Hexham · Northumberland
Boundary and garden wall repairs in Hexham
Where older streets in Hexham and across Northumberland keep their original brick front walls, those walls often sit on shallow footings with soft lime mortar. Matching the bricks and mortar matters as much as the repair itself if the wall is to look right afterwards.
Guide price from£275per wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE46
- Population
- about 12,000
- Area
- Northumberland
- Pricing region
- North East
How do local ground conditions affect boundary and garden wall repairs in Hexham?
Postcode districts NE46 cover Hexham, a Northumberland town of about 12,000 people. If you are just outside Hexham, we also cover Consett (13 miles), Blaydon-on-Tyne (15 miles) and Whickham (17 miles).
Parts of Northumberland have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Northumberland lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Northumberland: Colliery terraces, stone farmhouses and villages, and post-war estates.
What happens during boundary and garden wall repairs, step by step?
Site assessment
On site we check the lean with a level, look at the footing where it can be seen, note the bricks and mortar, and check for trees, soil loading and gate loads. If the wall turns out to be retaining soil, we treat it as a retaining wall.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote that separates repointing, rebuilt sections, new piers and copings, so you or your neighbour can see each part. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.
Neighbour and notices
Where the wall is shared or on the line of junction in England and Wales, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may require notice before work starts. We can explain what is likely to be needed, and work is agreed with neighbours first.
What to look for before calling about boundary and garden wall repairs
- Vertical cracks at regular intervals along a long run of wall
- Wall rocking or moving slightly when pushed at the top
- A tree close to the wall, with the base lifted or cracked
Boundary and garden wall repairs prices in Hexham
For Hexham we use North East rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repointing and minor repairsest. | £275 – £1,100 | per wall |
| Rebuilding a leaning sectionest. | £140 – £320 | per m² of wall face |
| New brick piersest. | £230 – £550 | per pier |
How we usually approach boundary and garden wall repairs
Rebuilding a leaning section
The leaning or badly cracked section is taken down, sound bricks cleaned for reuse, and the wall rebuilt on a new footing at a suitable depth. A damp-proof course and a proper coping are added, and the new work is jointed to the sound wall either side.
Best for: Sections that lean, rock or have cracked right through
Dealing with roots and soil loading
Soil banked against the wall is dug back. Where roots are the cause, the wall can be rebuilt with a lintel bridging the root zone, or realigned to give the tree room. Decisions about the tree are made with its owner and, where needed, a tree specialist.
Best for: Walls lifted by roots or pushed over by banked soil
Rules for boundary and garden wall repairs in England
Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Questions about boundary and garden wall repairs in Hexham
How much will boundary and garden wall repairs cost in Hexham?
Guide prices for boundary and garden wall repairs in Hexham start from about £275 per wall, including VAT, on North East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Hexham?
We do. Hexham and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Consett and Blaydon-on-Tyne. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Northumberland prone to subsidence?
South-east Northumberland around Blyth, Ashington and Cramlington lies on the Northumberland coalfield, worked extensively in the past, under a cover of glacial clay. The north and west are hard rock and moorland. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can tree roots damage a garden wall?
Yes, they often do. Roots can lift footings, push walls sideways and, on clay soils, dry the ground so it shrinks under the wall. A wall can sometimes be rebuilt to bridge roots. Take advice before removing a large tree, as it may be protected and removal on clay can cause heave.
Do I need permission to rebuild a front wall?
Usually not for a like-for-like rebuild. Building a front wall next to a road higher than the permitted height, or work in a conservation area or to a listed building, can need planning consent. Check with your council before changing a wall’s height or appearance.
Other structural repairs in Hexham
- Structural crack repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Extension pulling away repairs
Boundary and garden wall repairs near Hexham
If tree roots have lifted a wall at your Hexham home, send photos of the wall and the tree, and we will suggest a repair that allows for them.