HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

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

No register applies to steeplejacks; how the work at height is planned does. The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a steeplejack in five steps

  1. Describe the structureHeight, material and the problem, with photos.
  2. Ask about the access methodRope access, mast climber or scaffold — and why.
  3. Ask for the planHow the work at height is planned and who supervises it.
  4. Get an inspection reportPhotos and findings from the top, before and after.
  5. Check the insuranceCover that matches high-level work.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

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

Ask what access the steeplejack work will use, and see it on the quote. hse.gov.uk →

Planned and supervised work at height

Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, anyone working high up must be competent, supervised and properly equipped, and the job must be planned; for the steeplejack work that means a written method for the access chosen.

Ask to see how the steeplejack work and its access are planned. hse.gov.uk →

Bats (England)

Natural England's standing advice says bat roosts in buildings are protected, and damaging or destroying one is an offence even when no bats are present; roof work such as the steeplejack work can affect a roost and may then need a survey and a licence.

For an older roof space, ask whether a bat survey is needed before the steeplejack work. gov.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Expect public liability cover for the steeplejack work, and ask for the insurer's name and the limit. Because you are buying from a trader, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to the steeplejack work; agreed in your home or at a distance, it usually carries a 14-day cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, although work you asked to begin early is paid for and made-to-measure goods are excluded (regulation 28).

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

VAT

VAT on steeplejack and high-level access work is charged at the standard 20%, and any business turning over more than £90,000 a year in taxable sales has to register, add it to the price and set it out on its own line.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the high-level access quote. gov.uk →

“Which access method will the steeplejack use, and why?”

A good answer: Rope access, a mast climber or scaffold, chosen for the structure, the work and the time it takes.

“How is the steeplejack work planned and supervised?”

A good answer: A written method and a named supervisor, as the Work at Height Regulations expect.

“Will the steeplejack give me an inspection report?”

A good answer: Photos and findings from the top, so you can see what needs doing.

“What about lightning protection?”

A good answer: If the structure has it, a check of the conductors and earth while up there.

“What insurance does the steeplejack carry?”

A good answer: Public liability at a level that matches the height and the structure.

“What if the weather turns during the steeplejack work?”

A good answer: A plan for stopping in wind or rain, and how it affects the price and dates.

Getting the quote right

  • Access method and its cost
  • The repairs itemised
  • Inspection report with photos
  • Any lightning protection testing
  • Who actually attends — the steeplejacks climbing the structure, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line

Walk away if

  • No plan for how the work at height will be done
  • Cannot name an insurer
  • No photos from the top
  • Starts in high wind to save a day
  • No written quote
LOW
£300
TYPICAL
£900
HIGH
£2,500

What a steeplejack costs: £300–£2,500 per job

Steeplejack work is priced per job; the height and the access method drive it, and the repair, reports and lightning protection add to it. Steeplejack 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

Steeplejacks 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. PlanAccess method and a written plan for the work at height.
  2. RigRope access, mast climber or scaffold set up.
  3. InspectThe structure inspected and photographed at the top.
  4. RepairRepointing, capping, fixings or lightning protection repairs done.
  5. ReportPhotos and a written report handed over.

Rope access
Working suspended on ropes rather than from a scaffold.
Mast climber
A powered platform that climbs a mast fixed to the building.
Lightning conductor
The metal tape carrying a strike to earth.
Capping
The top course or cap on a chimney or parapet.
Method statement
A written plan of how the work will be done safely.
Work at height
Any work where a fall could cause injury.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the reportInspection findings, photos and the work done.
Diary the next inspectionAs the report recommends.
Check from the groundPots, caps and fixings look secure.
Rate the workOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the steeplejack work 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 steeplejack in writingDescribe the fault with the steeplejack work, 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 steeplejack work 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 3Dangerous or unapproved workHSE takes reports of dangerous work at height, so tell it if the steeplejack work put people at risk; in England an unapproved re-roof that no scheme roofer certified goes to building control. For a dispute about the steeplejack work with the trader, 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 steeplejack work 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 steeplejack: questions people ask

No licence or register applies; the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and Northern Ireland's own 2005 Regulations, govern how the work is done.

Repairs generally do not; ask building control if you are rebuilding or altering a structure.

£300–£2,500 a job, typically around £900. Height and access drive the price, with the repair and any report on top. See the Steeplejack price guide for the detail, then search your postcode above to compare steeplejacks nearby.

When planned and done by competent people with the right equipment, as the regulations require; ask how it is planned.

For tall chimneys and spires, rope access or a mast climber can be quicker and cheaper; the steeplejack should explain the choice.

In England, roosts in buildings are protected; ask whether a survey is needed.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: Chimney RepairHow to hire: ScaffoldingHow to hire: RooferHow to hire: StonemasonHow to hire: Roof RepairHow to hire: Fascias & SoffitsHow to hire: Guttering InstallationHow to hire: RenderingAll 701 hiring guides →

Steeplejacks near you

Steeplejacks in LondonSteeplejacks in ManchesterSteeplejacks in BirminghamSteeplejacks in GlasgowSteeplejacks in BelfastAll steeplejacks 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. gov.uk — bats: advice for making planning decisions (England)
  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