Cost of scaffolding on an end terrace ?

homi

Can anyone please give me some advice , 

The mortar on the roof has started to  give way and a couple tiles look to be either broken or have moved , it is an old roof probably from when the house was built in the sixties  .

The house is an end terrace so two rows of ridges and the top . 

I spoke to a builder who said it would be around  £1500 just  for the scaffolding and then the cost to the repoint all the ridges , replace the tiles and possibly repoint the chimney - does this sound right ( in the midlands ) ? .

It would only be needed for a day according to the builder but due to health and safety needs to be in place .  

Quite a shock as I was not expecting it that expensive just for the scaffolding  . 

greyteam1959

Sounds about right to me.

grumbler

homi said:

It would only be needed for a day according to the builder but due to health and safety needs to be in place .  

I can be mistaken, but I think many roofers do small jobs without scaffolding. Replacing few tiles and re-pointing ridges doesn't look like a big job to me.

daveyjp

I had dry verges fitted and ridge repointing done earlier this year and no scaffolding was used.

TELLIT01

From the description of 2 rows of ridges and the top, I'm assuming it's a hipped roof, not a vertical gable end.  If so, it's a more difficult job.  A builder may be willing to repair the ridge on a gable end roof using a roof ladder, but not on a hip.

dogmaryxx

Is there  vehicle access ?

https://job-prices.co.uk/cherry-picker-hire-price/

homi

Thanks for all the comments , yes it is a hipped roof on an end terrace - so 3 sides two rows of ridges running down the side and one on the top running to the chimney . 

The builder said it would be possible without a Scaffold but due to health and safety laws he concerned that  someone passing would phone the council while is up there -  is the scaffolding needed by law of the builders prerogative. 

stuart45

Rule of thumb for working off ladders is 'can the job be completed in 30 minutes or less'?
Also even on small jobs there must be no risk to passers by from falling objects.

FreeBear

homi said: is the scaffolding needed by law of the builders prerogative. 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/faq-height.htm answers most of your questions.

No. Scaffolding is not a legal requirement, but safe working practices are. If the work can be done quickly (i.e. minutes, rather than hours), ladders are permissible. But for tasks that might take a day or more, either scaffolding or a cherry picker should be used.

I would say suck up the cost of scaffolding and make full use of it while it is up. Do any painting to windows/walls/fascia/soffits that is needed. Clean & repair gutters and fix any downpipes that need attention.

UncleZen

Recently I have my chimney repointed/repaired. So that was a very tall scaffold. 
The cost off the scaffold was the most expensive part of the job.
2 guys took 3.5 hours to erect it and about 2.5 hours to take it down it was up for 5 days although the chimney repair only took 1.25 days.
Cost of the scaffold, £750, paid via the builder. 

ashe

We got our soffits and fascias replaced last year for £1500. We had quotes for the job with scaffolding that were breaching 4500, but the guy that did it is respected locally and he said was doable safely, he did a good job. Probably broke the sage working practices but £4500 seemed wild for the job