[Fin Clearview]

Did a block of flats on Mon prob nigh on 70ft, absolute agony and that was a good weather day. After 20 years most things have been learnt but we had a massive learning curve on that one firstly cost and didn't put hardly enough on it, won't make that one again!

[richard groves]

I had to stand on the roof of my van last week on tip toe ! 
When I first started I worked for a firm, we had a couple of jobs each week that needed us to use an OTT carbon fiber 60 ft - the base section was so long you could not reach the clamps to extend it vertically. It took two people to fully extend it on the ground and then whilst one of you wedged the butt of it against a curb the other had to walk towards the other lifting it from the other end above their head ( bending like a banana ) and just hope they could whip it up vertically without any injury to themselves or passers by.
Would have looked quite comical now - those were the days ( of rsi and neck ache ) can't say I miss them. 

But yeah, the investment of a wfp going above  50 ft alone should put a premium price on a job.

[AuRavelling79]

About 40ft I estimate.

[JackieW]

High as a kite on weed but could only manage my bungalows.
Didn't fancy trying anything stronger.

[Tosh]

Work?

[JandS]

There's one for sale on think it's Gardiners site that does 82 foot.
There's a video as well on there showing it in use on the 7th floor of a building.

[Richard Stevenson]

65 feet on tip toes  using ionics swift 65. It's a pig to use, so much easier than my original ott 65 alliminun 12 foot sections
This is why it makes me laugh when people on this site moan about heavy poles. There is not a bad pole on the market today , it's just some are better than others

[8weekly]

High as a kite on weed but could only manage my bungalows.
Didn't fancy trying anything stronger.

Oi, I was going to put that. I'd had a few tinnies as well though to balance off the mild paranoia. 

[Tony dunmall]

Over 80 feet
You need good weather that's for sure

15-16 sections of the modular did the contract when the modulars first became available there was another guy can't remember his name used dissimilar heights

Now I Dont really like working with more than an 18 or 22 extreme

Used 10 sections modular today just to give  some training in the wind

[Matt.]

I have extreme 47 with a few extentions on it, say around 60-65ft, but as said above the weather has to be right
 I have just got some work that's around the 80ft mark and am unsure weather to buy more extentions and another extreme 47
Or
Invest in that one gardiners have got.......... Big investment on a pole at £2695 +vat tho, with a 79ft reach

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

65ft up while in a picker that was 30ft off the floor is the highest we have gone thank god for the ultimate pole

[windowswashed]

7 storey 65ft approximately as a one off and 60ft regular in the past, but only do 50ft regular now each month.

[the king]

52ft is the highest ive ever gone found it easy with my super max 47 compact

[Fin Clearview]

Over 80 feet
You need good weather that's for sure

15-16 sections of the modular did the contract when the modulars first became available there was another guy can't remember his name used dissimilar heights

Now I Dont really like working with more than an 18 or 22 extreme

Used 10 sections modular today just to give  some training in the wind

We also used the modular, there was hardly a breeze but when it did come on the 7th floor blimey! Foot against the base to move from window to window helped a great deal, ensuring we wouldn't have to go and re clean a window of course. These poles really should come with tips/guidance as you can easily see how you could come unstuck with one of these waving about at 70ft.

But the difference it made from just coming down one floor and taking one or two sections off was like getting your arms back!

Funny someone mentioning it bending like a banana, we were whipping it up (evil on your back) with i think 7 sections and then adding more once against building.

[Smurf]

I think waving a stick about over 4 storey is just plan bonkers if you ask me. 
 

[Tosh]

+1

[rosskesava]

Years back I once used a borrowed Ionics pole at it's full length of 7 sections for a one off job. I don't know the height exactly but maybe  it was around 40'.

It was the old original yellow fibreglass poles with the base section as thick as a tree trunk and being only around 5' 7" or 5' 8" I couldn't reach the clamps. I had a mate who I worked with standing on a step ladder to help.

It was nightmare to use and move and weighed a ton. It took the two of us and after about 5 minutes my arms were done for.

All we cleaned was these 8 or 10 windows on an office block and afterwards I felt like I'd been in a weight lifting competition.

Thank god there was no wind that day.

I did know another window cleaner who when using a same model but shorter Ionics pole got hit by a gust of wind and while trying to stop the pole blowing sideways, it did his back in big time.

[PoleKing]

I've got a job where about 20 windows are at 100 feet.
I bought the Extreme 47' and 10 extension sections to give me a pole length of 97' (against Alex's recommendation I should add)
I lost my nerve after I attached the 7th extension and didn't think it was safe to go any higher, so didn't.
I'd been quite open with the site manager about what i was thinking of doing and that it was an experiment.
He was fine with it, we now clean the top 2 floors how they always used to be cleaned-from the inside reaching out.
I don't really like using the Extreme with more than 5 extensions because of the whip in it but 4 sections down is a breeze.

I used to use the Ionic Ergolite3 72' so anything is an improvement on that.
For those that don't know, it was about 9 feet long closed, had about a 3 inch diameter and was about 10kg in use from memory. As somebody else has posted you had to butt it into the base of the building, fully extend it and 'walk' it up the wall. A particular 'favourite' was a job we did in Nottingham City Centre where we had to stretch it across 6 (3 going each way) lanes of traffic in the very short time that the traffic lights were red! Started about 4am so there was minimal cars but the taxi drivers were always hurling abuse

I used the Ultimate with 14 sections but didn't get on with the control bars, s that 79 feet?
The girth of the 14th section wasn't comfortable for any length of time. Though i didn't use it for very long.
I'd be interested to hear of anyone using the control bars and how long it took to get used to them...

[windowswashed]

First high pole was a Tucker 60ft pole and using that all day was enough to warrant a day off after completion. Use to tire me out holding that thing all day. Moved onto Ionics ergolite carbon poles much better improvement on a Tucker. Still had to stick the butt against corner of wall/ground and walk it up fully extended watching out for traffic and public. Thank goodness for carbon modular poles and extreme poles. Modulars are more rigid and lighter at height than an extreme pole but harder to  collapse if its windy at the top with the side wind buffering above nearby lower buildings which leaves the top of the pole exposed to stronger winds than at ground level. Sometimes it would be like trying to control a kite as the strong gusts of wind would force you to grip the base tightly and lean the brush into the wind as it could be scary at times. Happy with working at lower heights now  as easier to control.

[Fin Clearview]

^ We said the same about not wanting to do anymore work after the block, we started it at 9am and finished at 2.30pm, 10 min Tea break in-between. We were both shattered and both of us aren't afraid of busy days but this was on another level if you'll pardon the pun.