Scaffolding for Gutter Guard Installation

What Type of Scaffolding do you Need for Gutter Guard Installation?

Gutter guard installers require scaffolding to be properly “workable” and safe before starting work on your gutters. If the roof doesn’t have a proper scaffold around it, Grayson’s team can assess other options to work safely on the roof. However, if there’s proper scaffolding that’s been pre-installed on-site, we can offer big discounts on the cost of gutter guard installation.

All Grayson’s staff have accredited training and Construction Induction (White Cards), a requirement for carrying out construction work.

Scaffolding on a multi-storey building with an access staircase. — A massive scaffold on a commercial building site.

History of Scaffolding in Brief

Scaffolding has been a necessary aspect of building construction since ancient times. Scaffolding allows building workers to safely stand up close to the sidewalls as they get higher up during the works. Scaffolding is used in all types of man-made structures, including bridges, monuments and statues.

The earliest known history of scaffolding dates back 17,000 years to the Lascaux Caves in southwest France. Ancient humans used makeshift scaffold to climb higher up the cave walls to complete artistic paintings. Of course, back then nobody knew about gutter guards!

If we have to use small step ladders just to inspect the gutters, the scaffolding walkway is set too low.

Wacky Enquires About Gutter Guard Scaffolding

We get enquiries every week from homeowners and tradespeople who insist that their scaffold system is totally sound, fully workable and ready and waiting for a gutter guard install. Unfortunately, most residential building site scaffolds are not actually fully “workable”. It’s very common for us to arrive on-site and find that only a small portion of the new building has scaffolding in place, even when the owners or builders have sworn it’s a “complete scaff setup”.

Gutter Guard Fitter inspecting the Builders Ladder — Gutter Guard Fitter inspecting the onsite Builders Ladder

Timing is Everything

Everything needs to be timed right — gutter protection can only be installed once the roof and gutters are completely finished. At this point, the builders on-site may be tempted to pull down the upper platforms of scaffolding. But for us gutter guard installers, we need the scaffold walkway platform to be no more than about 150cm below the height of the gutter. This is so we can reach over the gutters and install the mesh, as we stand on the platform.

Often we find the scaffold walkways to be 2 metres lower than the gutters, even when the builder has insisted, “yeah mate, the scaffolding is perfect for gutter guards to be fitted.” Professional builders often have dozens of sites being coordinated at once, so they’re not always in touch with what’s happening at each individual site. To help coordinate your prompt gutter guard installation, whether there’s workable scaffolding in place or not, we can usually attend Melbourne/Victorian construction sites at fairly short notice.

We are happy to offer discounted rates for installation of gutter guard from “workable” scaffolding.

What Defines a “Workable” Scaffolding Setup:

We actually need to be able to safely stand on the scaffold platform and reach the gutters without the risk of a fall.
The scaffold needs a complete handrail/safety rail around the perimeter that’s about waist height.
If you have roof safety rails installed with the rails attached to the top side of the fascia and in the gutters, it won’t be possible to install the gutter guard until after the rails are removed.
If builders ladders are fixed to the scaffolding, the ladders must be sturdy and compliant with general ladder safety requirements.
The scaffolding structure must be firmly placed so it doesn’t wobble or shake (this sounds pretty obvious, but many residential building sites having unstable scaffolds that shake).
All other roof works need to be completed already.
To provide a full scaffold discount for our gutter guards, the scaffolding walkway must continue around all sides of the building in one continuous, level walkway.
The scaffolding should be installed by a licensed Scaffold Assembler and/or comply with Australian legislation regarding proper scaffolding erection.

Makeshift trestle setup — The scaffolding on this construction site was incomplete. So the Grayson’s Gutter Guard fitter had to setup his own trestle system between ladders. You can see the incomplete scaffold behind him.

On-site Issues that Render Scaffolding Unworkable for Gutter Guard Installs

The horizontal walkway planks are missing and the builder in charge expects tradespeople to just stand on the under rails.
There is no suitable stairway or builders ladder rigged up.
The walkway planks are too low down below the gutter height.
The roof safety rails are still fixed to the roof edge and obstructing the inside of gutters.
There are too many separate scaffolding segments that aren’t joined together, which means our gutter guard fitters have to keep climbing back down to ground level and back up again.

If we must actually climb onto the roof during the gutter guard install, the scaffolding is definitely not fully “workable.” But when there’s a will there’s a way — Grayson’s will always figure it out!

Call us on 1800 GUTTER (1800 488 837) today for all your gutter guard enquiries.