Working at Height Made Easy with WernerCo’s MiniMax Tower

IT WAS A DREAM PROJECT when AKA Building Services got a call to undertake the upgrading of old Roto roof windows in a listed 18^th century orangery set in the grounds of Woodfold Hall, Lancashire.

However, the situation of the windows and the delicate nature of the work with it being a listed building meant there had to be great planning when it came to what equipment was best used. This is where Werner’s MiniMax Tower was the ideal solution. Below, Andrew Konieczny, Managing Director of Lancashire-based AKA Building Services discusses what the challenges were and how they were overcome.

Situated in the park’s 900 acres, the Grade II listed Woodfold Hall was at one time arguably the grandest private home in East Lancashire. It was originally built in 1798 by Henry Sudell, a wealthy cotton manufacturer and one of the most influential merchants in booming Blackburn in the 1790s. It then became home to members of the Thwaites’ family until 1946.

Set to the north east of the old manor house, The Orangery, which was built around 1820, is part of the estate. It was saved from dilapidation in 2004 when it was developed into a family home. As part of further upgrades, the owners contacted AKA Building Services to upgrade the old roof windows, of which there were 12, with top-hung Velux roof windows and blinds.

The Orangery at Woodfold Hall, Lancashire

The Challenges

Uneven ground, working around precious garden items, and the manoeuvrability of expensive roof windows all created challenges for this project, so we needed equipment that offered versatility and the MiniMax tower did just that. We had just five days to complete the project, so time was of the essence.

The MiniMax tower is ideal to transport as its compact base means that its easy to fit in the van. It is also simple to put together with a snap click system on the folding lightweight frame allowing for fast set up – which is ideal – rather than having to compete with a cumbersome and heavy scaffold system.

The uneven ground and height of the roof windows were all made easier by the fact that we could alter the height options of the MiniMax tower using the adjustable legs. We even removed the overgrown weeds from around the building due to the easy moveability of the scaffolding!

Whilst we were able to utilise the MiniMax tower outside, inside we used the Werner Adjustable PRO Work Platform. This helped us to overcome built-in furniture and enabled us to work at the required different heights needed to install the Velux windows safely and correctly.

All in all, the MiniMax tower not only saved us time, but it also felt extremely safe. It was like it was part of the building due to the stabilisers, locking castor brakes, and braces when put together.

I would recommend the MiniMax tower to any tradesmen out there. It’s compact, lightweight and versatile – ideal for those tricky work at height projects.

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