The Three Golden Rules of Scaffolding for Commercial Projects
For construction or roofing contractors working on commercial projects, there are always three key deliverables that characterise a successful project: completing on time, completing within budget and delivering the required standard of quality.
Scaffolding is only one part of that formula for success, but the standard of service provided by the scaffolding specialist has a central role to play in enabling the contractor to remain on schedule and on budget. Our contribution has a three-fold formula of its own; we call it our three golden rules for commercial projects.
The first golden rule is reliability. Programmes are often tight, and contractors need to know that their scaffolding supply chain partner will respond quickly and reliably to their requirements at every point in the project cycle. From first enquiry through to site survey, risk assessment, erection of the scaffold and striking of the structure at the end of the job, a scaffolding supplier should be clear about what they will do and when, delivering on every promise without fail. By committing to this unerring reliability, we can support our customers, helping them to remain on schedule, avoid delays and accurately sequence work on site.
The second golden rule is health & safety. A construction contractor is responsible for the safety of everyone on site, including any subcontractors or building occupiers. The scaffolding supply chain partner cannot deliver this responsibility for them, but we can contribute with a thorough approach to health and safety. By undertaking a risk assessment before erecting the scaffold and providing the contractor with a clear and detailed method statement, we can support health and safety best practice and help prevent accidents on site.
The third golden rule is price. Some scaffolding providers might promise to be the cheapest, but our philosophy is to offer value for money without compromising on quality, expertise or health and safety. Everyone wants to keep costs down, but scaffolding is a safety-critical element of commercial projects and the costs of cutting corners could be more than financial. Costs should be realistic, transparent and honest. In our experience, customers would always prefer a good service with clear pricing up front, rather than hidden expenses and a lack of reliability once the job is on site.
Every commercial project is different, but if these three golden rules remain front and centre of scaffolding procurement decisions, construction and roofing contractors can’t go far wrong.
