Thread: You guys with the wimpy ladders

How do you inspect a two storey townhouse or duplex with a 15 foot ladder? I'm talking about the ones where there is no sundeck or porch to get you up to the second floor. Do you just say it's inaccessible?

The house in the second pic, the sellers had never seen the roof or ever had it checked, the realtors called it a tar and gravel roof, 35 year old home. What do you think the buyers wanted to know?

FYI. I bring a 24" extension ladder on the roof rack for jobs like this. What do you guys do?

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Originally Posted by John Kogel

FYI. I bring a 24" extension ladder on the roof rack for jobs like this. What do you guys do?

That short?

A 24 foot extension ladder only goes out to about 21 feet when open.

I carried a 26 foot Little Giant, which was about 23 feet long when open.

I don't...

99% of the time I never needed any like what Jerry had...

Best

Ron

I was just thinking that this winter I will sell my 24' and 32' ladders, and buy a 28' - here in Chicago a 24' is just a bit short for many 2 stories, and a 32" is not long enough for most 3 story structures.

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

I was just thinking that this winter I will sell my 24' and 32' ladders, and buy a 28" - here in Chicago a 24' is just a bit short for many 2 stories, and a 32" is not long enough for most 3 story structures.

That's what I carry, 28' extension and a 7' step. Between the two there isn't anything I can't reach that I am willing to reach.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

That short?

Actually, I see the typo, I leave the 24 inch ladder at home in my sandbox.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

A 24 foot extension ladder only goes out to about 21 feet when open.

I carried a 26 foot Little Giant, which was about 23 feet long when open.

My big ladder is two 14 foot sections, so it extends to 24, that's what I call a 24 footer.
Any longer and I'd be clipping power poles and pedestrians with my little mini truck.
The 26' Little Giant must weigh close to 50 lbs and take two guys to handle when extended. Jerry, and Micheal, you guys are not qualified to post here. Those are not wimpy ladders!

Ron, I posted the two extreme cases I had recently, 2 storey flat-tops, because they can't be done with binocs. I get a lot of townhouses with tiny porches. I've scared myself a few times with the Telesteps on the porch roof. It's better and actually faster to set up a real ladder, IMO. And way safer, too.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

The 26' Little Giant must weigh close to 50 lbs and take two guys to handle when extended.

I will admit that anyone shorter than I am would not be able to reach the balance points and handle it, and at 5'6" I can barely reach the balance points and control it ... but I have always used it by myself, and, yes, it is a bear to handle by myself - but do able.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

I will admit that anyone shorter than I am would not be able to reach the balance points and handle it, and at 5'6" I can barely reach the balance points and control it ... but I have always used it by myself, and, yes, it is a bear to handle by myself - but do able.

They make men shorter than you

The pic is my 32' on the roof of my Cherokee. I can handle it alone but just barely. I also carry a 16' plus a 6' step.

The other day I was on a roof and the agent said, "my god, I've never seen a home inspector go on the roof"

When I went to pull the dead front cover on the main panel he said, "you're actually going to take the cover off"

I'm thinking, "what kind of inspectors have you been around"?

I'm thinking, "what kind of inspectors have you been around"?

The preferred ones Let me guess, you got the referral from someone other than the agent.

Originally Posted by Brandon Whitmore

The preferred ones Let me guess, you got the referral from someone other than the agent.

Yes, the same place where I get 99% of my work. Directly from JQ public tracking me down. I don't get as much work but I sure as heck maintain a strong fortitude this way.

BTW, by going on the roof, I found a damaged flashing which was a water intrusion potential. I could not have seen that from the ground.

Also, by pulling the dead front cover I found AWG10 on a 50amp breaker.

I carry my 17' Little Giant all the time. While I have a 22' LG, I don't carry it any longer because it is heavy and hard to use.
I have had very few houses I could not reach with my 17'.

Commercial jobs I put my 25' extension on the roof of the truck. If I know ahead of time the roof is really high, I take the extension.

I also have a few contractors that I can call and they will bring a ladder over for me to use. But like I said, its really rare that I need something over 17'.

I carry my LG-17 with me at all times. I always try to find out in advance what I will be inspecting. This allows me to quote the proper fee and to also know what I need to do the inspection. In my area the majority of homes have pitched roofs 8/12 or better, so unfortunately I just can't safely get on all that many roofs.

On a few monster homes, EIFS jobs, and commercial projects I have had to add the cost of a boom lift into the cost of the job. On the last job, it cost me $380 for 2 hours of use and to have the boom lift delivered and picked up at the job. I added an additional $425 to my quote. This was for a 3 story home multi-million dollar home with a flat roof on top.

I will not put my life at risk just to get on a roof. We ain't paid that much!

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

I carry my LG-17 with me at all times. I always try to find out in advance what I will be inspecting. This allows me to quote the proper fee and to also know what I need to do the inspection. In my area the majority of homes have pitched roofs 8/12 or better, so unfortunately I just can't safely get on all that many roofs.

On a few monster homes, EIFS jobs, and commercial projects I have had to add the cost of a boom lift into the cost of the job. On the last job, it cost me $380 for 2 hours of use and to have the boom lift delivered and picked up at the job. I added an additional $425 to my quote. This was for a 3 story home multi-million dollar home with a flat roof on top.

I will not put my life at risk just to get on a roof. We ain't paid that much!

I am shocked they did not have roof access inside the home for a home of such stature. Especially with the flat roof. A roof top deck would not be out of the norm for a home like that.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

I am shocked they did not have roof access inside the home for a home of such stature. Especially with the flat roof. A roof top deck would not be out of the norm for a home like that.

I have seldom seen an interior hatch or access on a residential structure. On a few occasions I have had a walk-out door or window type access. This was a French Provincial type home, the roof was just a flat EPDM with no HVAC or other equipment that would require any access.

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

I carry my 17' Little Giant all the time. While I have a 22' LG, I don't carry it any longer because it is heavy and hard to use.
I have had very few houses I could not reach with my 17'.

Commercial jobs I put my 25' extension on the roof of the truck. If I know ahead of time the roof is really high, I take the extension.

I also have a few contractors that I can call and they will bring a ladder over for me to use. But like I said, its really rare that I need something over 17'.

Pretty much the same with me Jack, I love to have the taller LG but hate to have to use it due to weight and awkwardness but rock stable. I also keep the smaller Werner multi-purpose inside the vehicle to keep it clean. Roof rack sucks doing freeway driving during the rain and it kills the gas mileage. The taller LG stays at home until needed. I will look up the property on zillow.com to confirm the size and features as well as to get a photo of the house to see if I need the big ladder.

I use a 22 foot multi ladder and a 28 foot hook ladder.

The 28 foot is much safer and has claw feet for winter.

Yep, I have a wimpy ladder, only 15.5', also carry a 12.5' and a 6.5' step. However, we are not required to walk the roofs here in Arizona. That being said, I try and walk every roof I can, safely. Out here, it's very rare to find a roof that doesn't require repair or further evaluation by a qualified roofer. Binoculars come in handy also. I hand out a copy of the state requirements for home inspectors with every inspection and walk the clients through what is and what isn't required. It's all about CYA. I just explain that the roof was too high, and that they can have further evaluation as desired, by a qualified roofer.

John K.

What a depressing looking site that is. Looks like Soviet Union housing. Wondering who is going to be buried off the side of that deck?

rick

28' fiberglass gets me onto most 2-story flat roofs without need for an underwear change.
I find myself carrying the thing through a lot of row homes to get to the back where the roof is lower. Sometimes power lines run across the backs of the houses making things difficult.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

John K.

What a depressing looking site that is. Looks like Soviet Union housing. Wondering who is going to be buried off the side of that deck?

rick

Burying somebody? I thought they were digging a bomb shelter.

32' aluminum extension and a 12.5' Xtend n' Climb telescopic. I can sometimes go a week or more during the busy season without having to break out the 32 footer if the houses have lower level roofs where I can just piggyback the telescopic ladder up behind me. I've gotten onto 4 story roofs with that sucker.