Shropshire · England
Boundary and garden wall repairs in Shropshire
Across Shropshire, requests for boundary and garden wall repairs usually begin with a crack someone has noticed getting wider. Clay soils are found in parts of Shropshire. A repair only lasts if the reason for the movement has stopped.
Guide price from£300per wall inc VAT
- Area
- Shropshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
- Ground
- Clay in parts
- Towns listed
- 3
How do local ground conditions affect boundary and garden wall repairs in Shropshire?
Shropshire has very varied rock, from Mercia Mudstone on the north Shropshire plain to the Coalbrookdale coalfield under Telford, where historic shallow coal, clay and ironstone workings are widespread.
Parts of Shropshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Shropshire: Timber-framed and brick town houses, industrial terraces around Telford, and new-town estates.
Repair options we may recommend
Repointing and minor repairs
Weak mortar is raked out and the wall repointed in a mortar that suits the bricks, and damaged bricks are replaced with matching ones. Loose copings are rebedded or replaced with a design that throws water clear of both faces. This is often enough for an upright wall.
Best for: Upright walls with weathered joints, loose copings or spalled bricks
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
What to expect when we carry out boundary and garden wall repairs
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.
Repair and rebuild
Sections are taken down, footings dug, and the wall rebuilt or repointed with a damp-proof course and coping. Reclaimed or matched bricks keep the wall consistent, and spoil and old materials are removed at the end.
Is it time for boundary and garden wall repairs? Common signs
- Coping stones or brick-on-edge tops loose, cracked or missing
- Wall leaning towards the pavement, drive or neighbour’s garden
- Vertical cracks at regular intervals along a long run of wall
- Crumbling mortar, or bricks with faces flaking away
What should you budget for boundary and garden wall repairs in Shropshire?
These are guide prices for Shropshire, using West Midlands rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repointing and minor repairsest. | £300 – £1,200 | per wall |
| Rebuilding a leaning sectionest. | £150 – £350 | per m² of wall face |
| New brick piersest. | £250 – £600 | per pier |
Do you need approval 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.
Boundary and garden wall repairs near you in Shropshire
Your boundary and garden wall repairs questions
Does the ground around Telford cause cracking?
Shropshire has very varied rock, from Mercia Mudstone on the north Shropshire plain to the Coalbrookdale coalfield under Telford, where historic shallow coal, clay and ironstone workings are widespread. Parts of Shropshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.
How much will boundary and garden wall repairs cost in Shropshire?
On West Midlands rates, boundary and garden wall repairs starts from about £300 per wall, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
Does the Party Wall Act apply to garden walls?
It can, in England and Wales. A boundary wall that stands astride the line of junction, used by both owners, can be a party fence wall under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, and some work to it needs notice. A wall wholly on one side is not covered in the same way. Scotland and Northern Ireland have no Party Wall Act.
Who is responsible for a boundary wall?
Responsibility depends on who owns the wall, which is shown in your title deeds and plans, or may be shared. A wall built on the line between two properties is often jointly owned. Check the deeds first and agree repairs with your neighbour, and in England and Wales check whether the Party Wall Act applies.
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.