Despite the growing popularity of mast climbers, some companies remain hesitant to break away from the familiar practice of using scaffolding in construction. The outcome? A costly missed opportunity.

 

In the following case study, you'll see how the hesitance to explore scaffolding alternatives resulted in a £1.3 million potential savings opportunity slipping through the fingers.

 

A recent analysis we’ve done on a project conducted by a leading UK developer has shed light on the substantial savings that could be achieved by adopting an approach alternative to scaffolding — mast climbers.

 

The results are nothing short of astonishing, revealing the potential to reduce costs by up to 70%. This figure is a reminder of the importance of evaluating and considering alternative options for vertical access in every project, rather than rigidly adhering to the conventional practice of scaffolding.

 

Project Overview

 

The project involved the construction of three blocks with varying heights: 6 floors, 12 floors, and 18 floors. In an ideal world, scaffolding for a building with a total height of approximately 40 meters (equivalent to 13-14 floors) would require 12 days per elevation. However, in reality, scaffolding installations often drag on for approximately 25 days. In contrast, Mast Climbing Work Platforms (MCWPs) could have completed the task in just 2 days with a team of two workers.

 

This brings a huge difference of up to 23 days per elevation. Across the three blocks, the use of mast climbers would have saved a remarkable three months of installation time.

 

The same program efficiencies can then be seen on the other end of the project with similarly huge time savings involved in the striking of the scaffolding. With significantly fewer ties into the building, and therefore less remedial work to do on the stripping process, climbers would save a further 2 months and countless collections of equipment from the site.

 

When you take into account the logistical impact of simply reducing the volume of deliveries and collections from construction sites, the resulting savings become even more evident with a simplified and streamlined construction process.

 

 

 

Potential Savings Mast Climbers Can Offer To Brick Cladding On High-Rise Buildings

 

The decision to opt for scaffolding incurred a significant cost of £1.88 million for the project. However, if the developer had chosen MCWPs instead, inclusive of all scaffold elements and power allowances, the entire project could have been completed at a much lower cost of only £820,000.

 

Had MCWPs been used in place of scaffolding, the developer would have realised a direct savings of £1,060,000. Additionally, the developer estimated that an extra £250,000 could have been saved by factoring in the reduced time and labour requirements achieved with early project completion.

 

In total, this equates to a potential cost reduction of a staggering £1,310,000.

 

 

Maximise Time And Cost Savings With MCWPs in Brick Cladding on High-Rise Buildings

 

The key takeaway here is to thoroughly explore all available options and make well-informed decisions that align with the goal of your program and project.  By doing so, you can secure opportunities for substantial time and cost savings whilst unlocking additional benefits, including improved safety and a more favourable working environment for your brickwork contractors.

 

The remarkable benefits in safety, productivity, and cost-effectiveness have made mast climbers a valuable investment to optimise your brickwork projects.  With over 1,600 machines in our rapidly expanding fleet, BFT holds the UK's largest mast climber collection.

 

All BFT mast climbers comply with Work at Height, Manual Handling, and Health & Safety regulations, ready to deploy from two national distribution centres in Bedfordshire and Manchester.

 

Don't settle for less when better options are available. Speak with an MCWP expert today and discover how mast climbers can help with your next project.