Herne Bay · Kent
Bay window subsidence repairs in Herne Bay
Many bays in Herne Bay were butted against the house rather than bonded into it with ties or toothed brickwork. That makes the junction the first place any differential movement shows, even when the bay foundation is reasonably sound.
Guide price from£670per bay inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT6
- Population
- about 25,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
What should you know about the ground under Herne Bay?
We cover Herne Bay and its postcode districts CT6, part of Kent, with a population of roughly 25,000. We also take enquiries from nearby Whitstable (5 miles), Canterbury (7 miles) and Faversham (11 miles).
Kent is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
How we usually approach bay window subsidence repairs
Junction crack repair and tie-in
Where movement has stopped, the open joint between bay and house is raked out, stainless ties or helical bars are fixed across it, and the joint is repointed to match. Internal plaster along the crack is cut back and renewed before redecoration.
Best for: Old, stable cracks where the bay is no longer moving
Traditional underpinning of the bay
The bay footing is excavated in short sections and new mass concrete is placed down to firmer ground below the zone affected by roots and seasons. Because a bay is a short length of wall, the work is compact, but it needs building control approval.
Best for: Active bay movement on firm ground at moderate depth
What happens during bay window subsidence repairs, step by step?
Photos and first view
Send photos of the outside junction, the inside corners and the window, with a scale. We give a free initial assessment and tell you whether the crack looks old and stable or whether an engineer should inspect first.
Agree the repair
The engineer decides between tie-in repairs and underpinning. We confirm a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified, including scaffolding if needed, the bay window, roof flashing and internal making good.
Carry out the work
Ties are fitted across the junction, or the bay is underpinned in sequence with building control inspecting the dig. The bay window and flashings are checked and eased or resealed where the movement has disturbed them.
What to look for before calling about bay window subsidence repairs
- Cracks above the bay window head or below the sill
- A vertical crack where the bay meets the front wall
- A step or slope in the bay floor towards the window
Bay window subsidence repairs prices in Herne Bay
These are guide prices for Herne Bay, using South East rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Bay junction crack repair and tie-inest. | £670 – £2,000 | per bay |
| Traditional underpinning of a bay | £3,350 – £7,850 | per bay |
| Mini-piled bay underpinning | £5,600 – £13,400 | per bay |
Rules for bay window subsidence repairs in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Questions about bay window subsidence repairs in Herne Bay
How much should I budget for bay window subsidence repairs in Herne Bay?
Guide prices for bay window subsidence repairs in Herne Bay start from about £670 per bay, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Herne Bay?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Herne Bay, including CT6, and from nearby places such as Whitstable and Canterbury. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Kent crack?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Why do bay windows crack away from the house?
Bays often stand on shallower footings than the main walls, so they react to drying clay, roots and drain leaks that the deeper house foundations escape. Many bays were also never properly tied in, so any movement opens a clean vertical crack at the junction.
How long does bay underpinning take?
Traditional underpinning of a bay usually takes about a week on site, and mini-piling a little longer depending on depth. A junction tie-in without underpinning normally takes one to two days. Approvals and any monitoring beforehand add to the overall timeline.
Related work in Herne Bay
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Brick arch repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Concrete repairs
Bay window subsidence repairs near Herne Bay
Photos of the bay floor, window and junction crack are enough to start; send them about your Herne Bay home and we will reply with a view.