A Hill Hiker® Hillside Lift System wouldn’t be a Hill Hiker® product without the attention-to-detail we put into the planning, manufacturing, and installing of every system we work on. To ensure the safety of our customers, none of those three stages can be overlooked or done without the full commitment of our staff. In this post, we’ll be diving into the “Pre-construction” phase of our process and what makes it so unique.
When we first arrive at a job site, we conduct our initial site visit. During this visit, we get a general feel of the potential location of the system. This includes things like: measuring the hill slope, determining the inline angles, examining the terrain, and taking sample soils. After that, we take a wider view of factors surrounding the potential location and use that information to determine exactly where the system will go on the property. Questions that play an influential role in this step are things such as:
- How easy is it to get to the system?
- Is there a certain route that allows for better traffic flow to and from the system?
- Does that route preserve the trees and vegetation around it?
- Is the system able to blend into the landscape appropriately and maintain the aesthetic level that we pride our systems on?
Lake Erie cliff terrain
From there, we begin determining the custom needs of the system, whether the application is for residential or commercial use, the desired capacity of the system, local building code requirements, and any other custom options the customer desires. Based on that information, the quote is then prepared and presented.
Canvas Canopy top
Hard top roof
As soon as an agreement is reached, we begin the permitting process by contacting the local code officials. This is the point where other manufacturers tend to run into some difficulty obtaining permits and licenses to do work in certain places. At times, certain manufacturers “bootleg” lifts to avoid costs or because their systems would not meet safety standards. We take great pride in the fact that we are one of, if not the only company, that can legally install lift systems anywhere in the United States.
Once we obtain the required permits, we can then finish the planning phase and place the custom order for manufacturing the new Hill Hiker® Hillside Lift System!
