How much does scaffolding cost

The average cost of scaffolding per week is £300-£880. Scaffolding around the three sides of a bungalow is between £600 to £700, a chimney costs from £450 to £550, and £800 to £1000 for scaffolding around a semi-detached home. Factors like the size, ease of access, and property location affect the price. 

Get a local scaffolder to quote for your job

    How much does it cost in a day

    The price to hire scaffolding for a day in the UK is between £60 to £150 per day. This all depends on factors such, as how complicated setting up the scaffolding structure will be and the amount of labour required for the job. 

    It also varies according to the type of scaffolding that needs to be used. Some more of these factors that determine the price are;

    • Location
    • Height
    • Ease of access
    • Restriction of public access

    Location 

    The surroundings in most cities and rural areas differ enormously. The access equipment required to reach certain points in buildings will be more advanced in cities since there are generally more ‘hard-to-reach’ areas in city infrastructure. This has made the cost to erect scaffolding in urban areas much more expensive compared to erecting them in rural areas.

    Height

    A taller building will require a larger scaffolding to be used. This means that more materials will be required to erect. This, in turn, has a huge difference in the end price.

    Public access restricted

    Some projects require the scaffolding to be placed in a place such as a road or public place. Setting this up will require you to have permission from the local council. This often comes at a very high price. 

    A contractor should always ensure they have acquired the necessary permissions before hiring a scaffolding company. 

    Ease of access

    The accessibility of your building will greatly affect the cost of scaffolding. The amount will be much lower if the scaffolder can easily reach all the building parts. It will also get the job done quicker. 

    How much does it cost scaffolding per square meter

    The cost of hiring scaffolding per square meter is £15-£20. This does not include the cost of local council permits and access tools to be used. 

    Most scaffolding companies hire scaffolding out for a period of 6 to 8 weeks. Some companies also allow for shorter renting periods. Most scaffolders prefer longer jobs, which directly translates to better pay because short jobs often don’t pay well. 

    For chimney repair work, the weekly renting cost will amount to a price between £300 to £600. Bridging over places such as conservatories amounts to £450 to £900 weekly. Wallwork, on the other hand, costs anywhere from £950 to £1200 per week. 

    How much does buying it cost

    Larger and heavier duty scaffold unit prices range from £170 to £1700. This depends on the size, materials, and type of scaffolding being purchased. 

    Buying scaffolding is recommended if you are looking to make long-term use of it. If you need them for a short project, it is much more cost-effective to rent. On the other hand, when renting, you do not need to look after it. It will always be in good working condition.

    What you need it for?

    Each type of project has its own pricing methods. This is because each type is used for a specific project and solves a specific need. Here are the pricing ranges for different types of projects;

    1. Conservatory

    inside conservatory

    The average cost of a scaffolding bridge passing over a conservatory is £650 per week. A scaffolding bridge has to be built over a conservatory regardless of the nature of the project. The complex nature of such projects makes the price of the scaffolding higher. 

    2. Gutter repair

    a man is repointing a roof verge on scaffold

    You will be able to get scaffolding to access your roof gutters at a price starting from £250 per week. You will not require a large scaffolding structure as this is a simple repair job in which a single scaffold will get the job done. In a more urban place such as London, the price ranges from £300 to £400 per week. 

    3. Chimney

    The standard cost for renting chimney scaffolding for a week lies from £400 to £800 weekly. Chimney scaffolding is conventional as it does not need to cover the whole house. Extra precaution equipment will, however, be required when working on chimneys as the scaffolding is erected on the highest part of the roof. 

    Tradesmen cost

    The period in which scaffolding will be hired will determine how much cost you will incur. A conservatory bridge will have a labour cost of about £430 to £470. Scaffolding to be used for roofing will bring the labour cost to £400 to £450, and to be used for fixing the bottom hip tiles will cost from £230 to £270. 

    Labour costs for Chimney work will range from £730 to £770 while setting up scaffolding around a semi-detached house will have a labour cost of £830 to £870. Scaffolding for painting the front of a property will cost £480 to £550, while scaffolding around a detached house for painting will cost anywhere from £1,480 to £1,520. 

    The cost of labour is also affected by several factors such as the workforce hired, weather conditions, and the area you live. 

    Scaffolding cost price list

    ItemCost
    Scaffolding hire£40 to £150 per day
    Buying£170 to £1700
    Scaffold tower assembly£200 to £300
    Conservatory£650 per week
    Gutter repair£250 per week
    Chimney£400 to £800 weekly
    Labour costs£250 to £1,520

    The cost of hiring scaffolding varies greatly. It is best to ensure that the safety of everyone working on your construction site is fully protected when working at heights. This is achieved when you choose the best type of scaffolding, and you should expect good results knowing that your employees are working in safe conditions.