How Long Does It Take to Erect Scaffolding?

As one of the best-established scaffolding companies in Staffordshire and the West Midlands, one of the most common questions we get asked is: how long it takes to get a scaffolding rig built in the first place? It’s a good question, since the time to erect and dismantle the scaffold needs to be added onto your construction schedule, since your team won’t be able to work on it until it’s fully constructed and tested for safety.

In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the factors involved in erecting scaffolding and how these impact the build time. We’ll also try to provide you with some broad timescales for erecting commercial scaffolding or domestic scaffolding, depending on the project.

But first:

How is Scaffolding Erected?

To understand the time it takes to erect scaffolding, you should know a little about the process involved. First, you need to choose the right type of scaffolding for the job—something that will support the weight of your crew and their equipment. Next, you need to ensure the site is level in order to provide a secure footing for the scaffold. This means clearing the area of any debris and, where necessary, levelling off the ground to create a flat surface. You may even need to dig holes for the scaffolding poles and fill them with concrete.

The scaffold itself is erected by linking individual components. These include upright poles, known as standards; horizontal poles, called tubes and ledgers; and boards that serve as a platform for your workers. These are all connected using couplers and attached to the building with ties. Professional scaffolders can take these basic elements and produce scaffolding of incredible size and complexity.

What Impacts How Long Scaffolding Erection Takes?

There are three key considerations when it comes to establishing the time it will take to erect a scaffold:

• Size: as you might expect, the larger the scaffold, the more materials you need, and the longer it will take to erect.
• Ease of access: if you’re building an extension or installing a roof, your scaffold will likely be a simple tower structure. If the area you need to reach is hard to access—a chimney stack, for instance—the scaffold will need to be more complex and will take longer to build.
• Listed buildings: you cannot erect a scaffold on a listed building without the necessary permits from your local council. This can take time to obtain and will affect your timescales accordingly.

How Long Does It Take to Erect Scaffolding on a House?

While there is no cut-and-dried answer, for all the reasons listed above, a small domestic scaffold tower can be built in a couple of hours by trained professionals. The larger and more complicated the build, the longer it will take, but usually no more than 48 hours.

How Long Does It Take to Erect Scaffolding on a Commercial Building?

Commercial scaffolding tends to take longer to erect than domestic scaffolding, chiefly because of employees inside and foot traffic outside. While the work is more or less the same, commercial buildings tend to be larger and more complicated. Still, it would be unusual for commercial scaffolding to take more than a couple of days to erect.

How Long Does It Take to Remove Scaffolding?

Whether commercial or domestic, scaffolding is usually much quicker to dismantle than to build—sometimes taking as little as half the time. Much of this is because you no longer need to test its suitability for the job or any safety measures that might be in place.

Scaffolding Erection Times: Final Thoughts

In short, there’s no straight answer to the question about how long it takes to erect scaffolding—it may be a couple of hours, or it may be a couple of days. The only way to know for sure is to speak to your local, trusted scaffolding company and take their opinion. They will be able to visit the site, take some measurements, and provide you with a more accurate and realistic timeframe for completion.

If you’re in need of professional and reliable scaffolding services across the West Midlands and Staffordshire area, look no further than Cannock Wood Scaffolding. Trading since 2008, we are a well-established local firm with a reputation for quality and customer service.

To see what we can do for you, call the team today on 01543 221448 or 01785 904500, or send an email to have someone call you back.