Scaffolding, trestles, and platforms: which solution to choose?

Fixed scaffolding is the most well-known and widely used solution for extended work on facades, internal courtyards, large surfaces, or multi-story buildings. It offers large, continuous, and modular work platforms, allows for movement along the entire facade, and allows materials to be transported at height using lifting systems. It is particularly suitable for extensive restorations, plastering, complete painting, thermal insulation, and other work involving a large portion of the building envelope.

Scaffolding towers are mobile towers, typically mounted on wheels with locking systems. They are suitable for localized medium-height work, such as work on small portions of facades, retouching, sign maintenance, or small work on accessible roofs. Their strength lies in their quick assembly and relatively easy movement, but they require a level support surface and strict adherence to the required assembly configurations.

Aerial work platforms (MEWPs)—truck-mounted, self-propelled, vertical, or articulated—allow access to difficult-to-reach areas, often over obstacles or in internal courtyards where scaffolding isn't practical. They're ideal for short, targeted interventions, or for working at multiple, distant points without having to install fixed structures throughout the building. However, they require trained operators, adequate maneuvering space, and often sufficient load-bearing surfaces to support concentrated loads.

The choice of equipment depends on several parameters: duration of the construction site, surface area, accessibility, budget, and impact on the surrounding environment . A short-term intervention on a single high point may justify a platform, while a complete renovation of a condominium's facades is unlikely to be possible without scaffolding.

Another aspect concerns the impact on the people who live or work in the building. Fixed scaffolding requires the prolonged presence of a structure that reduces light and views, but allows for stable construction site management. A platform, on the other hand, creates a more localized disruption but can make the intervention less invasive over time. Evaluating these differences with the clients helps determine the most acceptable solution for everyone.

Finally, it's important to consider the combination of multiple systems: scaffolding for the main sections, trestles for the inner courtyard, and platforms for some particularly complex points. Each construction site requires a customized access plan, not a one-size-fits-all solution.