How to install a ceiling fan on a 20' ceiling

...using a 12' stepladder. Doesn't seem very feasible when you do the math does it? Neither one of us were 8' tall so we had to improvise. Here was the first plan of attack: attach a 25' aluminum extension ladder to the face of the 12' stepladder.

I "anchored" the step ladder while Jeff climbed up to the ceiling. In theory this worked until Jeff reached up to grab the wire. At this point, the stepladder decided to lift itself up about 2 feet in the air (while still being attached to the extension ladder) which prompted a string of expletives in stereo. We managed to get back down our respective ladders without crashing through any windows.

We came up with Plan B: sawhorses. Seriously, we weren't drinking; yet.


The above contraption actually worked well and was pretty stable.


Attaching the motor and the 6' downrod was the hardest part.

...and finally the finished product. Lovely.