Good question. I was about to say I don’t remember, but it turns out that I do still have in my email the painting estimate from that job. That time, the painter sent me the proposal directly from the scaffolding company (which is the same company the current painter is using). The scaffolding that time was $3900, so not too far off from the current estimate.
An increase from $3,900 to something over $5,000 over fifteen years isn’t actually that bad.
So if that was reasonable 15 years ago, I’d say $5000 is reasonable today, or at least in line with what you paid last time. It’s not that last time they charged you, say, $500 for it.
Was gonna mention pump jacks. I’ve done a lot of siding with them. I used to do exterior trim.
Maybe not ladders (although it would have to be pretty steep for leg levelers not to work), but pump jacks would be fine. Setting up scaffolding on a slope is no picnic either–the leg levelers have about 2’ of adjustability you have a 5’ high section of scaffold, so if those measurements don’t match the slope you’re cribbing up.
I would add that typically a house on a slope has 2 sloped sides and 2 relatively level sides which do not need scaffold.
The front of the house is pretty level across its width, but the ground slopes fairly steeply away from it, and it’s 3 stories high there. The estimator initially thought they wouldn’t need scaffolding on that side, but when she showed it to the boss, he decided it was too iffy to use ladders. So they’re planning for scaffolding on 3 sides.
My Brother is dead and my scaffolding is gone. Of the two, I miss the scaffolding more.
Scaffolding is expensive because if it is not done right people die.
Scaffolding a two storey hone is serious business and should be performed by a trade with a scaffolding ticket. The scaffolding is tagged as safe and the tag signed by the installer.
We have several types of scaffolding at work that we set up ourselves for smaller jobs. We rarely go over two sections, and if we go three sections we make sure it is mechanically fastened to the structure. Even two sections is best anchored. Any serious scaffolding is completed by a scaffolding contractor.
Usually house painting is mostly performed with ladders or even ladder jacks. Stucco contractors use a particular kind of scaffolding and usually install it themselves. Siding contractors use a jack system on posts anchored to the fascia.
A relative who had house extension done says scaffolding is relatively cheap to hire by the day, it’s the erecting it and breaking it down again that is costly.