# Foyer chandeliers



## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

This is how I do them now, no more lugging around big ladders trying to get stuff in and out without breaking a back or damaging a home.

https://www.grainger.com/product/JL..._on_Your_Search-_-IDPPLARECS&cm_vc=IDPPLARECS


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I don't. I tell them that it't either a chandelier lift or they have to find a contractor who will setup scaffolding, which will cost more than installing a lift.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

16 Ft double sided ladder HERE


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

If there's enough space to erect the Little Giant Skyscraper, that's an option.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

Switched said:


> This is how I do them now, no more lugging around big ladders trying to get stuff in and out without breaking a back or damaging a home.
> 
> https://www.grainger.com/product/JL..._on_Your_Search-_-IDPPLARECS&cm_vc=IDPPLARECS


At 326 Lbs., how do you get it in the foyer?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I use a 12' step ladder but I setup 2 saw horses with 2x10 and set the ladder on that if I can't reach it off the ladder. It really is safe- we screw everything done and use screws near the feet so the ladder can't move. I am sure Osha would have a fit but it is strong.

I fond these sawhorse that are made from wood and fold up. They have a heavy rope as the hinge but we still screw 1x4's to the side so the ropes can't give out


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

3DDesign said:


> At 326 Lbs., how do you get it in the foyer?


It breaks down into pieces, unless I posted the wrong link.

I have done two with them. I place some plywood down to protect the floor, bring it in and set it all up. Change out the fixture, break it all down, and clean it all up.

Then I collect 3 times more than when I did it with a ladder. It takes longer and the rental of the lift. I don't imagine I'll win a lot of customers over with the price I need to charge, but I really don't care. With the way safety is going these days, I am not having an employee get hurt climbing a 16'-20' ladder when the lift was an alternative.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Here we borrowed a neighbors backhoe so we could tie a rope as high as we could to drop the tree. Now we sling a bean bag up there


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

Dennis Alwon said:


> I use a 12' step ladder but I setup 2 saw horses with 2x10 and set the ladder on that if I can't reach it off the ladder. It really is safe- we screw everything done and use screws near the feet so the ladder can't move. I am sure Osha would have a fit but it is strong.
> 
> I fond these sawhorse that are made from wood and fold up. They have a heavy rope as the hinge but we still screw 1x4's to the side so the ropes can't give out


Could you post a photo of that? Maybe one with a worker carrying a big chandelier up it? I collect photos and show them in a slideshow during break when I teach “working at heights”. Lol


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Here we borrowed a neighbors backhoe so we could tie a rope as high as we could to drop the tree. Now we sling a bean bag up there


:vs_OMG:!!


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

I've only done one fixture at 17 feet. I only had a 12 foot ladder but it was half over the railing. Next time it a gonna be scaffolding. 

There's a place here in Ottawa called scaffold fast... they will even set it up for you if need be. 

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## lighterup (Jun 14, 2013)

I own (2) bakers scaffolding that are stackable up to (3).
I hang the fixture first , then make ups the canopy , then the bulbs.
I'm done at that point.If fthe fixture has crystals that need to go on , I then make an 
additional quote to trim it out. If they say no...my scaffolding 
comes down (yes -i have had the man of the house ask me to 
leave the scaffolding up so he can use it to do this , but I refer 
him to our contract where it very explicitly states NO ONE IS 
PERMITTED ON OUR LADDERS OR SCAFFOLDING FOR REASONS
OF COMMERCIAL LIABILITY ISSUES).


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

A lift for a lift. :vs_laugh:


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

Condo guy wanted me to fix a light. 18 feet. Said go rent a 16 foot step and get her done.

I must admit I looked at them. Picked one end up even. Anyway told him when the scaffold was up I'd fix the light. He phoned a couple of days later and said 3 sections had been built for me.


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## Dan the electricman (Jan 2, 2011)

Depending on ceiling height, I rent a lightweight aluminum 14 or 16 foot stepladder. If I take it slow, I can get it in and set up by myself.

Take the fixture apart, and bring it down in pieces. Do the reverse with the new fixture.

If the minimum weight of either stripped down fixture is more than 50 lbs, I turn down the work.

:wink:


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

I keep a 16 ft fiberglass, double sided, 350lb rated, step ladder on one of the vans. It takes two guys to move it, 175 lbs, but it's OSHA rated to reach 20 ft. We use it about every ten days.


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## JohnJ65 (May 8, 2008)

Little Giant skyscraper is the only way to fly in my opinion. I do a lot of them with mine.


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## WPNortheast (Jun 4, 2017)

Great suggestions, never heard of little giant skyscraper. We had a double sided 14 fiberglass at my old employers and i almost had my guts com out tipping it back onto my shoulder.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

3DDesign said:


> I keep a 16 ft fiberglass, double sided, 350lb rated, step ladder on one of the vans. It takes two guys to move it, 175 lbs, but it's OSHA rated to reach 20 ft. We use it about every ten days.


That is the way to go but we just don't need it that often. We bought 2- 12 foot step ladders and then get used periodically but a 16' would be used 2 times every 5 years


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

jelhill said:


> :vs_OMG:!!


Seriously, why do you think this is scary? The bucket is as solid as the ground, the ladder can't slip, we even have a spotter and the ladder has a bracket designed to keep the ladder stationary.

Don't get me wrong... when I worked I did wacko things but I will not let my guys go up something that isn't safe.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

eddy current said:


> Could you post a photo of that? Maybe one with a worker carrying a big chandelier up it? I collect photos and show them in a slideshow during break when I teach “working at heights”. Lol


2 guys... one holds the chandelier from the base while the other has canopy and chain. We are not hanging 200 pound fixtures.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Now this is nuts-- it's not me or anyone I know


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## warrenmanne (Aug 25, 2018)

Switched said:


> This is how I do them now


Don't those wheels mess up your customers floors? Seems like a lot of weight by the time you and the fixture are scooting your way up to the sky. 

And doesn't the price of that thing scare the customers off? 

We've got a 16' fiberglass A frame, and guys who are good at standing up straight without falling over. 

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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

warrenmanne said:


> Don't those wheels mess up your customers floors? Seems like a lot of weight by the time you and the fixture are scooting your way up to the sky.
> 
> And doesn't the price of that thing scare the customers off?
> 
> ...


Post #8

Sure the price scares of some people, but that doesn't bother me one bit.

I am glad you guys can stand up straight while on a ladder, mine can too. The issue is getting up and down the ladder keeping 3 points of contact while having all your tools around you, removing the fixture, coming down with the fixture or parts, and then coming back up with the fixture and installing it. 

I have done it hundreds of times over the years like most electricians have. But you have to look at the safety of things from a different perspective these days. I invite you to video tape the next installation of a light fixture you do at the height of 20', and then take it to your lawyer or an OSHA expert and see what they have to say.

Then you can show them this little guy. It sets up and breaks down nicely, can be carried into the freight elevator of a high rise residential condo, up the several flights of stairs on some of the older 3-6 story framed buildings (Yes you would be surprised the number of buildings like these that have 20' ceilings hidden in them), and then erected. Once it is all in place an "Employee" can safely and legally install a large fixture to a tall ceiling.

Ask them what they think you should be doing?

If I price myself out of the 20-30 or so calls for 20' chandelier installations I get per year, I have no problem with it at all.


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

I use the 16' ladder and a 110v winch (IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF MILWAUKEE MADE US A LIGHT DUTY M12 WINCH LIKE I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS NOW!!!!!), not sure why anyone would do it any other way 9 out of 10 times. 

The power lifts are nice, but often times the logistics of moving them around are far worse than a 16' ladder that one person can stand on their own. Scaffolding is also a great way to do it and I have had to use it plenty of times before where a ladder and lift wouldn't work. The only downside to scaffolding is the time to set up, but charge appropriately and it's no longer a problem. But again, you can charge the same and just use a 16' a frame.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Switched said:


> This is how I do them now, no more lugging around big ladders trying to get stuff in and out without breaking a back or damaging a home.
> 
> https://www.grainger.com/product/JL..._on_Your_Search-_-IDPPLARECS&cm_vc=IDPPLARECS




Saw this at a jobsite this week. Nice!

I do a good amount of work In churches where this would be clutch. 


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

WronGun said:


> Saw this at a jobsite this week. Nice!
> 
> I do a good amount of work In churches where this would be clutch.
> 
> ...


They are pretty awesome, and with OSHA they way they are now, priceless!


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## craigdj87 (Oct 11, 2016)

14 foot fiberglass ladder. Two guys bringing it in through the front door. Guy going in first walks it up the staircase


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

WPNortheast said:


> Hey im curious how you guys go about changing out a chandelier in a high ceiling foyer? 18-20 'aff.


First thing i would do is to ask the home owner if it has a service winch. Be real upset to drag in a ladder to find that all i had to do was hit the switch and lower the fitting to the ground.


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

Whoever suggested the Little Giant Skyskraper, thanks! That looks like a great product! For the 15' (and 17'), what is the working height? It's nice that it can be compacted down to under 10' for inside van storage, so I might be picking one of them up. The sun is hell on fiberglass.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

svh19044 said:


> Whoever suggested the Little Giant Skyskraper, thanks! That looks like a great product! For the 15' (and 17'), what is the working height? It's nice that it can be compacted down to under 10' for inside van storage, so I might be picking one of them up. The sun is hell on fiberglass.




Here I have the 21’ setup










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## trentonmakes (Mar 21, 2017)

We did a crazy fixture for a nursing home, we used duct lifts. That worked pretty well.

Had to change bulbs in 22ft celings yesterday. They had the stupidest thing I've seen with the simplest design.

It was a stick with a suction cup!

That thing was great! Had I seen it in the store I'd probaly would of laughed and passed on it!

We changed out over a dozen bulbs with a 6ft ladder!

Hearimg you need a 16ft ladder in the morning is, IMO a kick in the nuts and ruims your day!

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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

I got the 15' skyscraper to replace a 14' a frame. The weight savings over the 17' skyscraper were worth it for 1 man operation, and most ceilings we work on max out at 20'. I have personally used it a couple times and yep, it's a ladder! I believe the 17' version would fit in the back of the van as well, but that's also an added bonus over a large a frame.


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