Farnborough · Hampshire
Bowing wall repairs in Farnborough
Sighting along a wall at your Farnborough home and seeing a curve can be unsettling. Send us photos with a level held against it, and we will explain what is likely holding it, or not, and what the repair involves.
Guide price from£1,100per wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GU14
- Population
- about 61,000
- Area
- Hampshire
- Pricing region
- South East
What is the ground like in Hampshire?
Farnborough, Hampshire: about 61,000 residents across postcode districts GU14. We also take enquiries from nearby Camberley (3 miles), Aldershot (3 miles) and Fleet (3 miles).
Much of Hampshire sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Hampshire: Victorian terraces in Portsmouth and Southampton, 1930s semis, and large post-war and new-build estates.
Methods for bowing wall repairs
Lateral restraint straps
Galvanised or stainless straps are fixed across three or more joists or rafters, turned down against the inside face of the wall and fixed into the masonry. They work well at ceiling and roof level, where the fixings stay hidden.
Best for: Gables and walls bowing near ceiling or roof level
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
From first photo to finished repair
Open up inside
Floorboards or a ceiling strip are lifted along the affected wall to expose the joists. We fit noggins where joists run alongside, and plan furniture moves with you, since this is the most disruptive part of the job.
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.
Symptoms that point to bowing wall repairs
- Horizontal cracking at first-floor or ceiling level
- Gaps opening between floorboards and the skirting on an outside wall
- Window frames pulling away from the brickwork at the sides
Guide prices for bowing wall repairs in Farnborough
For Farnborough we use South 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral restraint for a typical gable | £1,100 – £3,350 | per wall |
| Remedial restraint ties installed | £30 – £65 | per tie |
| Partial rebuild of a badly distorted sectionest. | £3,350 – £8,950 | per section |
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for bowing wall repairs in Farnborough?
Guide prices for bowing wall repairs in Farnborough start from about £1,100 per wall, 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 Farnborough?
We do. Farnborough and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Camberley and Aldershot. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Hampshire crack?
Central Hampshire is chalk, while the south around Portsmouth, Southampton and the New Forest fringe and the north-east around Farnborough sit on London Clay, Reading Beds and other clays and sands. The clay areas see seasonal movement near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Will I need to move out during bowing wall repairs?
Usually not. Restraint work means lifting some floorboards or a strip of ceiling along one wall, so a room or two is disrupted for a few days. A partial rebuild of an external wall can be more involved, and we will talk it through with you first.
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.
Related work in Farnborough
- Wall tie replacement
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Bowing wall repairs near Farnborough
If a wall in Farnborough began bowing after building work next door, dated photos help us suggest who should look at it first.