LAYHER ALLROUND® SCAFFOLDING AND LAYHER SUPPORT
LAYHER ALLROUND® SCAFFOLDING AND LAYHER SUPPORT
Layher build supports brick veneer replacement on the north side façade of a downtown Tallahassee high rise.
EAST COAST RIGGING AND SCAFFOLDING OF FLORIDA MAKES RESTORATION POSSIBLE WITH LAYHER MATERIALS
EAST COAST RIGGING AND SCAFFOLDING OF FLORIDA MAKES RESTORATION POSSIBLE WITH LAYHER MATERIALS
Tallahassee – East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding of Florida recently made restoration efforts possible for a 20-plus-floor condominium in utilizing Layher Allround® scaffolding for the façade and Layher support scaffold to accommodate swing stages. The build supported Starsouth Stucco in a 6-month restoration effort and is expected to be completed in October 2020.
General contractor Starsouth Stucco put out a call for bids in February, opening the door for East Coast Rigging to prepare a proposal for the potential project. The ultimate goal: to support the replacement of brick veneers that make up the façade of the north and south building sides.
The high rise, the tallest in Tallahassee, had been losing facings for months in a highly trafficked district, and time was of the essence to prevent injury to pedestrians. The building’s downtown location – across the street from the state Supreme Court and library – make it a high profile site of increased foot traffic.
While East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding is a long-established Maryland contractor, they are relatively new to Florida. With only 2 of their 20 plus years spent in the state, it was particularly important to get the bid right to cement their local reputation.
“I asked them to give us a shot,” said Operations Manager Al Ferreras. “We aren’t the cheapest – our work, customer service, doing it right and safely, that’s our selling point.”
The company planned the scaffold design making use of Layher Allround for each of the two façades, Layher scaffolds to suspend swing stages, and a transfer platform allowing vertical access. The motorized platform was designed to operate from a position 40 feet above the sidewalk to accommodate a pedestrian walkway for overhead protection and keep traffic moving safely.
“We exclusively use Layher product because it’s the best product out here,” said Ferreras. “It’s really long lasting when it comes to this type of South Florida weather.”
Starsouth Stucco took a look at the bid and was convinced – they awarded East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding the bid at the end of March. With work set to begin in April, Ferreras immediately requested material from Layher’s yard in Ocala, Florida. Knowing the extent of components involved, and that removing them from the company stock would likely drain the yard, Ferreras asked Layher representative Obed Bosch to ship directly from the Layher supply.
“He has been incredible. He has been amazing,” said, Ferreras of his experience with Bosch. “We requested exactly what we needed and it was delivered straight to the job site.”
The materials arrived packed in signature Layher style, with lighter weights and smart packing driving down the high shipping costs typical of other scaffolding brands. Layher data estimates reduced component weights combined with logical shipping practices prevent the need for 1 of every 10 shipping loads, transferring savings to their clients.
“We take a page out of their book and warehouse on how they pack their product,” said Ferreras. “It’s extremely efficient. Our house manager models what they do in our yard.”
East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding completed the south build in 2-weeks’ time with a with a crew of about 10, staging the façade scaffold build from the ground level and suspended scaffold build from the rooftop.
“The field guys love working with it,” said Ferreras, “It’s an easier product to use and handle, very light.”
Layher high-tensile steel products come in over 4,000 parts with corrosion protected galvanized steel to make up the Layher Allround system. Users report a 10 percent faster build with Layher lightweight products, reducing field hours and exposure to risk. Florida contractors find it particularly appealing for its ability to withstand the brine that comes with working along the coast.
“The salt water out here eats away [at scaffolding]” added Ferreras, “Most other products start rusting within a year.“
Project highlights included a limited rooftop to accommodate build and equipment, making the swing stage necessary, and a significant slope on the building’s south side. To accommodate the gradient difference, East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding constructed a 20 ft scaffolding tower on one end that bridged to meet a 50 ft tower on the other. An adjustable swivel jack made the work possible.
East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding completed the build on each of two facades in approximately 2 weeks’ time with a crew of 10. Building north side.
With the south side scaffolding in place, Starsouth Stucco went to work on the restoration. The set up fully accommodated the demolition crew, stucco restorers, and painters necessary to get the job done.
With the setup proven on the building’s south side, East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding reproduced the scaffolding build on the north-facing front. Restoration work remains ongoing through October.
“It takes a whole team to put this together,” said Ferreras, who credits East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding General Manager, Joel Ross, and Layher representative Bosch as priceless team mates in the endeavor. “Every time we have a question on capacity, the answer is just a phone call away.”
