How much does scaffolding cost in Australia?

There’s no single price for scaffolding. Every job is quoted on its height, access and how long the scaffold stays up. Published guides give a useful starting range, but the only number that counts is a written quote for your job.

What published guides say

These are each source’s own figures. They don’t all measure the same thing, so compare them with care.

• What’s The Damage? (November 2026, including GST):
  • Single-level scaffold around a house, put up and taken down: $2,000 to $7,000.
  • Multi-level scaffold: $4,000 to $14,000.
  • Ongoing hire after the first four weeks: $150 to $600 a week.
  • Mobile tower: $160 to $350 a week.
  • Single-storey roof edge protection: $1,000 to $3,500.
• Bark (2025 guide):
  • Weekly hire from $250 to $1,500, averaging around $700 a week.
  • A single tower from about $250 a week.
  • Scaffolding a detached house: about $1,500 a week.
• Alta Scaffolding, a Newcastle contractor (February 2024, excluding GST):
  • One storey: $2,000 to $4,000.
  • Two storeys, including labour, transport and a week of hire: $4,000 to $8,000.
  • Over 6 metres: $8,000 to $14,000.

What pushes the price up

• Height and levels. Two storeys take more gear and more labour than one.
• Access. Tight side paths, steep or soft ground, and carrying parts through the house all add time.
• How long it stays up. Most jobs include a hire period, then a weekly charge after that.
• How many walls need covering. A full wrap costs more than one wall.
• Type of scaffold. Mobile towers are cheapest. Cantilevered or hung scaffolds cost the most.
• Edge protection and sheeting for roof work or to keep dust and debris in.
• Transport and travel to your site.
• Council permits if the scaffold sits on the footpath, nature strip or road. See Do I need a council permit for scaffolding?.

What to ask for in a quote

• What’s included: delivery, putting it up, taking it down, and the hire period.
• The weekly rate if the job runs over.
• Whether the price includes GST.
• Who applies for any council permit, and who pays for it.
• The licence class held by the crew putting it up. See Scaffolding licences explained.
• A current certificate of public liability insurance.
• How the scaffold will be handed over and inspected while it’s up.

Getting two or three quotes for the same job is the easiest way to see what’s fair in your area.