Suppose you are looking to hire a scaffolding company for your next construction project. In that case, you need to consider several factors before making the hire. This article will cover some of the critical considerations you need to make before deciding on the right company for you.
The right solution for you will largely depend on the type of project you are planning. The first thing to do is write down what your construction project entails in as much detail as possible. Armed with all these details, you will be in a position to evaluate the different scaffolding companies in your area and find the perfect fit.
Continue reading to learn more about the quality checks you can make and what questions to ask all potential scaffolding contractors.
Is the scaffolding company qualified?
If the scaffolding company you are looking to work with isn’t accredited by an industry body such as NASC, CISRS or CHAS, you should ask yourself why? Becoming a trade organisation member means that they will be audited regularly. Once accredited, you can be guaranteed that they adhere to quality, safety, and professionalism standards.
Local authorities will also issue licenses to a scaffolding company, allowing them to operate in the area. You can check your local authority website for licensed scaffolding contractors and receive a list of companies that have been approved.
It is extremely important that you hire a local and qualified scaffolding company so if you are in London, United Kingdom, you will need a qualified London Scaffolding Company.
Besides professional qualifications and accreditations, you should check if they are qualified to work for you in a more general sense. This is where your project specifications will come in handy. Some companies may adhere to all the right industry standards, but the nature of your job might not be within their remit. We recommend building a shortlist of companies that appear to have the right formal qualifications to do scaffolding work as a first step. Then proceed to contact them about the specific nature of your construction project.
What is their reputation like?
Building a good reputation is not something that happens overnight; it is earned over time with each successful project a scaffolding company completes. These days, checking a company’s reputation is relatively easy, because most companies will have an online presence, even if they don’t have a website themselves.
Start by running the name of potential companies on your list through Google Search. Are you finding any negative reviews or opinions mentioning the company? Next, find their directory listing on sites like Yelp and Google My Business. How many positive reviews do they have and what are people saying about them?
One final place to check the reputation of scaffolding companies is Checkatrade: https://www.checkatrade.com. Since you might need to check the reputation of other tradespeople in the future, this would be an excellent website to store in your bookmarks for future reference. If a business is registered with Checkatrade, it means that they have completed some strict background checks. However, they are not likely to be as comprehensive as the industry accreditations we mentioned earlier in this article.
What are the risks?
Not many construction jobs are as high-risk as scaffolding. Erecting and dismantling structures in what are often already hazardous environments means that the company you choose to work with needs to demonstrate competency regarding safety and staff training.
You should not be held liable if an accident happens, so we would advise you to check what type of insurance your contractor has in place if the worst was to happen. Accidents, injuries and even fatalities can occur on construction sites, despite having even the strictest health and safety measures implemented. The company you work with should have public liability insurance in place. It is not uncommon for the insured value to be up to 5 million pounds.
What will it cost?
When trying to find the best scaffolding company to work with, it can be tempting to call a handful of them and ask them to price your job as a first step. We have added suggestions for estimating costs at the bottom of this article because picking the right company to work with should not primarily be based on price.
The ability for potential candidates to meet your budget and timeline expectations is usually what will make or break the decision. So, having filtered through a list of candidates that look to have the right qualifications, a good reputation, and the necessary insurance in place, it is time to qualify based on cost.
Although you may find some quoted jobs can vary significantly, another factor to consider is their ability to meet your deadline. It is no use going for the cheapest option if your project is delayed by several weeks. Look out for any hidden costs such as long timelines when making your decision.
We recommend getting at least 3-4 quotes from potential contractors before you make a decision. If your project brief was detailed enough, there is a chance that all of the offers you receive are in line with each other. One might be much higher or lower than the others, in which case it is worth picking up the phone and asking the scaffolding company to explain how they priced the job.
Summary
At this stage, you know who the reputable scaffolding companies are, whether they are qualified and you should have a rough idea of what the market price is for your project. Having done your research thoroughly, we suggest that you call each of the prospects and clarify any details that might be outstanding. This is an opportunity for you to get a better sense of what they are like as a business. All things being equal, you need to feel good about working with them. Are they polite and willing to give you their time to discuss the project? Or are they rushed or even rude to you during the phone conversation? You will be able to make a decision partly based on the facts you have uncovered, as well as basing it on your gut feel.
If you need a good scaffolding company in London, check out: Jet Scaffolding which is a scaffolding company London based.
We trust that the tips we have covered here will help you evaluate a scaffolding contractor for your next project.
