The short answer
It should be. A re-roof cannot be done safely without scaffold, so it belongs inside the written quote, and you should read the quote to confirm that it says so. If the scaffold goes on the footway or carriageway, the highway authority must also grant a licence. Ask whether scaffold and VAT are both in the total before you compare quotes.
Why it belongs in the quote
Working at height on a pitched roof needs edge protection, a safe platform and a way to move materials up. For a full re-roof that means scaffold along every eaves line, fitted with boards and handrails. It is part of the job, not an optional extra, so the quote you accept should say it is included.
Our quote is one total, in writing, after the survey. What drives that total is access, the area of the roof, the covering and whatever the survey finds. The height of the building and the number of sides that need scaffold feed into the same figure. If a quote is silent about scaffold, treat it as incomplete and ask the roofer to confirm in writing whether it is in or out.
HomeBuilding's guide gives, for a three-bedroom semi of 65 square metres re-roofed in plain concrete tiles, a range between £10,000 and £15,000 including labour, scaffolding and insulation (HomeBuilding, Sep 2025). Our guide to comparing roof replacement quotes explains what else to check, and the roof replacement page covers the job itself.
The licence when it stands on the highway
Section 169 of the Highways Act 1980 requires a highway authority licence for any scaffold that obstructs the road or footway. At every Hampshire district address, Andover included, the authority concerned is Hampshire County Council, and its page on scaffold licences leaves the application to the scaffolding company, acting for the customer, with at least 10 clear working days before the start. A licence cannot be extended.
Hampshire County Council's fee is £211.90 up front, covering the first 2 weeks, plus £72 for every further 2 weeks. The scaffolding company must hold £10 million public liability insurance, and the scaffold must follow BS EN 12810 and 12811, or NASC guidance TG20:13. The council adds that no licence is needed for scaffolding on private roads.
Over the border, Wiltshire Council has the supplier of the scaffold apply through MiPermit, charging £143.80 or £164.70 according to the notice given, and each licence lasts 28 days. West Berkshire Council also leaves the application to the scaffolding company, at £125 plus £71 per week. The two councils count time differently, so the figures cannot be set side by side. Elsewhere, ask your scaffolder who applies.
One total price
A single written total covers the whole job: access, materials, labour and clear-up are priced together after the survey. What we then tell you, in plain sentences, is what the total includes, so you can see for yourself that the scaffold is covered.
That avoids a common trap. A quote that looks lower can leave out scaffold, waste removal or VAT, and the gap shows up on the final invoice. The Which? cost guide figures, for example, exclude VAT (Which?, Nov 2025), so a total quoted without it is short of the real price. Ask each firm to state whether its figure includes VAT and scaffold, and keep the replies with the quote. A firm that is happy to put these answers in writing is easier to work with all the way through.
Citizens Advice recommends gathering at least 3 written quotes from traders before you choose. Put the same questions to each: is scaffold in, is VAT in, is waste removal in, and who applies for any highway licence. A straight answer is a good sign for the rest of the job, and an evasive one is worth noting before you sign. Our new roof cost guide gives the typical UK ranges.
How long it stays up
A scaffold stays for the length of the roof work, plus the time to build and strike it. A licensed scaffold has its own licence period, so the scaffolder and roofer must agree dates together. Hampshire County Council charges per 2 weeks and does not extend a licence, which makes a delay on site matter. A roof held up by weather needs a plan for what happens if the licence runs out.
Wiltshire Council's licences are valid for 28 days. Your roofer should know which authority covers your address and what its limits are, and should tell you before the scaffold goes up. If the licence is due to lapse mid-job, ask what the plan is, since renewing costs more and takes time.
While it stands, the scaffold is a boundary matter as well. If it ends up on a neighbour's land, you need their permission in writing. Our answer on scaffolding on a neighbour's land explains how to ask. Boarding off the ladders overnight is a sensible precaution for any house where children live nearby.
