Scaffolding is a temporary platform built around a building so people can work safely at height, for roofing, rendering, chimneys, extensions, painting and repairs. It's put up, inspected and taken down by a scaffolding contractor. For short, lighter jobs, a mobile scaffold tower you hire and build yourself may do instead.
Scaffolding or a mobile tower?
Scaffolding from a scaffolder
Built around the building by trained scaffolders, left up for weeks and inspected every 7 days.
Needs a council licence if it's on the pavement or road.
Mobile scaffold tower
An aluminium or fibreglass tower on wheels, hired by the day or week and built by the user.
Standard towers go up to 8 m outdoors, 12 m indoors.
Chimney and temporary roof scaffolds
Chimney stacks, and scaffolds that cover a roof while it's open, need specialist designs.
Priced separately and usually higher.
What scaffolding costs
Most domestic quotes are one price covering putting the scaffold up, a minimum hire period and taking it down. These ranges come from published cost guides and scaffolding firms' price lists.
- How many sidesElevations drive the price more than storeys: a detached house needs four sides, a mid-terrace often only the front and back.
- Height and complexityMore lifts, chimneys, bay windows and conservatories all add materials and labour.
- Hire periodQuotes usually include a minimum period, often 4–8 weeks. Extra weeks are charged on top, so book the trades before the scaffold.
- Licence and traffic managementScaffold on the pavement needs a council licence, and some jobs need road space or lights.
- Where you areLondon and the South East are usually dearer than the national average.
Check each quote includes erecting, dismantling, the licence and the hire period, and what each extra week costs. A low headline price with a short hire period can end up the most expensive.
Licences and permissions
Scaffold on the pavement or road Licence
Under section 169 of the Highways Act 1980, scaffolding on or over a public highway needs a licence from the highway authority, usually the council. The scaffolding company normally applies. Allow anything from about 10 working days to 4 weeks, depending on the council and whether traffic management is needed.
Hoarding around the work Licence
Section 172 of the same Act can require a hoarding or fence between building work and the street, unless the council agrees otherwise.
Insurance for the licence
Councils typically require the scaffolding firm to hold public liability insurance before they'll issue a licence, often £10 million.
Scaffold on a neighbour's land Permission
A neighbour can refuse. In England and Wales, a court can grant an access order under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 for work reasonably necessary to preserve your property, but not for improvements such as a loft conversion. The Party Wall Act may also apply to some work.
Safety checks that matter
Scaffolding is covered by the Work at Height Regulations 2005. According to the Health and Safety Executive, a construction scaffold must be inspected by a competent person:
Once it's built and before anyone works on it.
At least weekly, until it comes down.
Such as high winds or bad weather, or after substantial alterations.
- Handover certificate. Most scaffolders provide one when the scaffold is ready, confirming it matches its design, has been inspected and what loads it can take. It's good practice rather than a legal requirement, but ask for it.
- Design or TG20 compliance sheet. Standard tube-and-fitting scaffolds are usually built to NASC's TG20:21 guidance, which gives a compliance sheet. Anything outside standard configurations needs a bespoke design.
- Trained scaffolders. The industry's recognised scheme is CISRS, affiliated to CSCS: green card for labourers, red for trainees, blue for scaffolders and gold for advanced scaffolders and supervisors. It isn't a legal requirement in itself, but main contractors expect it as proof of competence.
- Don't alter it yourself. Removing a board or a guard rail can make a scaffold unsafe. Ask the scaffolder to make changes and re-inspect.
Mobile scaffold towers
Standard mobile towers are made to BS EN 1004-1:2020: freestanding, single-bay, on wheels, with one working platform at a time. Linked towers, towers with cantilevers or bridges, and other non-standard set-ups fall under a different standard, BS 1139-6, and need specialist design and assembly.
- Build it the recognised way. PASMA and the HSE recommend two methods that protect the person building the tower: "3T" (through the trap) and advance guardrail systems.
- Follow the instruction manual. Towers must come with one, and it sets the heights, stabilisers and build sequence for that model.
- Get trained. PASMA training is the recognised course for people who build and use towers.
- On the pavement? Some councils require a licence for a tower on the highway, just as for scaffolding.
How long does scaffolding take to put up?
Most domestic scaffolds go up in half a day to a day, and coming down is usually quicker. Larger, taller or more complex scaffolds take longer, and a licence application can add weeks before work starts, so book early.
Scaffold boards: sizes at a glance
| Standard | Thickness | Width | Common lengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS 2482 timber board | 38 mm | 225 mm | 1.5, 1.8, 2.4, 3.0 and 3.9 m (5, 6, 8, 10 and 13 ft) |
Standard 38 mm boards are usually supported at no more than 1.2 m spans.
Questions to ask a scaffolder
- Does the price include erecting, dismantling, the licence and VAT?
- How long is the hire period, and what does each extra week cost?
- Will you apply for the council licence, and how much notice do you need?
- Are your scaffolders CISRS-carded, and who will do the weekly inspections?
- Will I get a handover certificate and a TG20 compliance sheet or design?
- What public liability insurance do you hold?
- Will the scaffold need to go on a neighbour's land?
Prices in this guide are typical ranges from suppliers' published price lists and cost guides. They change and vary by area, so always confirm the price with the supplier before you book. Rules, fees and tax rates are checked against official sources.