A ladder hoist is a powered carriage running on an inclined aluminium rail that leans against the eaves, and it exists so that bundles, sheet material and tear off debris move up and down without anybody carrying them on a ladder. Rails come in sections, commonly reaching a two storey eaves, and the day rate is modest against the labour it replaces.
Bundles per trip, and how quickly they go up
Standard roofing hoists carry a few hundred pounds a trip on a shingle platform or a sheet cradle, and the round trip takes under a minute on a two storey run. That turns a full pallet of bundles from a morning of ladder work by two people into a steady feed handled by one at the bottom.
Rail length is the number to book on
Rails are hired in lengths and extended with sections, typically covering eaves heights on one and two storey houses. Measure from where the base will actually stand, which is rarely against the wall, up to the eaves. A rail hired one section short is a wasted day and a second trip to the counter.
Setting the base and the angle
The foot needs firm level ground and the manufacturer's angle, which is steeper than a working ladder. Secure the top as instructed, keep the run clear of gutters and overhead lines, and never let anybody ride the carriage. These machines lift material only, and every maker says so on the rail.
When something else moves the material better
For a low single storey roof a simple ladder and a pair of hands may be quicker to set up. For a large commercial job, a telehandler placing whole pallets on the deck moves far more per hour. The hoist owns the middle ground: residential re roofs where nothing bigger can get in.
Questions people ask about ladder hoist rental
Can a ladder hoist carry a person?
No. These are material hoists and riding the carriage is prohibited by every maker and by the yard's contract. If people need to get to the roof, that is a ladder set and secured properly, scaffolding, or a boom lift, priced as a separate line.
Will it handle tear off as well as new material?
Yes, with the right platform or a debris chute arrangement, and running loads down is a large part of why the machine pays. Check the rated capacity for descending loads and do not overfill, because wet tear off is much heavier than the same volume of new shingles.
What does the counter include with the hoist?
Usually the rail sections, the powered carriage and one platform. Sheet cradles, extra sections and any tie off hardware may be separate lines. Ask what the total assembled length is with everything included, and confirm the vehicle you are collecting in can carry the rail.