HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

How to hire a scaffolder in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to scaffolders; the work at height rules and, on a pavement, a highway licence do. The checks, the questions and what to keep.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a scaffolder in five steps

  1. Say what the scaffold is forRoof, chimney, rendering or painting — and which elevations.
  2. Ask about the pavementIn England and Wales, scaffolding on or over a highway needs the highway authority's licence.
  3. Get the hire period in writingWeeks included, and the weekly rate after that.
  4. Agree who uses itYour roofer or builder needs to know it is safe and handed over.
  5. Secure itLadders removed or boarded at night; alarms if offered.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Roofing needs no licence in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; what governs the scaffold is how the work at height is carried out, under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Northern Ireland's 2005 equivalent.

Get the access for the scaffold — scaffold, tower or platform — written into the price. hse.gov.uk →

Highway licence (England and Wales)

Section 169 of the Highways Act 1980 says nobody may put up or keep scaffolding on or over a highway in connection with building work without a written licence from the highway authority, and must keep to its terms.

If the scaffold will stand on the pavement or overhang it, ask who is applying for the licence and when. legislation.gov.uk →

Work at Height Regulations

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Northern Ireland has its own of 2005) require work at height to be planned, supervised and done by competent people with the right equipment; scaffolding is the equipment, so it has to be fit for the job it serves.

Ask the scaffolder how the scaffold will be checked before your trades use it. hse.gov.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Ask who insures the trader doing the scaffold and for how much; public liability is standard. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers the scaffold when the provider is a trader, and a contract made off-premises or online can usually be cancelled within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — less what was done if you asked for an early start, and not at all for goods made to your specification.

For the scaffold, see the insurance document and confirm the profile carries the trader and ID-checked badges.

VAT

Scaffolding, from erection to strike, is standard-rated, so VAT is 20%; a firm with taxable turnover over £90,000 must be VAT-registered, charge that 20% and show it as a separate line on the quote and invoice.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the scaffold quote and any weekly extension. gov.uk →

“Which elevations does the scaffold cover, and at what height?”

A good answer: A written description — front and back to the eaves, a chimney lift — matched to the work it serves.

“Is the hire period included, and what is the rate after it?”

A good answer: A set number of weeks and a weekly rate beyond, in writing.

“Will the scaffold need a pavement licence?”

A good answer: In England and Wales, if it stands on or over a highway; the scaffolder usually applies and the quote says who pays the fee.

“Who checks the scaffold before others use it?”

A good answer: A handover to the trade using it, and checks while it stands.

“How will the scaffold be secured at night?”

A good answer: Ladders removed or boarded off; an alarm if one is offered.

“What about the neighbours' side?”

A good answer: Any access to a neighbour's land agreed with them before it goes up.

Getting the quote right

  • Elevations and height covered
  • Hire period included and the weekly rate after
  • Pavement licence and who applies
  • Loading bays, chimney lifts, sheeting or alarms
  • Who actually attends — the scaffolders who erect and strike it, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line
  • Erection and strike dates

Walk away if

  • Scaffold on the pavement with no licence in England or Wales
  • No written hire period
  • Leaves ladders up overnight
  • Will not say who checks it before use
  • Cash only
LOW
£650
TYPICAL
£900
HIGH
£1,500

What a scaffolder costs: £650–£1,500 per job

Scaffolding is priced per job by the elevations, the height and the hire period; a pavement licence and extras such as a chimney lift add to it. Scaffolding price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Scaffolders near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. SurveyElevations, ground and any pavement licence needs assessed.
  2. LicenceThe highway licence applied for where the scaffold is on or over a highway in England or Wales.
  3. ErectScaffold erected with boards, guardrails and toe boards.
  4. Hand overThe scaffold handed over to the trade using it.
  5. StrikeTaken down when the work is done and the site left tidy.

Lift
One level of the scaffold.
Guardrail
The rail that stops people falling from the platform.
Toe board
A board at the platform edge that stops things falling.
Chimney lift
An extra platform built up around a chimney.
Strike
Taking the scaffold down.
Highway licence
Written permission from the highway authority for scaffolding on or over a road or pavement.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the paperworkQuote, hire dates, any licence and handover note.
Strike it on timeTell the scaffolder as soon as the trades finish, to stop the weekly charges.
Check for damageWalls, paths and planting after the scaffold comes down.
Rate the workOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the scaffold falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Put it to the scaffolder in writingDescribe the fault with the scaffold, with photos, and say what would put it right. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 expects a trader to use reasonable care and skill; where that fell short you may require the work to be done again, or a lower price.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the scaffold under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Unsafe scaffolding or an unlicensed oneScaffolding that is dangerous can be reported to HSE; one on the pavement without a licence in England or Wales is a matter for the highway authority. For a trading dispute over the scaffold, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the scaffold is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a scaffolder: questions people ask

No licence or register applies to scaffolding firms; the Work at Height Regulations govern how scaffolding is used.

In England and Wales, section 169 of the Highways Act 1980 requires a licence from the highway authority for scaffolding on or over a highway.

£650–£1,500 a job, typically around £900. The elevations, the height and the hire period decide most of it. The Scaffolding price guide goes through it line by line; type your postcode above for scaffolders in your area.

Agree a set period and the weekly rate after; strike it as soon as the work ends.

If they use a scaffold firm or are competent to erect it; ask who designs and checks it.

If the scaffold stands on or overhangs their land, agree it with them first.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: RooferHow to hire: Chimney RepairHow to hire: RenderingHow to hire: Fascias & SoffitsHow to hire: Guttering InstallationHow to hire: SteeplejackHow to hire: BuilderHow to hire: CladdingAll 701 hiring guides →

Scaffolders near you

Scaffolders in LondonScaffolders in ManchesterScaffolders in BirminghamScaffolders in GlasgowScaffolders in BelfastAll scaffolders on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. HSE — work at height: the law
  2. HSE — work at height myths (ladders and the 30-minute guide)
  3. Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005
  4. Highways Act 1980, section 169 — control of scaffolding on highways (England and Wales)
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  7. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  8. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  9. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  10. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  11. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  12. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  13. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  14. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  15. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register