A little preparation makes the day the scaffold goes up quicker and safer, and protects your garden and belongings. Here's the checklist we give our own customers.
The week before
- Tell your neighbours when the scaffold is going up and how long it will be there.
- If the scaffold needs to go on or over a neighbour's land, get their agreement in writing. See our neighbour guide.
- Check the council licence is sorted if the scaffold will be on the pavement. We handle this, but it needs notice. See our licence guide.
- Tell your home insurer about the work if your policy asks you to.
- Arrange for the bins to be accessible, or tell the council if collections need a different spot.
The day before
- Clear about two metres out from the walls being scaffolded: pots, garden furniture, bikes, washing lines and children's toys.
- Trim back plants and climbers that are right up against the wall, or tell us about anything you want protected.
- Take down hanging baskets, satellite dishes you no longer use, and anything loose fixed to the wall.
- Move cars off the drive and, if you can, away from the front of the house.
On the day
- Keep pets and children indoors while the lorry is unloading and the scaffold is going up.
- Leave a gate unlocked or be in, so the team can get to the back.
- Expect some noise. Tubes and fittings are noisy to unload and fix.
- Check the handover before your builders start. The scaffold should have guardrails, toe boards and safe ladder access, and we'll confirm it's been inspected.
While the scaffold is up
- Security: a scaffold can give access to upstairs windows. Lock windows when you're out, and ask your scaffolder whether a ladder guard or scaffold alarm makes sense for your property.
- Don't alter it: never remove ties, boards or guardrails. If your builder needs a change, call us and we'll adjust it safely.
- Inspections: scaffolds are inspected every 7 days and after bad weather. Let us know straight away if anything looks wrong.
- Extending the hire: if the work runs over, tell us before the end date and we'll extend it.
When it comes down
We dismantle on the agreed date and leave the site tidy. It's a good moment to check the brickwork and garden, and to take photos of the finished work for your records.
Quick answers
How much space does scaffolding need?
A typical house scaffold is a little over a metre wide, plus room to work. Clearing around two metres from the wall gives the team space to build it safely.
Do I need to be home when the scaffold goes up?
Not necessarily, as long as we can get to every side we need. Let us know at the survey and we'll agree access.
Written by the Total Scaffolding Solutions team, CISRS-qualified scaffolders based in Wallington. Last reviewed October 2026.