Typical 2026 UK quotes
What will scaffolding cost?
Most firms price per elevation: length times a rate of £40–60 per metre, uplifted for height, with 6–8 weeks' hire included. One 8 m elevation of a two-storey house typically comes back at £480–£720 on 2026 quotes. Enter your job to get a low to high range.
What this is based on
- Base rate of £40–60 per linear metre of elevation at single-storey working height, typical 2026 UK quotes. This is a market rate, not a regulated price: it varies by region and access, and London and city-centre jobs commonly price above the range.
- Height uplift: two-storey work multiplies the base by 1.5, three-storey by 2, reflecting the extra lifts, labour and ties on taller scaffolds.
- 6 weeks' hire included, matching the 6–8 weeks most quotes cover. Each extra week adds £100–200, the typical 2026 extended-hire rate.
- Chimney access adds £500–800, the typical 2026 price of a chimney scaffold. A corner or return adds £150–300 for the extra lift and boards.
- Excluded: pavement licence fees where the scaffold stands on the public highway (set by each council, see the licence guide), temporary roofs, debris netting or wrap, and design work on engineered scaffolds.
- These are typical quote ranges, not a price list. No scaffolder prices a job from a calculator: they look at ties, access and ground conditions first.
Scaffolding Cost Calculator is an independent information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not affiliated with any scaffolding firm, trade association or council. Figures are typical 2026 quote ranges, not quotations, and nothing here is safety or structural advice: prices and licence requirements vary by job and council, so confirm both with local firms and your local authority.
Typical UK scaffolding costs by job, 2026
Last updated
Six common scaffold jobs priced with the same model the calculator uses: £40–60 per metre, height uplifts, 6 weeks' hire included, chimney and corner adders. Typical 2026 quotes, not fixed prices.
Computed with the calculator's model from typical 2026 UK quote ranges: £40–60 per linear metre of elevation at single-storey height, multiplied by 1.5 for two storeys and 2 for three, 6 weeks' hire included then £100–200 per extra week, £500–800 for a chimney scaffold and £150–300 for a corner return. Market rates, not regulated prices: they vary by region, access and season.
| Job | Model inputs | Typical 2026 quote |
|---|---|---|
| One elevation, bungalow | 8 m, 1 storey, 6 weeks | £320–£480 |
| One elevation, two-storey house | 8 m, 2 storeys, 6 weeks | £480–£720 |
| Front and side return, two-storey | 14 m with corner, 2 storeys, 6 weeks | £990–£1,560 |
| Chimney repair with access run | 4 m, 2 storeys, chimney scaffold, 6 weeks | £740–£1,160 |
| One elevation, three-storey townhouse | 8 m, 3 storeys, 6 weeks | £640–£960 |
| Two-storey elevation kept up 10 weeks | 8 m, 2 storeys, 10 weeks | £880–£1,520 |
- Scaffolding one 8 m elevation of a two-storey UK house typically costs £480–£720 on 2026 quotes, with 6–8 weeks' hire included.
- Keeping scaffolding up beyond the included hire period typically adds £100–£200 per week on 2026 UK quotes.
- A chimney scaffold typically adds £500–£800 to a 2026 UK scaffolding quote.
Cite this page
“Typical UK scaffolding costs by job, 2026”, Scaffolding Cost Calculator, https://scaffoldingcostcalculator.com/ (updated 2026-08-14). Computed with the calculator's model from typical 2026 UK quote ranges: £40–60 per linear metre of elevation at single-storey height, multiplied by 1.5 for two storeys and 2 for three, 6 weeks' hire included then £100–200 per extra week, £500–800 for a chimney scaffold and £150–300 for a corner return. Market rates, not regulated prices: they vary by region, access and season.
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Guides
The longer answers, with sources.
Scaffolding cost per m2, per metre and per elevation (UK 2026)
How UK scaffolders actually price: per elevation, not per m2. Typical 2026 rates of £40–60 per metre convert to roughly £12–18 per m2 of covered wall.
How long can scaffolding stay up? Rules, inspections, hire costs
No law caps how long scaffolding stays up on private land, but it must be inspected every 7 days, highway licences expire, and extended hire adds £100–200 a week.
Scaffold licence cost: when you need a pavement permit (UK)
Scaffolding on a public pavement or road needs a licence from the council under the Highways Act 1980 section 169. Who applies, what it costs, what happens without one.
Straight answers
How much does scaffolding cost in the UK?
Typical 2026 quotes run £40–60 per metre of elevation at single-storey height, so one 8 m elevation of a two-storey house is around £480–£720 with 6–8 weeks' hire included. Chimney scaffolds typically add £500–£800. These are typical quote ranges, not fixed prices: region and access move them.
How much does scaffolding cost per week?
Most quotes price the job, not the week, with 6–8 weeks' hire included. Beyond that, extended hire typically adds £100–£200 per week on 2026 UK quotes.
How much is scaffolding for a semi-detached house?
One 8 m front elevation of a two-storey semi typically prices at £480–£720 on 2026 quotes. Wrapping the front and side with a corner return is more like £990–£1,560. A full wrap of every elevation lands higher again, priced per metre of total run.
Do I need a permit for scaffolding?
Only when it stands on or overhangs the public highway, a pavement, road or verge. That needs a licence from the council under section 169 of the Highways Act 1980, which the scaffolding firm normally arranges. On your own land, no licence is needed.
Why do scaffolding quotes vary so much for the same house?
Because the price is mostly labour and risk: access, ground conditions, how the scaffold ties to the building, netting, pavement licences and postcode all differ. Getting two or three local quotes against a typical-range estimate is the reliable way to spot an outlier.
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