Most people call and say “I need a lift.” The right one depends on four questions: how high, whether you need to reach out over something, what you are setting up on, and whether you are inside or outside.
Working height vs. platform height
Lifts are listed two ways. Platform height is where your feet are. Working height is about 6 feet more, roughly where your hands reach. If your gutter is 24 feet up, you need a platform around 18 to 20 feet, not a 24 ft lift.
The quick answer
| Your situation | Rent |
|---|---|
| Inside, on a concrete floor, straight up (ceilings, lights, drywall) | 19 ft scissor lift or 26 ft scissor lift |
| Inside, ceilings under about 12 ft, rolling room to room | 6 ft or 12 ft Baker scaffold |
| Outside, house roofline or tree, set up on lawn or driveway | Towable boom: Haulotte 4527A (45 ft) or 5533A (55 ft) |
| Outside, moving along a building all day | Self-propelled boom: Haulotte 45XA or 55XA |
| Up and over a roofline, or inside and outside on one job | Genie Z-45 FE hybrid articulating boom |
| Hours of work in one spot (siding, masonry, painting) | Bil-Jax scaffolding tower |
| Quick task, single story | 24 ft or 32 ft extension ladder, or a 10 ft step ladder |
Scissor lifts: straight up, on a slab
A scissor lift goes straight up and gives you a roomy platform for you, your tools and material. Ours are battery powered, quiet and fume-free indoors. The 19 ft model is only 30 inches wide, so it fits through a standard doorway. They need firm, level ground. Think concrete floors, not lawns.
Boom lifts: up and out
A boom reaches up and out, over a porch roof, bushes or a fence, to get you where a scissor cannot.
- Towable booms hook to a pickup and set up on outriggers. They are lighter on lawns and driveways and great for homeowners: gutters, siding, tree trimming, painting.
- Self-propelled booms drive themselves on site, so you can work down the length of a building without setting up again each time. They are better for long days and commercial work.
- Articulating booms bend in the middle to go up, over and down into tight spots.
Scaffolding and ladders
Scaffolding gives you a stable, railed platform for hours of work in one area: masonry, siding, painting. Baker scaffolds roll room to room indoors. Ladders are fine for short tasks, but if you will be up there for hours or moving every few feet, a lift is faster and safer.
Safety basics
- Know the platform limit. Our 19 ft scissor and 45XA hold 500 lb, people and tools combined.
- Set up on firm ground. Use outriggers and pads on towables.
- Watch for power lines on every lift. Keep well clear.
- Wear a harness tied off in boom lifts.
Delivery
Scissor lifts and towable booms are delivered from $125 round trip within 45 minutes of our Hamburg yard, and self-propelled booms like the 45XA from $85. Larger lifts have their own rates. See all delivery rates.
Not sure which one fits your job? Call the counter at (810) 231-7368. We are open 7 days and happy to talk it through.