Film crew hire/Oxford/Set builders
Hire set builders in Oxford. Set builders make the walls, rooms and pieces of a set, paint them and take them down at wrap.
People book set builders in Oxford for college halls, labs at the Science Park and Harwell, and shoots on the street. They build to the art director’s drawings in a workshop or a studio, paint the set and strike it at wrap. Our set builder day rate starts at £341 per builder, and each builder gets all of it.
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- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
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Photos: Ali Mkumbwa, Ryno Marais, Callum Hill and Adrian Mag
The role
What set builders do on your shoot
Set builders make the parts of the set the location can’t give you. That might be walls with windows in the right place, a shop counter, a stage, or a room that comes apart so the camera can get in. Carpenters build it, scenic painters age and finish it, and the same team takes it down and clears the space.
A set build runs in four stages. The art director designs it, the builders make it, the dressers fill it, and everyone helps clear it at the strike.
We book set builders who live in or near Oxford first. If nobody local is free, or the build needs more people, we bring crew from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. A build can go up at Rebellion Film Studios at Didcot or Shadowbox Studios Shinfield, south of Reading. On location, Oxfordshire County Council handles streets and pavements, and private owners, including the colleges, handle their own sites. We can book one carpenter for a day or a construction crew for a fortnight.
- The builders work to drawings. They agree the sizes, finishes and camera positions with the art director first.
- The set comes apart for the camera. Wild walls and flying pieces move, so the camera and the lights can get in.
- The set is finished for the camera. The paint, ageing and textures hold up at 4K.
- The team clear everything at wrap. They strike the set, clear the studio or location and take the waste away.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
Per builder, per day
- An 11-hour day per builder, including an hour for lunch
- Building to the art director’s drawings
- Painting and finishing
- Wild walls and flying pieces where needed
- A standby carpenter on the shoot day, if booked
- The strike, and the space cleared
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- Materials, at cost
- Workshop space, transport and waste disposal
- A cherry picker or a crane, and any permit it needs, at cost
- The studio, and any repaint it charges for
- Travel from London or outside Oxford, and mileage, parking and any Zero Emission Zone charge where the day needs them, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Oxford.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book builders for your own shoot, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example build with set builders
The builders make a kitchen set for an advert in a workshop, then put it up in a hired studio near Oxford. The days are an example. The schedule sets the real ones.
- Week 1 Drawings You agree the art director’s plans. They show the room, the window, the walls that come out for the camera, and what fits in the van and through the studio doors.
- Day 1 Workshop The builders make the flats and units in the workshop, build the window frame to size and number everything for the load-in.
- Day 2 Load in A tail-lift van brings the pieces to the studio. The studio is outside Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone, which covers the city centre, so the van pays no daily charge. The builders stand the pieces up, brace them and fix them in place.
- Day 3 Paint The scenic painter puts on the base coats, then ages the kitchen so it looks lived in.
- Day 4 Dress The dressers fill the set. The builders hang the doors and fix anything the camera picks up.
- Shoot Standby A standby carpenter stays on set to pull a wall, fix a hinge or make a quick change.
- Strike Clear The team take everything down and out, recycle what they can, and hand the studio back the way it wants it.
We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
Types
Types of construction crew we book
The team grows with the build. Card rates are per person, per 11-hour day.
Carpenter Builds the set Card £341–512
A carpenter builds flats, platforms, units and pieces in the workshop and puts them up in the studio.
Good for any set build, such as a single wall or a whole room.
Master carpenter Runs the build Quoted on the brief
A master carpenter runs the carpenters, solves the tricky pieces and signs off what’s safe.
Good for builds that take more than a couple of days.
Scenic painter Paint, ageing and finishes Quoted on the brief
A scenic painter paints and ages the set. Wood, plaster, metal and dirt all look real on camera.
Good when the set has to look old, used or expensive.
Standby carpenter On set on the day From £341 a day
A standby carpenter stays with the set during the shoot to move walls, fix things and make changes.
Book one for any shoot with a built set.
Props, models and effects Specialist workshops Quoted on the brief
A specialist workshop makes models, miniatures, moulded props and physical effects such as fire, smoke and weather.
Good when the set needs something no carpenter would make.
Construction manager Big builds Quoted on the brief
A construction manager plans and runs the construction department, the budget and the workshop on large builds.
Good for drama and big adverts, where the build needs its own department.
What it’s for
What people book set builders for in Oxford
Brand films and adverts on the street
Builders put up a kitchen, a shop or a living room in a studio, or a set piece on a street such as Broad Street or the High. Oxfordshire County Council handles filming on streets and pavements.
Conferences and events at college venues
Stages, sets and backdrops at college conference venues are built for the cameras as well as the room. Keble is one of the colleges that takes location filming.
Founder films for spin-outs and biotech
Offices and labs at the Oxford Science Park, Begbroke and Harwell Campus, where spin-outs and biotech companies film their founders. With the owner’s permission, builders can add a false wall or a backdrop for an interview set.
University and research films
Films in labs, lecture theatres and college rooms sometimes need a backdrop or a set piece that shows the research on camera. Start with the University’s filming coordinator or the college.
Heritage locations out of town
Brand films at Blenheim Palace at Woodstock and on the edge of the Cotswolds sometimes need a platform or a set piece, with the owner’s permission. The builders make it light enough to carry in and weigh it down against the wind.
Recent work
How we crew a build in Oxford
How we crew it · Oxford
Building in a studio near Oxford
Rebellion Film Studios at Didcot has a 22,000 sq ft main stage and two location shooting areas of over 19,000 sq ft, on 12 acres. Shadowbox Studios Shinfield, south of Reading, has 18 stages and a million sq ft. Before a build is drawn, we ask the studio for its load-in times, door sizes and floor rules, and whether anything needs a repaint after. Anything it charges goes on the quote as its own line. More on film studios near Oxford. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Rebellion Film Studios and Shadowbox Studios.
How we crew it · Oxford
Building on location in Oxford
On location, permission sets the schedule. Oxfordshire County Council handles filming on streets and pavements in Oxford and the county, and it publishes its daily fees. Each college decides on its own buildings and grounds, and the University’s filming coordinator handles University buildings. Private owners, such as Blenheim Palace, handle their own sites. A road closure needs a Special Event Order with at least 12 weeks’ notice. Sets are built to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The owner hears about the build first, and everything comes out at wrap, with the place put back as it was. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council.
Before you book
Things to know
Planning
- A build needs drawings and a schedule. Tell us the shoot date, and we work back from it.
- We agree the studio’s load-in times, and the van’s height and weight, before the build starts.
- Materials, workshop space and waste disposal go on the quote at cost, each on its own line.
Building on location
- On private property, such as a college or Blenheim Palace, the owner’s consent comes first.
- Filming on streets and pavements in Oxford goes through Oxfordshire County Council. Its daily fee depends on the crew size and the street, and the permit goes on the quote as its own line.
- A road closure needs a Special Event Order from the county council, with at least 12 weeks’ notice. If the builders’ van is driven in Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone between 7am and 7pm, a Euro 6 diesel van pays £4 a day and an older diesel £10. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the builders.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the builders we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
- Venues usually ask to see it. Oxfordshire County Council, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability for filming on streets and pavements. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
£341 a day
APA/Bectu card: £341–512 a day, carpenter to master carpenter.
| Per builder, 11 hours | £341 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £34.10 |
| Insurance, 2% | £6.82 |
| One builder, one day, before materials | £381.92 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the builders we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the build.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book set builders in Oxford.
Tell us what needs building, where, and when it has to be ready. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Oxford
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Oxford, and each crew member gets their full rate:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant £400
- Runner £245
Camera 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £355–448
- Steadicam operator From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders This page £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
See how our rates work in crew rates in Oxford, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Oxford.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A build needs a studio, materials, a van and sometimes permission from Oxfordshire County Council. Each goes on the quote as its own line, or you can sort them yourself.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for an Oxford shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The county council for streets, the colleges and the University, the Bodleian and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios at Didcot and south of Reading for set builds, and college rooms hired by the day for interviews.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring set builders in Oxford
How much does a set build cost in Oxford?
It depends on the build. Each builder is priced per day, at £341–512 on the APA/Bectu card from carpenter to master carpenter, and we pay that rate in full. Materials, workshop space and waste disposal are at cost. Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance go on top. A simple wall can be a day for two builders. A room set can be a week for a team. Our rates are the same in Oxford as anywhere else we book crew, and anything the county council or the studio charges goes on the quote at cost.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
Do I need an art director as well?
Yes, for anything more than a simple piece. The art director designs and draws it, and the builders build it.
Where can we build a set near Oxford?
Rebellion Film Studios at Didcot has a 22,000 sq ft main stage and two location shooting areas of over 19,000 sq ft. Shadowbox Studios Shinfield, south of Reading, has 18 stages and a million sq ft. Ask the studio about load-in and its floor before the build is drawn. See film studios near Oxford. Check with the studio for the latest.
Can you build on an Oxford street or in a college?
With permission, yes. Oxfordshire County Council handles filming on streets and pavements. A small crew needs at least 15 working days’ notice, or 30 on listed streets in the centre, and a road closure needs at least 12 weeks. Each college decides on its own buildings and grounds. Pieces fix without damage and come out cleanly at wrap. Check with Oxfordshire County Council and the college for the latest.
Can the build use fire, smoke or other effects?
Yes, with a specialist. An effects supervisor runs any fire, smoke or weather effect, with a risk assessment and a method statement. Agree it with the location first. On streets and pavements, put it in your application to Oxfordshire County Council.
How far ahead should I book a set build?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours, and the build sets the rest. A small build needs about a week between the drawings and the shoot, and a room set needs two or three. On location, add the notice the permits need. The county council needs at least 15 working days for a small crew on the street, and a road closure needs at least 12 weeks. Check with Oxfordshire County Council for the latest.
Are your set builders from Oxford?
We book builders and scenic painters who live in or near Oxford first. For a bigger build, a specialist or a date when the local crews are booked, we book builders from London. The fastest trains from Paddington take 52 minutes. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our own base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall. Check with GWR for the latest train times.