Efficient Access for a Florida Condo Restoration

The East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding team planned the scaffold design using Layher Allround for each of the two façades, 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.

Starsouth Stucco awarded East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding the bid at the end of March. With work set to begin in April, Operations Manager Al Ferreras immediately requested material from Layher’s yard in Ocala, Florida. Lighter weights and smart packing drove down the shipping costs. Layher data shows that reduced component weights combined with logical shipping practices prevent the need for about 1 of every 10 shipping loads, resulting in savings to their clients.

Layher high-tensile steel products come in over 4,000 parts with corrosion-protected galvanized steel to make up the system. Thanks in part to the lightweight system, which reduced field hours and risk exposure, East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding completed the south build in two-weeks with a crew of about 10. They staged the façade-scaffold build from the ground level and the suspended-scaffold build from the rooftop.

Project challenges 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-foot scaffolding tower on one end that bridged to meet a 50-foot tower on the other. An adjustable swivel jack made the work possible.

Because hurricane season runs June through November, it was additionally important that the scaffolding, though temporary, be sufficient to withstand potential weather extremes, like wind.

With the south side scaffolding in place, Starsouth Stucco went to work on the restoration. Demolition conducted via the platforms necessitated additional trips to dispose of material, requiring extra care. However, the setup proved sufficient to accommodate the needs of the demolition crew, stucco restorers, and painters necessary to get the job done.

After their success on the building’s south side, East Coast Rigging and Scaffolding reproduced the scaffolding build on the north-facing front. Restoration work was completed in October.