Event work is about time as much as structure
On any other scaffold job, time is a cost variable. On event work, time is the defining constraint. The event happens on a fixed date. The structure has to be up before doors open, signed off by the local authority or venue, and then stripped back to site-clear in the window between load-out and the next event. Missing any of those deadlines is a show-stopper.
Our approach on event work is to over-resource install and strip. We’ll programme more scaffolders than strictly necessary, build in contingency for weather delays or logistics issues, and commit to the install window with margin. The cost difference between over-resourcing and under-resourcing on an event job is modest; the cost difference between an event structure that’s ready on time and one that isn’t, can be catastrophic.
Sign-off and certification
Any event structure that the public walks on, sits on, or stands under needs structural certification. The calculation is not optional, and venues and local authorities want to see it on paper. Our in-house designer produces the calculations and a chartered engineer signs off the completed install. The signed certificate goes to the event organiser for submission to the venue and the insurer.
Working with AV production
Event structures rarely exist in isolation. They’re integrated with PA systems, lighting trusses, video walls, and sometimes pyrotechnics. That means the scaffold design has to consider the AV production plan from the start — where the rigging points are, what weights they’re carrying, what clearances the flown equipment needs. We’ll work with the AV production team at design stage so the scaffold is shaped around the production, not the other way around.
If you’ve got an upcoming event — festival, sports, broadcast or commercial launch — get in touch at the planning stage and we’ll work with your production team on the structural scope.
