Scaffold Price List

Written by Daniel Woodley. Fact Checked by Paul Farley. Published to Prices. Updated: 8th March 2023.

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I’ve used the services of scaffolding firms hundreds of times over the last 18 years so if you want to know how much scaff hire costs, explore my price guide below.

I’ve found that the cost of scaffold hire will depend on where you live in the UK with a £700 hire in the north of the country typically costing over £1000 in London or the southeast.

How many lifts (walking levels) and how many weeks you need the scaffold for are also key factors.

Below is my 2023 price guide for scaffold hire, all prices include VAT.

Scaffold Hire Prices For Bungalows

Here are the typical prices for scaffold hire to a bungalow with the first lift at around gutter height:

1 side with 1 lift – £350

2 sides with 1 lift – £500

3-4 sides with 1 lift – £600 – £700

Temporary roof – From £3000

Scaffold Hire Cost For Semi-Detached and Detached Houses

These are typical scaffold hire prices for projects on semi-detached houses:

1 side with 1 lift – £450

1 side with 2 lifts – £550

2 sides with 1 lift – £600

2 sides with 2 lifts – £700

3 sides with 1 lift – £800

3 sides with 2 lifts – £1000

4 sides with 1 lift/2 lifts – £1200 – £1500

Temporary roof – from £5000 (semi) and £6000 (detached) for a basic setup but can exceed £10,000 for more complex designs.

Scaffold Hire For 3 Storey Buildings

Townhouses usually have 3 storeys but the cost of scaffold hire will depend on how many lifts the customer requires.

For example, a single lift at gutter height (for roof work) will cost much less than a setup with 3 or 4 lifts (i.e. for exterior painting).

1 side with 2 lifts – £750

2 sides with 2 lifts – £1200

1 side with 3 lifts – £900

2 sides with 3 lifts – £1600

3-4 sides with 2-3 lifts – £1500 – £3000

Temporary roof – From £8000 (basic)

Scaffold Hire Cost For Solar Panel Installations

I’ve worked on projects where we hired scaffold for roof panel installations:

Front and rear of semi-detached house – From £700

3 sides of semi-detached property – From £850

Bungalow – From £350 per side

Other Scaffold Prices

Here are other scaffold prices:

Span over a small conservatory with a tower either end – £300 – £500.

Single tower – From £250.

Tower for roof access – From £350.

Chimney access – From £300 (bungalow) to £900 (house or townhouse) but overall height and the number of lifts will determine the price.

Edge protection handrails – From £10 per metre.

Chute hire – From £50

How Much Does Scaffold Cost?

There are no easy answers, as every project is different.

Historical listed buildings will require extra protection such as scaffold end caps and other protective features. Areas with pedestrian access will require foam protection and high-visibility sleeves and tape.

I know from my own experince that how close the scaffolders can park their van to the property is also important – the scaffold is heavy, and if it needs to be carried from far away, the project will take significantly longer and cost more. I know a few scaffolders and they love jobs where they can park their van next to the property!

Also, the number of lifts is crucial when pricing a project as those with more will require more scaffold and walking boards and take longer to erect.

Alternatives

In most cases, ladders cannot be used as an alternative to scaffold hire due to health and safety regulations.

Platform towers can be hired and erected by the hirer. This might not be suitable for all applications, but it could work out cheaper for basic projects compared to professional scaffold hire. I used to own several tower platforms and I found them versatile and sturdy; I used them on 90% of the projects I worked on and hired scaffold for the other 10%.

For areas that are very difficult to access, a cherry picker or scissor lift could work out cheaper, especially if the user only requires access for a short time.

Compare Custom Scaffold Hire Prices

I hope you found this scaffold hire helpful.

As every project is different, the next step is to get a no-obligation custom quote for your project:

• Submit details of your roof project (inc photos if you would like a quick quote).
• Get your custom quote.
• Compare prices.

Scaffold Hire FAQs

I’ve created a FAQs section below which I hope answers any of your questions:

Why You Can Trust This Price Guide

I have over 18 years of experience in the construction industry, including 10 years as a roofing contractor and 8 years as a project manager. I have hired scaffold hundreds of times so I have a good idea of how much it costs for small and mediums sized projects.

The prices on this page are based on quotes given to me from scaffolding firms as part of my research into what scaffolders are currently charging in the UK.

I intend to update this page yearly so the information is always up to date.

I also asked Paul Farley to fact-check key statements made in this article.

Manual Roof Moss Removal

If you don’t want your roof tiles pressure washed. there is another alternative – manual roof moss removal. This is often cheaper and is very effective.