I can handle wood rot repair and exterior painting, but I really don't want to spend all day 25 feet up on a ladder. I've received some quotes from professionals, and they're all around the $5,000 to $7,000 mark, which is way more than I anticipated. I'm curious if anyone has opted to rent a lift for DIY work like this. How did your experience go, and was it worth it?
3 Answers
I've rented a 45-foot articulating lift twice for my two-story house, and it was a game changer! It made the whole job so much safer and allowed me to easily haul all my tools up high. Plus, it gave me a great view of my yard! I paid around $1,500 for nine days, and that was more than enough time to get everything done. I wouldn’t use a ladder for significant renovations again—definitely recommend the rental option!
I helped my friend do siding on an old house, and using a lift was a massive labor saver. No more climbing or reaching awkwardly; everything we needed was right at hand. It made the job way smoother!
Most painters around my area just use ladders or scaffolding. If you're not keen on spending all day on a ladder, consider using a baker scaffold instead—it lets you work at about 12 feet high and can be cheaper than renting a scissor lift. You can get used scaffold frames pretty affordably, and with two frames, you can reach about 16-18 feet, then just do the rest from a ladder.