Scaffolding - purchase or hire?

[Conor]

We'll need scaffolding on site in about 6 weeks time after the ICF is finished. Only needs to be up long enough to slate the roof (thermohouse panels being installed without scaffolding) and do rain ware, PV panels and skylights, and render. So thinking about 4 weeks.

 

Building perimeter is about 45m, 1.5 story. Buy second hand and have erected or just hire from likes of GBS? Anybody idea of costs for hire or purchase second and? To be honest, speed and less hassle are bigger factors than cost.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Conor

[ToughButterCup]

I bought £5000 worth (KwikStage). Sold for almost as much as it cost. Over 4/5 years. For us, no-brainer.   If you are in and out in say 8 weeks, not worth it

[SuperJohnG]

I have been looking at this as it is £6k hire costs for me. I'd buy if I coukd but it is such a grey area over who signs it off and what is actually required. Also if you have a contractor on it who falls off. Thats a disaster. 

 

I'd caution the 4 weeks there seems a lot to be done in that short time...allow 8 and if the costs are OK go with a firm. 

 

I think I will allow 12 weeks, then once it is down I will get my own tower or kwik stage to do the other jobs myself at my leisure. Like cladding etc that I was going to do myself. 

[PeterW]

3 minutes ago, SuperJohnG said:

Also if you have a contractor on it who falls off. Thats a disaster. 

A lot of self build insurance companies cover own scaffold and if it is put up properly then there are very few issues. They have a duty of care to themselves to check scaffold and not use if they think it is unsafe.

 

The bigger issue is contractors changing scaffold - I’ve seen them take a stihl saw to uprights when they are “in the way”.. 

[Conor]

1 minute ago, SuperJohnG said:

I have been looking at this as it is £6k hire costs for me. I'd buy if I coukd but it is such a grey area over who signs it off and what is actually required. Also if you have a contractor on it who falls off. Thats a disaster. 

 

I'd caution the 4 weeks there seems a lot to be done in that short time...allow 8 and if the costs are OK go with a firm. 

 

I think I will allow 12 weeks, then once it is down I will get my own tower or kwik stage to do the other jobs myself at my leisure. Like cladding etc that I was going to do myself. 

That's the thing, after the ICF contractor is done, I'm then acting as principle contractor and will be directly employing and contracting people that will be using the scaffolding... so going to go down the certified route. So far the ICF contractor has been doing his own kwik stage on the inside of the house for each pour... it's ropey as hell and no way I'm going down that route for the main scaffolding. I'll allow 8-12 weeks then.

[markc]

Unless you are competent (and want to) erect and alter the scaffold yourself, and its a fairly fast build then you are better off hiring in. Dont buy your own and let the contractors put it up and alter to suit themselves.

[JFDIY]

Get a few scaffolders to quote, most will do a deal, we found the standard is 12weeks hire, overruns can cost 10% unless you strike a deal upfront.

 

 

[dpmiller]

I found there's quite a big difference between the bigger firms like K2 and Aztech, and the smaller local crews. I can PM you a phone number for our guy if you want.

[Conor]

Please do @dpmiller

[Declan52]

There is plenty of scaffolding companies here so phone around and see who not only offers the best rate for erection but the weekly charge plus the cost to come back and change the levels if needed.

[LA3222]

As has been said by others, minimum hire tends to be 12 wks with a nominal rate after that. Mine ended up being up for 16wks, you'd be surprised how much you can get done in that time.

 

They will also do adjustments as and when required, think it was about £100 a time when I had something changed.

 

Don't underestimate how.much work will be involved in doing this yourself too, a scaff crew will come mob handed and get it nipped in a day or two.

 

The key thing for me is liability.

 

Yes you may be covered under your insurance policy but I wouldn't want to test that in a court of law. I'd be amazed if insurance companies didn't require a 'competent person' to erect the scaffold in order to be covered and how do you then prove/demonstrate your competence? Seems like a massive rabbit hole to potentially find yourself going down.

 

Yeah it feels like money for old rope but suck it up and get the pros to do it. I would only use my own scaff if I was the only person using it. Contracters - hire in.

 

Like John said, get a tower for nipping smaller jobs at your leisure later on. Funniky enough, I did that too - spent £800 on a tower as I have some work to do on the dormers in the summer, solar panels to put on, and a vaulted ceiling in doors to work on.

 

I intend to keep the tower as you never know when it will come in handy.