Removal Of Scaffolding.

[joe.s-b]

I am having work done at the end of my house that needs scaffolding which is being organised with permission of the local council. I know of several places where the work has finished and the scaffold remains and the erector never removes for weeks. My builder doesn't seem to think it should be a problem. What right do I have and how do I ensure the scaffold is removed at the end of the work.

[rockyracoon]

You say that the local council has given permission for the scaffold, does this mean that a licence has been sought for the scaffolding, if so then the scaffold will come down when the work is finished.

If a licence has been granted, who applied for it?

[The Builder]

Common problem, Joe. Scaffolders often wait until the tube is needed on another job before they dismantle. It saves them having to handle it several times when its returned to store and stacked away.

Since Council permission is involved, I guess you needed a pavement/highway licence. Simply impress on the Scaffold Company that the Council insists on removal as soon as work is complete.

Best to ring the Company direct on completion of the work. The actual riggers won't care either way, I'm afraid.

[boxtops]

Not sure about "rights", our scaffold was up for three weeks after it was no longer needed. Are you booking the scaffold yourself? Make it a condition of the booking that it comes down as soon as the work is finished, and hold back part of the payment until they've taken it away.

[rockyracoon]

Just spoke to OH (we own a scaffolding company), if a licence is granted then the scaffold will come down within the time frame laid out else penalties will occur and scaffold may be taken away and impounded by the council. If the builder applied for the licence then he will be looking at the fine so it's in his interest to get the scaffold down.

My OH's company is quite busy at the moment so dismantle regulates itself as they need the gear for other jobs, but, he said they job will be taken down when it can be worked into the work day, ie when lorries are empty usually in the afternoon, it won't necessarily be taken down the very next day.

[boxtops]

Good answer, rocky, from someone at the rock face of this subject!

[joe.s-b]

Thank you. It appears that the local council granted a licence for one week so it should be fine.

[Old_Jim]

Scaffolding companies generally don't bother with maintaining a depot where they can keep unused parts. The scaffolding will stay on your building until it's convenient for them to move it to another site.

I once wrote a letter to the scaffolders and told them that if they didn't remove it within 7 days, I would charge them rent of £100 a day. It went the next day. Whether you'd get away with the same trick is another matter.

[paddywak]

When we had solar panels fitted to our bungalow they came and did the scaffold in the late afternoon,Fitted the panels next day and about an hour after they'd done a team arrived to take down the scaffold.The scaffolders were saying they'd got that much work on that they couldn't afford to have scaffold standing doing nothing.