Scaffolding in Chelmsford

Chelmsford is three kinds of building. The city core and Old Moulsham are Victorian and Edwardian terraces on tight streets, much of it inside the Chelmsford Central, Moulsham Street and New London Road conservation areas. Around that is a wide ring of inter-war and post-war suburbs: Springfield, Great Baddow, Galleywood, Chelmer Village. Beyond that, on the north-east edge, is the largest new-build programme in the county.

Each kind gives a scaffolder a different job.

Great Baddow is a village that Chelmsford grew around. It has its own conservation area at the old centre and streets of 1930s to 1970s semis and detached houses behind it. Springfield is similar, with Springfield Green's conservation area at the heart and post-war estates around. Work here is loft conversions on hipped roofs, rear and side extensions, re-roofs on concrete tiles that have reached the end of their felt, and full-elevation renders. A hip-to-gable needs a front and rear lift, a loading bay for the steels and an adaptation when the dormer is framed. See loft conversion scaffolding and roofing scaffolding.

Chelmsford Garden Community, north-east of the city, is planned for around 10,000 homes across Beaulieu, Channels and North East Chelmsford, with a new Beaulieu Park station on the Great Eastern line. The big housebuilders bring their own scaffolding contracts. The small developer on a plot at the edge of that, or on an infill site in Broomfield or Writtle, does not. We do sites up to about fifteen houses: one programme, one number, each plot erected, adapted and struck in turn. See extension and new build scaffolding.

CM3 runs east of the city. Danbury sits on a ridge with a conservation area at its centre and large detached houses on wooded, sloping roads. Base plates and sole boards are set to the slope, and the ridge is exposed enough that sheeting and ties are decided at the survey. South Woodham Ferrers is Essex County Council's own new town: the masterplan was adopted in 1974 and the first turf was cut in 1975. Those houses are now at the age for re-roofs, lofts and extensions, and the closes are tight for a lorry.

Chelmsford City Council's area has 26 conservation areas. In CM1 to CM3 they include Chelmsford Central, Moulsham Street, New London Road, Springfield Green, Great Baddow, Danbury, Writtle, Broomfield, Boreham and Sandon. A scaffold in one of them does not need consent of its own, but the street is usually narrow, the pavement is the only footprint and the parking is tight. We plan the footprint so the pavement stays passable.

Chelmsford City Council is the planning authority; the roads belong to Essex County Council and licences for scaffolding on the public highway are issued through Essex Highways. Suburban jobs on a drive need none. A Moulsham Street terrace or a shop on Baddow Road needs one, and its lead time goes into the programme at the survey.

We cover Brentwood to the south-west and Basildon to the south. Billericay, Witham and Maldon are covered too. See all areas, or request a survey.

Request a survey