Scaffolding costs are a key component when working on any exterior home improvement project. Whether you're fixing a roof, repointing a chimney or installing new guttering, it's almost impossible to do them without the help of scaffolding. It provides a safe, secure platform to work from, but it's a job that only professionals should tackle.
So, when budgeting for a project such as painting a house don't forget that you’ll need scaffolding. It is essential that you factor in scaffolding costs in your budget, and try to stick to a timescale to make sure your costs don't spiral out of control.
Scaffolding costs: Why they're not easy to gauge
When you enquire about scaffolding costs it is rare that you will get a straightforward answer (believe me I’ve tried). The reason being that it is a difficult question to answer without seeing a property to gauge exactly what the requirements are.
Typically, a scaffolding company likes to perform a site visit and talk to the homeowner to get a better idea of their exact requirements. This in turn helps determine the cost you can expect to pay rather than an estimate.
Scaffolding costs for residential properties
Here we look at the average costs you can expect to pay for different scenarios. As a basic rule of thumb, the higher the scaffolding needs to go and the more sides it's needed on, the more you will have to pay.
One storey building (bungalow)
One side - £200 - £450
Two sides - £400 - £900
Three sides - £600 - £1350
Four sides - £800 - £1800
Two storey building (house) One side - £300 - £650
Two sides - £600 - £1300
Three sides - £900 - £1950
Four sides - £1200 - £2600
Three storey building (townhouse)
One side - £500 - £1200
Two sides - £700 - £2000
Three sides - £1050 - £2800
Four sides - £1400 - £3500
Chimney costs One storey - £250 - £325
Two storey - £350 - £600
Three storey - £400 - £800
Note these prices are only a general guideline and can vary depending on different factors. Contact local scaffolding suppliers to get a more accurate price.
Scaffolding tall buildings will increase your scaffolding costs(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
What factors affect scaffolding costs?
Different factors affect the cost you will have to pay for scaffolding. Here we look at the common factors that determine the costs and what they can add to the basic cost.
Length of hire
This is an obvious one, but how long you need the scaffolding will determine the price you have to pay for hire. Prices are typically for a week or a month. Check with a supplier to determine what their standard length of hire is.
Height and sides Is the scaffolding for a one storey, two storey, three storey or even taller property? Is it needed on one side, two sides or more? The higher the scaffold, the more sides and equipment will be needed and the longer it will take to erect.
Levels
How many platforms you need will affect the cost. You may have a two storey property but only need one platform i.e. to work on the guttering. However, you may need two or three platforms for different jobs or trades to work on.
Licences/permits If scaffolding needs to be placed on public land e.g. a pavement at the front of a property then you will need to apply for a licence or permit from the local authority. Some scaffold suppliers will sort and include the cost, while other suppliers will expect you to apply.
How much does a scaffolding tower cost to hire?
If you are looking at a smaller project such as painting exterior window sills, replacing guttering, window repairs or even internal projects that don’t need a permanent scaffold structure, you can hire a scaffold tower.
Scaffold towers typically come with wheels so they are easy to manoeuvre, a small platform to work on, and vary in height from around one metre to 10 metres. A scaffold tower with a platform height of around 5m (16 feet) should be adequate for most jobs on a two storey home.
Just remember you will need flat ground on which to place the scaffold tower. Personally, the highest I would go on a scaffolding tower is a 6m platform height. For anything above this I would call in a scaffolder.
But how much can you expect to pay to hire a scaffold tower?
Price will depend on supplier, height, width, and whether they need to be delivered or picked up. The following prices are a general guideline to hire only (delivery/pickup not included).
Single width towers
Small (2.5m platform height, 1m width platform) - £30-£70 a week. Medium (5m platform height, 1m width platform) - £50-£100 a week Tall (6m platform height, 1m width platform) - £70-£120 a week
Double width towers Small (2.5m platform height, 2m width platform) - £40-£80 a week. Medium (5m platform height, 2m width platform) - £60-£130 a week Tall (6m platform height, 2m width platform) - £100-£170 a week
Prices can also vary depending on location. You might see a great deal online, but the hire firm could be a 100 miles away, and either won't deliver to you, or charge extra for delivery and pickup. Delivery costs can easily double the price. Ideally you want to be looking at local hire firms to keep prices down.
Scaffolding costs FAQs
Can you hire scaffolding by the day or week?
This will depend on the supplier, but you will be hard pushed to find a scaffold supplier who will offer daily rates. The typical timescale for hire is a week, but some suppliers quote their price based on a monthly basis. However, if you need to hire scaffolding for longer you can ask the supplier for a whole project duration quote before you start. Typically, the longer you need scaffolding the better rate you will get.
How much would it cost to buy my own scaffold tower?
If you're going to do a lot of DIY projects around the exterior of your home you might want to consider purchasing your own scaffold tower so you don’t have to keep paying hire charges. Don’t forget if you are going to buy your own scaffold tower you will need somewhere to store it.
For smaller DIY projects a basic scaffold tower like this Classic 3.8m DIY Galvanised Scaffold Tower from Amazon is ideal. It has a platform height of around 1.8m (6 feet) and is a cost effective solution at under £300.
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Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating.
He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.
He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.
