Top Scaffold Hire Services Designed for Residential and Commercial Builds

Picking the right scaffold hire company can save you time, money, and a fair bit of stress on site. Whether you’re working on a residential renovation or managing a commercial build, having the right access equipment shows up when you need it—and meets proper safety standards—makes all the difference.

The UK scaffold hire market offers everything from budget-friendly tower rentals to full-service commercial solutions with design support and erection teams. What works for a quick home gutter repair probably won’t suit a multi-storey commercial project, and prices can swing wildly depending on what you’re getting.

This guide walks through five established scaffold hire services operating across the UK. We’ll look at what each one does well, what they offer, and which types of projects they’re genuinely suited for—no fluff, just practical comparisons to help you make a sensible choice.

1. Lakeside Hire – Budget-Friendly with Nationwide Coverage

Lakeside Hire positions itself as the cost-conscious option without cutting corners on safety or service. They claim to be 69% cheaper than competitors—a bold number that reflects their focus on competitive pricing for standard tower scaffold hire.

Based in Royston with nationwide delivery, Lakeside operates as a logistics-savvy hire company. PASMA-certified staff coordinate orders, and they’ve built a reputation for getting equipment to sites quickly. Their background in deliveries shows—next-day service is standard if you order before the cutoff.

Lakeside stocks Boss aluminium scaffold towers as their core offering—industry-standard equipment that’s been around UK sites for decades. These towers come in various heights and deck configurations, suited for everything from domestic gutter repairs to commercial maintenance work. They also hire GRP (fibreglass) towers for electrical work zones where metal scaffolding can’t be used safely.

For those in need of affordable scaffold hire in London at Lakeside Hire, they provide excellent options with next-day delivery across major cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, and more.

2. National Tool Hire Shops – Local Service Through National Network

National Tool Hire Shops operate differently from traditional hire companies. Rather than owning depots everywhere, they run a digital marketplace connecting you with over 90 tool hire shops and 2,000+ partner stores across the UK.

Their platform is built around online booking—24/7 ordering, digital payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, cards), and click-and-collect from local shops. Free delivery to the UK mainland is standard. Same-day click-and-collect suits jobs where you can pick equipment up yourself and start immediately.

Customer reviews on Trustpilot are mixed—some users report excellent service and availability, others mention delays or stock issues with specific suppliers in the network. It’s worth checking reviews for the particular supplier who’ll be fulfilling your order.

3. Sunbelt Rentals – Full-Service Commercial Solutions

Sunbelt Rentals operates at a different scale—national depot network, full engineering support, site services, and equipment for serious commercial and industrial projects. They’re not really set up for a homeowner painting the gutters; they’re serving contractors managing multi-storey builds, industrial maintenance, and large-scale commercial work.

If your project needs scaffold design, site evaluations, installation teams, or ongoing support, Sunbelt brings that capability. Their equipment range goes beyond basic towers into frame and brace scaffolding, system scaffolds, swing stages, and mast climbers.

Sunbelt is the choice when your project is large, complex, or requires engineering input you don’t have in-house.

4. HSS Hire – Click & Collect Convenience

HSS Hire has been a familiar name on UK high streets for decades—established tool and equipment hire with a network of centres across the UK and Ireland. The company holds a 4-star British Safety Award, ISO9000:20 and ISO 14001 accreditation, and Safe Hire certification.

Their strength has always been same-day click-and-collect—pop into a local branch, pick up what you need, and get working immediately. Online booking with next-day delivery works for planned jobs.

One important note: HSS recently sold its physical rental operations to Endless (October 2025) and is transitioning focus to HSS ProService, a digital B2B marketplace. This business transformation may affect service consistency as the transition continues, so it’s worth checking current arrangements when you enquire.

Despite these changes, HSS remains an established option with strong local presence, particularly for trade customers with accounts.

5. Ladderstore – Specialist Mobile Access Solutions

Ladderstore has operated as a working-at-height specialist since 2004. They’re not generalist hire—they focus entirely on ladders, scaffold towers, podiums, and access equipment. The company is a PASMA member, and their Managing Director, Gail Hounslea, has served as chairperson of the Ladder Association.

Ladderstore stocks an impressive range of mobile access equipment, including Youngman BoSS Evolution towers, folding scaffold towers, and telescopic towers. They provide expert advice and specialize in GRP towers for electrical work zones.

Ladderstore offers trade accounts with 30-day payment terms, which suits contractors managing multiple projects. Their customer base is largely professional—tradespeople, builders, facilities managers—people who use access equipment regularly and need proper guidance.

Conclusion

Choosing the right scaffold hire service comes down to matching what you actually need with what each company does best. Budget matters, but so does getting equipment that’s safe, arrives when promised, and suits your project properly.

Lakeside Hire offers strong value for straightforward projects. Sunbelt brings full commercial capability when your build needs design and installation support. Ladderstore provides specialist expertise if you’re working near electrical installations or need proper PASMA-certified guidance. National Tool Hire and HSS suit those who value digital convenience or same-day collection.