England · North West
Structural repairs in Greater Manchester
Structural repairs across Greater Manchester: subsidence, cracks, underpinning, wall ties, lintels and claim repairs. Greater Manchester has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others.
- Nation
- England
- Pricing region
- North West
- Towns listed
- 23
- Mining legacy
- Coalfield in part
What is the ground like in Greater Manchester?
Greater Manchester is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Lancashire coalfield beneath much of Wigan, Bolton, Salford and parts of the east. Historic mine workings, made ground and old mill sites are common.
Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause.
What usually causes cracking in Greater Manchester?
These are the things we most often check for in Greater Manchester. The repair only lasts if the cause has stopped.
- Pockets of shrinkable clay, mainly where large trees grow close to the house
- Old coal workings, where they lie close to the surface in the former coalfield
- Concrete lintels and boot lintels cracking over windows
- Extensions settling on shallower foundations than the house
- Leaking or broken drains washing fine soil out from under footings
What kind of buildings are common here?
Red-brick terraces, mill-town stone terraces, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
Which repairs do we carry out in Greater Manchester?
- Concrete repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Crack stitching
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Underpinning
- Structural crack repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Wall tie replacement
- Chimney stack repairs
- Subsidence repairs
Guide prices in Greater Manchester
A selection of guide prices on North West rates, including VAT. Each repair page has the full table.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Crack stitching: crack stitching with stainless helical bars | £75 – £175 | per metre of crack |
| Underpinning: mass-concrete underpinning | £960 – £1,450 | per metre of wall |
| Wall tie replacement: semi-detached house | £2,400 – £4,800 | per house |
| Lintel replacement: standard window or door opening | £720 – £2,400 | per opening |
Towns we cover in Greater Manchester
We list 23 towns in Greater Manchester, covering 58 postcode districts in the BL, M, OL, SK, WA and WN postcode areas. The largest are Manchester (about 570,000 people), Oldham (about 240,000 people) and Wigan (about 180,000 people). Each town page has local postcodes, nearby places and the repairs we carry out there.
- Manchester
- Oldham
- Wigan
- Bolton
- Stockport
- Salford
- Rochdale
- Sale
- Bury
- Altrincham
- Middleton
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Leigh
- Tyldesley
- Hyde
- Radcliffe
- Cheadle Hulme
- Ashton-in-Makerfield
- Westhoughton
- Hindley
- Irlam
- Horwich
- Ramsbottom
Do repairs in Greater Manchester need approval?
In England, building control approves and inspects structural work such as underpinning; small like-for-like repairs usually do not need it. Party wall notices apply where work affects a shared wall.
Questions about structural repairs in Greater Manchester
Do you cover the whole of Greater Manchester?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Greater Manchester, including Manchester, Oldham, Wigan and Bolton. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is Greater Manchester affected by subsidence?
Parts of Greater Manchester have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Whether a particular building has moved, and why, needs an investigation on site.
How much do structural repairs cost in Greater Manchester?
It depends on the repair. On North West rates, crack stitching from about £75 per metre of crack and wall tie replacement on a semi-detached house from about £2,400 per house, including VAT. Your written price follows photos or a survey.
What should I send for a free assessment in Greater Manchester?
Photos of each crack inside and out with a coin or tape for scale, a wider shot showing where it is on the building, your postcode in Greater Manchester, and when you first noticed it. If an insurer is involved, include the claim reference.