Scaffolders in Berkhamsted | Stobart Scaffolding

Working in Berkhamsted

Scaffolders who know Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted is about 5 miles west of our base in Hemel Hempstead, along the A41. Much of the town is period housing: Victorian and Edwardian terraces off the High Street, larger detached homes on the valley sides and plenty of extensions and loft conversions in between.

Older roofs and tall chimney stacks mean a lot of our Berkhamsted work is roof access and temporary roofs, where the scaffold has to keep the house dry while the roof is stripped.

Homes on the valley sides

Berkhamsted sits in the narrow Bulbourne valley, so the town climbs away from the High Street on both sides. The Grand Union Canal and the West Coast Main Line share the valley floor, the oldest houses line the High Street and Castle Street. Behind them, on the rising ground, are the villas that began to appear south of the High Street in 1868.

Sloping drives and gardens are normal here rather than unusual. A scaffold on a slope is set out on adjustable bases and sole boards so every lift stays level. On a steep plot we also work out before the day where the lorry can stop and how the tubes and boards will reach the back of the house.

Jobs we are often asked for

Chimney and roof work on period terraces
Temporary roofs for re-roofing
Loft conversions and rear extensions
Painting and repointing

Temporary roofs in Berkhamsted

Period roofs take time to strip and rebuild. A temporary roof keeps the house dry from the first tile off to the last one back on.

More about temporary roofs

Licences on Berkhamsted streets

The High Street follows the line of the Roman Akeman Street and many of its oldest buildings sit right at the back of the pavement. A scaffold there stands on the highway, so it needs a licence from Hertfordshire County Council, which says an application usually takes about three weeks to process.

The county council also expects a clear walkway of at least 1.2 metres to be kept on the footway. Where a narrow pavement makes that impossible, it wants another safe route for people on foot, so the footprint and any walkway are settled before we apply.

Parts of the town are a conservation area, so neat, well planned scaffolds matter.
Narrow streets near the High Street often put the scaffold on the pavement, which needs a highway licence.

Conservation area and listed buildings

The Berkhamsted conservation area is a large one, taking in the High Street, Castle Street and the streets around them. Its listed buildings include Dean Incent's House, a fifteenth century timber framed house, the sixteenth century Court House and St Peter's, one of the largest churches in Hertfordshire.

Beside the station are the remains of Berkhamsted Castle, where the railway built in 1838 cut through the outer earthworks. Old timber frames, soft brick and clay tiled roofs all need ties and loads placed with thought, so on a period house it pays to agree the tie positions with your builder before the scaffold goes up.

Questions

Scaffolding in Berkhamsted: common questions

Will a scaffold on Berkhamsted High Street need a licence?

If any of it stands on the pavement or the road, yes. Hertfordshire County Council issues the licence and says an application usually takes about three weeks, so tell us your start date early. A scaffold standing wholly on your own drive or garden needs no licence.

Can you put a temporary roof over a period house in Berkhamsted?

Yes. A temporary roof keeps the house dry while the old roof is stripped and rebuilt, which matters most on the larger period roofs that take longest to redo. It is designed for the building it sits over and quoted alongside the scaffold.

Does the conservation area affect my scaffold?

The scaffold is temporary, so it is not usually the part that needs consent. The work it is there for might, such as new windows or roof changes on a listed building. Check with Dacorum Borough Council or your architect first, then book the scaffold for when the work can start.

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Scaffolding in Berkhamsted