A remodeling contractor’s job is to create revitalized structures. During the process, all kinds of building materials including lumber, masonry products, and drywall, along with appliances and cabinetry are removed or demolished. New materials, along with updated HVAC equipment, windows, and doors are brought to the job site. Paint, joint compound, ladders, job boxes, and power tools are carried in to get the job done. All these tasks require work trucks to transport materials to client locations and haul away debris, as well as move the equipment needed to accomplish the work.
Due to limited availability of workers as well as time, choosing the best and most productive method of hauling becomes an increasingly critical business decision. Efficiently coordinating equipment and materials drop offs with effective management of employees’ time can mean a difference in several percentage points of profit.
To accomplish many routine tasks, the time-tested pick-up is considered as a work truck, but there are limitations to the volume and weight that can be transported. Since the bed is elevated off the ground, it may require two people to load, and the risk of injury is increased.
OSHA identifies lifting and awkward postures as chief hazards of such work. Even a hand truck or dolly with a ramp increases the potential for injury. Trailers are another option, but can be unwieldy in certain driving situations, are difficult to back up, and take up a lot of space when parked.
One solution that is increasing in popularity is commercial-grade hook lifts that, with the push of a remote-control can take a container and lower it to the ground, where it can be filled with up to 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of material before it is smoothly lifted back into the bed of the work truck. It takes just one person to operate.
“Remodeling contractors need flexible hauling that allows them to quickly drop off their equipment and remove debris, when stops may be required at multiple sites,” says John Neuens, owner of SmartliftUSA.com and sole distributor of Smartlift, built by Milwaukee, WI-based BCA Industries.
This realization led to the invention of the Smartlift universal ground loading roll off system, designed to fit into any long or short bed pick-up work truck. The lifting mechanism can be installed with four bolts and safely operated by remote control by one person. The lift can load and unload the bin, positioning it over the bed without affecting the use of the tailgate or any toolboxes.
A patented lifting mechanism is a swing-arm that gives the Smartlift its ability to lift more weight and at different heights. The boxes are available in 2.5-, four-, six-, and eight-yard as well as custom sizes. The containers are about the size of a mid-sized car, which allows them to be placed in driveways or tight spaces without causing obstructions—or clients’ objections.
POTENTIAL EFFICIENCIES AND WORKFORCE ENHANCERS
Even using one Smartlift box, personnel can be deployed for efficient and effective workflow. Ground level equipment or material delivery/removal can be accomplished using fewer people in less time. Also, the potential for accidents or injury is reduced by not having to load using a ramp. With several yard boxes, a company could use one pick-up work truck to distribute the boxes to various sites without having to hold up work waiting for the contents to be loaded or unloaded.
In addition to the assorted sizes of dump boxes, remodeling contractors can choose a Convert-A-Deck box. The 2.5-yard box transforms into an 8.6-foot-wide deck by folding down the sides of the box and locking them in place. Large equipment can fit into this area. Then the deck can be quickly converted back to a box in a few minutes.
Commercial-grade hook lifts provide the perfect solution for remodeling contractor companies that need versatile and flexible transport. These vehicle accessories offer the convenience and flexibility of a pickup work truck with the capacity of a large commercial vehicle, dumpster, and equipment hauler.
For More Information
To learn more, visit www.bca-industries.com; or www.smartliftusa.com.
