Scaffolder day rates in London
Greater London · 2026
£270–£485
per day, ex VAT
£34–£61
per hour
+35%
vs UK average
A scaffolder working in London typically charges £270–£485 a day (£34–£61 an hour), ex VAT — 35% above the UK average of £280 a day. London rates run 30–40% above the national picture. Higher living costs, congestion charging, ULEZ and parking all get passed into quotes, and competition from commercial and high-end residential work pulls experienced trades away from small domestic jobs.
Scaffolding quotes bundle labour, kit hire and compliance: you're paying for the erect-and-strike crew plus the weeks the steel stands. The day-rate figure here reflects the labour component for crew members on domestic jobs.
What moves a scaffolder's rate
- 01Scaffolds are priced per elevation and hire period, not usually per day
- 02TG20/TG30 compliance and design for anything non-standard
- 03Weekly hire charges after the initial period
- 04Access constraints — pavement licences and road permits
London vs everywhere else
| London | £270–£485 |
| South East | £230–£415 |
| East of England | £210–£380 |
| South West | £200–£360 |
| Scotland | £195–£350 |
| West Midlands | £190–£345 |
| North West | £190–£340 |
| East Midlands | £185–£330 |
| Yorkshire | £180–£325 |
| Wales | £180–£320 |
| North East | £170–£305 |
| Northern Ireland | £165–£295 |
Charging £380? Prove it's enough.
The market range is the market's number. Yours depends on your overheads, your tax pot and how many days you actually bill. Run it through the calculator, then send the quote while the number's fresh.
Other trades in London
Scaffolder rates in London — FAQs
- How much does a scaffolder charge per day in London?
- A scaffolder in Greater London typically charges £270–£485 a day, ex VAT — 35% above the UK average of £280 a day. Established tradespeople with strong reviews sit at the top of that range.
- What is the hourly rate for a scaffolder in London?
- Roughly £34–£61 an hour, based on an eight-hour day. Short jobs and emergency call-outs are usually charged at a higher hourly rate or a fixed call-out fee rather than a pro-rata slice of the day rate.
- Is it cheaper to pay a day rate or a fixed price?
- For a clearly-defined job a fixed price protects you from overruns; for open-ended or diagnostic work a day rate is fairer, ideally with an agreed not-to-exceed cap. Most experienced scaffolders quote a fixed price once they have seen the work.
- Do scaffolders in London charge VAT on top?
- Only if they are VAT-registered, which is required once turnover passes £90,000 a year — then 20% is added. Many sole traders sit below that and don't charge VAT, so always confirm whether a quote is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
- How do I know if a scaffolder's quote is fair in London?
- Compare it against the £270–£485 local day-rate range and get two or three quotes. A written quote is binding, so the price shouldn't change unless you ask for extra work — treat a quote well outside the range, in either direction, as a prompt to ask why.
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Indicative ranges compiled from public cost guides, reviewed July 2026. Ex VAT. A guide, not a quote, and not financial advice.