Ely · Cambridgeshire
Concrete repairs in Ely
From a cracked canopy over a shop door to a spalling lintel on a house, concrete repairs in Ely follow the same steps. Cut back to sound concrete, treat the steel, rebuild the section and stop water getting back in.
Guide price from£90per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CB6
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- Cambridgeshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
What should you know about the ground under Ely?
With roughly 21,000 people, Ely spans postcode districts CB6 in Cambridgeshire. Nearby places we cover include Newmarket (12 miles), March (13 miles) and St Ives (15 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Cambridgeshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Cambridgeshire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Cambridge and Peterborough, fen-edge cottages, and extensive post-war and new-build estates.
From first photo to finished repair
Photos and a description
Send photos of the damage close up and from a distance, plus the whole balcony, canopy or elevation. Tell us roughly how old the building is and whether anything has fallen, so we can judge whether to make it safe first.
Survey and tapping test
On site we tap the surface to find hollow areas, check the steel where it is exposed and note drainage. Where the extent is unclear, a cover meter, carbonation test or chloride test may be advised before repair.
Engineer where needed
If the steel has lost significant section, or the element carries a balcony, stair or wall, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed to assess and specify. We can arrange this, and the repair follows their scope.
Symptoms that point to concrete repairs
- Damp patches, white deposits or drips on a balcony or canopy underside
- Rust-coloured stains or streaks running down the concrete surface
- Chunks or flakes of concrete breaking away from edges and soffits
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Ely
Guide prices below are for homes in Ely, on East of England rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £90 – £190 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £190 – £505 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £470 – £945 | per visit |
Methods for concrete repairs
Protective coatings and sealing
After repair, an anti-carbonation coating, a waterproof deck membrane on a balcony, or a penetrating sealer slows the return of moisture and carbon dioxide. Restoring drips, upstands and falls so water drains away is as important as the coating itself.
Best for: Extending the life of repaired balconies and canopies
Recasting or strengthening
Where steel has lost much of its section, or a lintel or canopy is too far gone to patch, the element is propped and rebuilt, replaced or strengthened to an engineer’s design. It is less common, but sometimes the more lasting option for small canopies and old precast lintels.
Best for: Badly corroded lintels, canopies and balcony edges
Rules for concrete 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for concrete repairs in Ely?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Ely start from about £90 per m², including VAT, on East of England 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 Ely?
We do. Ely and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Newmarket and March. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Cambridgeshire crack?
Gault Clay underlies much of the Cambridge area and Oxford Clay the west of the county around Peterborough and Huntingdon, while the northern fens are peat and silt that can shrink as they dry. Both clay and peat ground can move with the seasons. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What is carbonation in concrete?
Carbonation is the gradual reaction between carbon dioxide in the air and concrete, which lowers its alkalinity from the surface inward. Alkaline concrete protects the steel inside, so when carbonation reaches the bars, they can start to rust. A simple test on a freshly broken surface shows how deep it has gone.
What is spalling concrete?
Spalling is concrete breaking away from the surface in flakes or chunks. In reinforced concrete it is usually caused by the steel inside rusting and expanding, which pushes the cover off. It often follows a straight line where a bar sits close to the surface, with rust staining nearby.
Related work in Ely
Concrete repairs near Ely
Get a free initial assessment of cracked or spalling concrete in Ely from your photos or a call, including whether an engineer should look first.