Truro · Cornwall
Concrete repairs in Truro
Where flats and houses in Truro and across Cornwall have concrete balconies, canopies or lintels several decades old, carbonation has had time to reach the reinforcement. That is when spalling and straight-line cracking tend to appear.
Guide price from£90per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TR1
- Population
- about 23,000
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Cornwall matter for concrete repairs?
We cover Truro and its postcode districts TR1, part of Cornwall, with a population of roughly 23,000. Nearby places we cover include Falmouth (8 miles), Redruth (8 miles) and Newquay (10 miles).
Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in Cornwall, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Housing stock in Cornwall: Granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote setting out the estimated area of patching, the length of crack injection, coatings and access. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified, with any re-measure terms stated clearly.
Symptoms that point to concrete repairs
- Chunks or flakes of concrete breaking away from edges and soffits
- Fine cracks running in straight lines along the line of the reinforcement
- Exposed steel bars showing where concrete has fallen away
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Truro
The ranges below reflect typical South West costs for concrete repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £90 – £185 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £185 – £495 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £465 – £925 | per visit |
Methods for concrete repairs
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
Patch repair
Loose and contaminated concrete is broken out behind the bar, the steel is cleaned of rust and primed, and the section is rebuilt with a repair mortar. The edges are cut square so the patch does not feather out and fail. A protective coating may be applied over the whole surface afterwards.
Best for: Localised spalling around rusting bars
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 will concrete repairs cost in Truro?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Truro start from about £90 per m², 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.
Do you cover Truro?
We do. Truro and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Falmouth and Redruth. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Cornwall prone to subsidence?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Is spalling concrete dangerous?
It can be, mainly because pieces may fall from balconies, canopies and soffits above doors or paths. It also means the steel is losing strength over time. Fence off the area below any loose concrete, keep people off a balcony that is badly affected, and have it assessed soon.
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.
Other structural repairs in Truro
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Gable end wall repairs
Concrete repairs near Truro
The written quote for concrete repairs in Truro sets out the estimated areas and lengths, then becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.