable.

Permits

Scaffolding will require permits in almost every single case. It will take up a lot of room and so it’s important to get permits to set up all of that scaffolding. The permits will cost money and will also take more time to get. If a rope access company is called in, we may not need to get permits but more significantly, there is no bulky equipment to set up and no vehicles that are going to block entrance ways. The technicians simply cordon off the area and begin the job.

Cost Of Materials

After you get quotes from building maintenance companies, you can begin to compare how the quotes were generated. If scaffolding is going to be used, then this may be a large part of the quote as the cost of the scaffolding to be set up and broken down will involve high labour costs. When a rope access company gives a quote, however, there are no expenses to consider besides the labour of the technicians and the materials for doing the job. In simple terms, you get safe high access and a skilled worker in one. As a result, the costs are considerably lower.

With scaffolding, the higher the building, the more expensive it gets. With rope access, the cost doesn’t go up anywhere near as dramatically. As you begin to compare quotes on higher buildings between the two options, rope access becomes even more attractive.

Time Costs Money

The longer a job takes, the more money it costs the business. This may not directly correlate with the quote but more in the inconvenience. If a job takes a month because of scaffolding and other problems, it becomes a obstruction for customers to get into the building. As a result, business may be lost during the times that maintenance is taking place.

When rope access companies are used, the technicians are on ropes safely anchored on the roof of the building. Rather than working from the ground up, they work from top to bottom. This means that there’s no interference for people on the ground level, so it’s business as usual.

Rope access is the more cost-efficient way to handle building maintenance because there is simply less product and inconvenience and this is reflected in the bottom line of a quote. Instead, you save money and get a higher quality end result.