Gloucester · Gloucestershire
Bowing wall repairs in Gloucester
A slight lean is common on houses of a certain age in Gloucester, and many have stood that way for generations. A growing bow, crushing bricks or a gap opening at the skirting is different, and is worth checking promptly.
Guide price from£1,050per wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GL1, GL2, GL4
- Population
- about 130,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
What should you know about the ground under Gloucester?
Gloucester is in Gloucestershire and takes in postcode districts GL1, GL2, GL4. About 130,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Cheltenham (7 miles), Stroud (8 miles) and Tewkesbury (9 miles).
Parts of Gloucestershire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Gloucestershire, most homes are Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
What should you budget for bowing wall repairs in Gloucester?
For Gloucester we use South West 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral restraint for a typical gable | £1,050 – £3,100 | per wall |
| Remedial restraint ties installed | £25 – £60 | per tie |
| Partial rebuild of a badly distorted sectionest. | £3,100 – £8,250 | per section |
Repair options we may recommend
Stitching a delaminating wall
Where the layers of a solid wall have separated, long stainless ties are drilled in from the face and bonded into the inner layer to bind the wall together again. This is often combined with restraint ties, so the wall is both reconnected through its thickness and tied back to the structure.
Best for: Solid walls where the outer layer has pulled away
Partial rebuild
A section that has bowed beyond safe limits, or where bricks have crushed, is propped, taken down and rebuilt plumb with restraint built in. It is the most disruptive option, so it is kept to the area that genuinely needs it.
Best for: Badly distorted sections that cannot be tied back
What to expect when we carry out bowing wall repairs
Decide restrain or rebuild
If the wall is badly out of plumb, has bricks crushing or follows removed internal walls, we recommend an engineer, and can arrange one. Their view sets whether restraint is enough or a section needs rebuilding.
Fit the ties and straps
Ties are drilled through and fixed, or straps fitted and secured, at the spacing specified. Any rebuild is carried out at this stage, with temporary propping in place until the new brickwork has gained strength.
Close up and make good
Boards are relaid, plaster and outside fixings made good, and cracked joints repointed. You receive a record of the restraint positions, which helps if you sell or if an engineer needs to check the wall again later.
Is it time for bowing wall repairs? Common signs
- A visible belly in the wall when you sight along it
- Window frames pulling away from the brickwork at the sides
- Internal plaster cracks where a wall meets the ceiling
Rules for bowing wall 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.
Your bowing wall repairs questions
How much should I budget for bowing wall repairs in Gloucester?
Guide prices for bowing wall repairs in Gloucester start from about £1,050 per wall, including VAT, on South West 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 Gloucester?
We do. Gloucester and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Cheltenham and Stroud. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Gloucestershire crack?
The Severn vale around Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury is Lias and Mercia Mudstone clay, the Cotswolds are limestone, and the Forest of Dean has a historic coalfield. Parts of South Gloucestershire around Kingswood also lie on old Coal Measures. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Is a bowing wall dangerous?
A bowing wall is not always dangerous, but it should never be ignored. Many have been slightly out of line for decades. A bow that is growing, crushing bricks or appeared after building work is more serious, and an engineer should look at it promptly. Your engineer will confirm.
Can a bowing wall be pushed back straight?
Usually not. Masonry rarely returns to plumb without cracking, so the normal aim is to stop further movement and leave the wall where it is. If the bow is too great to accept, that section is rebuilt rather than forced back.
Related work in Gloucester
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Concrete repairs
Bowing wall repairs near Gloucester
Send photos of the bowing wall at your Gloucester property, including a level held against it, for a free initial assessment.