Unpopular take: those pre-built scaffolding kits are overpriced junk for most jobs

I keep seeing guys on here raving about those premade aluminum scaffolding kits, but I had a bad experience with one last month on a job in Cleveland. We were doing a boiler stack repair about 30 feet up, and the thing wobbled way more than I was comfortable with. My crew ended up having to brace it with extra lumber we brought anyway, which kind of defeats the purpose. Three years ago I built my own scaffolding from steel pipe and fittings for under $600, and that setup has been rock solid ever since. I mean, maybe the kits work for smaller residential stuff, but for industrial boiler work where you're hauling heavy tools up, I just don't trust them. Any other guys out there stick with custom built scaffolding for the big jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph487d ago

Man, I was all about those kits until I used one on a boiler job too. Same exact thing, wobbled like crazy with my torch and pipe wrenches up there. Had to run back to the truck for extra clamps and wood. Changed my whole view on them. Custom pipe scaffolding is the only way for serious work.

aliceharris7d ago

Bought one of those kits last spring and spent the first hour just trying to figure out which way the pins went. Felt like I was assembling IKEA furniture except my life depended on it.

luna2617d ago

Yeah exactly. Those kits just don't hold up when you actually need to work. Give me custom pipe any day.