When you need a scaffolding company in London to put up scaffolding on your property, what do you do? You decided to search Google, a quickly realized that this is not going to be a simple task.
As of June 2023 there are more than 200 scaffolding companies in London listed on Yell.com.
How can I find a good scaffolding company in London?
Scaffolding Company Types
Let us start by saying, there are a few different types of scaffolding companies operating in London today. Understanding who you are dealing with, will make the process of choosing a scaffolder much easier.
Street Scaffolders
Street Scaffolders is an industry term for companies that do not follow Health & Safety rules, and do not build scaffolding towers in accordance with industry standards.
A regular homeowner will not notice the difference between a scaffold tower that is not in compliance, and one that is built according to code. The main difference you will notice is that their price is 35% lower than estimates you receive for other companies.
Every now and then we see on the News a story about a scaffolding tower that collapsed. Many times it is because it was not built correctly.
Professional Scaffolding Companies
A professional scaffolding company is usually a member of the NASC or the Scaffolding Association. While these are simply industry associations, it says something about the scaffolding company if they filed the paperwork and paid their membership dues.
When dealing with a professional scaffolding company, you can expect the scaffolding will be built by trained and competent scaffolders.
According to the law,
It’s the responsibility of the builder or scaffolding company to get a licence for any scaffolding they put up on the highway (this includes the pavement).
https://www.gov.uk/scaffolding-rules
Each city and council has their own requirements of the scaffolding company in order to issue a scaffolding permit. If your scaffolder cannot secure a permit for you, then they are not a qualified firm.
When you receive a quote for scaffolding, it is important to check the full terms of the scaffolding hire. There you will see additional charges that you should know about before proceeding.
Homeowners many times order scaffolding for a roof repair, or rendering job. A simple timing or logistics mistake could end up costing thousands in extra hire charges. Large scaffolding firms make their money when you keep the scaffold for longer than the contract allows. At 10% extra hire fee per week, a 2 month delay can double the cost of the scaffold.
Specialty Scaffolding Firms
A specialty scaffolding firm is one that deals with a specific type of project. You may have noticed scaffolding at the Underground station or across a Freeway. The scaffolding company that built this is a government contractor, and if you call them for a quote for your home, they probably can give you one.
If you need scaffolding for restoration work on a conservation property, it is important to find the firms that specialize in this types of work.
Bird Cage scaffolding is what you see when you look at a steeple renovation. There are specialty companies that do this type of work. Don’t go asking your local scaffolder buddy to give you a price for your church, because his company doesn’t have the required experience.