How Much Does Scaffold Tower Hire Cost in 2026?
A scaffold tower with a 4.2 m platform, enough to reach the gutters on most two-storey houses, costs £114 a week to hire on average, including VAT. The typical range is £95 to £145. A smaller tower with a 2.2 m platform costs about £72 a week. Each figure is the median of the prices UK hire shops publish. See our full research.
£114
4.2 m tower, a week
£95 to £145
Typical range, a week
£72
2.2 m tower, a week
£79
4.2 m tower, one day
Last updated . Prices come from our survey of 562 UK hire shops and hire firms on 30 October 2026, and every 4.2 m price was checked twice. Prices include VAT. Read the research or see how we collect our prices.
Scaffold tower hire prices by height
Average prices for a week's hire of a double-width aluminium tower, including VAT. The typical range is the middle 50% of prices. You can reach about 2 m higher than the platform.
| Platform | Good for | Average a week | Typical range | Shops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 m (reach 4.2 m) | Bungalow walls and low eaves | £72 | £60 to £116 | 23 |
| 3.2 m (reach 5.2 m) | Bungalow gutters and fascias | £85 | £72 to £108 | 19 |
| 4.2 m (reach 6.2 m) | Two-storey gutters on most houses | £114 | £95 to £145 | 31 |
| 5.2 m (reach 7.2 m) | Two-storey gutters with room to spare | £114 | £108 to £140 | 19 |
| 6.2 m (reach 8.2 m) | Higher walls and gable ends | £144 | £120 to £192 | 25 |
| 8.2 m (reach 10.2 m) | Tall walls (outdoors up to 8 m) | £170 | £121 to £202 | 19 |
2.2 m platform
£72 a week
Bungalow walls and low eaves · reach 4.2 m · typical £60 to £116
3.2 m platform
£85 a week
Bungalow gutters and fascias · reach 5.2 m · typical £72 to £108
4.2 m platform
£114 a week
Two-storey gutters on most houses · reach 6.2 m · typical £95 to £145
5.2 m platform
£114 a week
Two-storey gutters with room to spare · reach 7.2 m · typical £108 to £140
6.2 m platform
£144 a week
Higher walls and gable ends · reach 8.2 m · typical £120 to £192
8.2 m platform
£170 a week
Tall walls (outdoors up to 8 m) · reach 10.2 m · typical £121 to £202
Source: Less.co.uk Scaffold Tower Hire Price Survey 2026, prices published by 71 UK hire shops, 30 October 2026. Prices include VAT. Bands cover nearby sizes, so the 4.2 m row includes towers from 3.7 to 4.7 m.
Which height tower do I need?
Measure from the ground to the highest point you need to work on, then pick a tower whose working height is at least that. Hire shops put the gutters on a typical two-storey house at about 5 to 6 m, which a 4.2 m platform reaches. Here are four common sizes drawn to scale.
Check which height a price is for
Hire shops don't all measure the same way. Most list the platform height, but some give the working height (2 m more) or the handrail height (1 m more). We found one shop whose "4.2 m tower" turned out to have a 2.2 m platform. Ask before you book.
Day, weekend or week?
Most hire shops price towers by the week, and some only hire them for a week at a time. Where shops list shorter hires for a 4.2 m tower, these are the averages:
One day
£79
19 shops · typical £50 to £107
Weekend
£82
9 shops · typical £67 to £107
One week
£114
31 shops · typical £95 to £145
A single-width tower (about 0.85 m wide, for narrow paths and side returns) isn't much cheaper: £108 a week on average for a 4.2 m platform, from 15 shops. Many shops charge the same for either width and only charge by height.
Rather have a scaffolder do it?
For roof work or a job that runs for weeks, a scaffolder can put up and take down proper scaffolding for you. Tell us about the job and local scaffolders will get in touch with prices. Free, with no obligation.
What can add to the price
Delivery and collection
About £7 to £18 each way
Where shops list it. Collecting the tower yourself avoids it, but you need a van or trailer.
Damage waiver
15% of the hire
Many shops add it to the hire charge. Every shop that gave a figure charged 15%.
VAT
20% on top
65% of the shops in our survey show prices without VAT, so add a fifth when you compare.
Deposit
Varies
Some shops take a refundable deposit, and some charge more if you don't have an account with them.
Stabilisers and extras
Check
Check the price includes the stabilisers or outriggers, toe boards and guardrails the manual calls for.
Safety, training and the rules
The Health and Safety Executive says towers should be put up by trained, competent people and checked after they're built. The hire shop has to give you the instruction manual, which says how to build the tower, the highest you can safely go and when you need stabilisers.
- Stand it on firm, level ground with the castors locked.
- Fit the stabilisers or outriggers whenever the manual says to.
- Never stand a ladder, steps or boxes on the platform to gain height.
- Lower the tower to 4 m or less before you move it, and never move it with anyone or anything on it.
- Stop working if the wind picks up. PASMA's code of practice says to stop and take the tower down at Beaufort force 4 (17 mph).
- Never hang sheets or tarpaulins on it: they act like sails.
Do I need training?
Not by law. The Work at Height Regulations apply to employers and anyone who controls work at height, so they cover a decorator you hire rather than you working on your own home. PASMA, the towers trade body, says there's no specific legal requirement to hold its qualification, but it recommends training if you use towers at home, and hire shops advise it too. A course is worth it if you've never built a tower.
Do I need a licence?
Not on your own land. A tower on the pavement or road needs a licence from the council under section 169 of the Highways Act 1980. Fees vary a lot: West Sussex charges £95 for a week, Devon £158 for a licence and Barking and Dagenham about £214 a day. Some councils only accept applications from scaffolding firms, so keep a DIY tower on your own drive or garden if you can.
Tower or scaffolding?
A tower suits a job you can do from one spot or move along in stages, like painting fascias, clearing gutters or fixing a window. It needs firm, level ground and room for the stabilisers. For roof work, a whole elevation or a job that runs for weeks, scaffolders put up fixed scaffolding and take it down again: see our scaffolding cost guide and scaffolding hire guide.
How to get scaffold tower hire for less
Compare at least three hire shops
Prices for the same tower vary a lot: the typical range for a week's hire runs from £95 to £145. Ask each shop exactly which height the price is for and what's included.
Hire by the week
A day's hire costs £79 on average and a week £114. If the job could take more than a day, the weekly rate is usually better value.
Don't hire more height than you need
Each extra metre adds to the price: a 2.2 m platform costs about £72 a week against £114 for 4.2 m. Measure your gutter height first.
Check whether VAT is included
Most hire shops show prices without VAT. A tower at £100 plus VAT costs £120.
Collect it yourself
If you have a van or a big enough trailer, collecting the tower saves the delivery charge both ways.
Use the weekend rate
For a short job, a weekend hire (collect Friday, return Monday) costs £82 on average where shops offer it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a scaffold tower?+
A double-width tower with a 4.2 m platform, enough for the gutters on most two-storey houses, costs £114 a week on average, including VAT, from the prices 31 UK hire shops publish. The typical range is £95 to £145. A smaller tower with a 2.2 m platform costs about £72 a week.
How much is a scaffold tower for a day?+
Shops that list a day rate for a 4.2 m tower charge £79 on average. A week usually costs much less than the same number of single days, so if the job might run over, ask for the weekly rate.
What height scaffold tower do I need for a two-storey house?+
Hire shops put the gutters on a typical two-storey house at about 5 to 6 m. You can reach about 2 m above the platform, so a 4.2 m platform (6.2 m working height) suits most houses. Measure from the ground to your gutter before you book, and go up a size if it's close.
Do I need a PASMA card to hire a scaffold tower?+
No. PASMA says there's no specific legal requirement to hold its qualification, and hire shops don't ask homeowners for one. PASMA still recommends training if you use towers at home, and the Health and Safety Executive says towers should be put up by trained, competent people.
Do I need a licence for a scaffold tower?+
Not on your own drive or garden. A tower on the pavement or road needs a licence from the council's highways team under section 169 of the Highways Act 1980, and some councils only take applications from scaffolding firms.
What's the difference between platform height and working height?+
Platform height is how high the deck you stand on is. Working height is how high you can reach from it, which hire shops and tower makers take as the platform height plus about 2 m. Some shops quote handrail height instead, about 1 m above the platform, so always check which one a price is for.
Written by Chris Kervin, Co-Founder, Less.co.uk
Last updated: · Prices from our October 2026 survey of UK hire shops · Methodology