The Bottom Line
Every facility manager has a budget. When maintenance is needed at height, the method of access is often the biggest cost variable. Let's compare the two main contenders: Industrial Rope Access vs. Traditional Scaffolding.
1. Setup Costs
- Scaffolding: Requires a truck delivery, a large ground crew, and days of assembly. You pay for the labor to build it before any actual work begins.
- Rope Access: Our team arrives in a van. We take the elevator to the roof, rig our ropes, and start working. Setup time: ~1 hour.
2. Rental Fees
- Scaffolding: You pay rent for every day the structure stands. If bad weather delays the project, you still pay rent.
- Rope Access: You pay for the service. When we leave, the cost stops. No idle rental fees.
3. Permits and Ground Space
- Scaffolding: Blocking a sidewalk or street often requires municipal permits (money) and traffic control plans (time).
- Rope Access: We work from the top down. Often, no street permits are needed, and pedestrians can pass safely below (protected by a small cordon).
4. Security
- Scaffolding: Creates a ladder for burglars to access windows on upper floors.
- Rope Access: Ropes are pulled up or removed at night. There is no unauthorized access to your building.
The Verdict
For tasks like window cleaning, spot repairs, and inspections, Rope Access is typically 30-60% cheaper. Scaffolding only wins for massive, heavy-duty construction projects where tonnes of material need to be stored at height.