Dorchester · Dorset
Concrete repairs in Dorchester
Concrete repairs in Dorchester begin with finding out how far the damage goes, not just patching what has already fallen off. Tapping the surface for hollow areas and checking the exposed steel tells us how much needs cutting out and rebuilding.
Guide price from£90per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DT1
- Population
- about 17,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Dorset?
Dorchester is in Dorset and takes in postcode districts DT1. About 17,000 people live there. If you are just outside Dorchester, we also cover Weymouth (7 miles), Yeovil (18 miles) and Poole (20 miles).
Parts of Dorset have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Dorset, most homes are stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Symptoms that point to concrete repairs
- Hollow sound when the surface is tapped with a hammer
- Chunks or flakes of concrete breaking away from edges and soffits
- Damp patches, white deposits or drips on a balcony or canopy underside
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Dorchester
Prices in Dorchester are worked out on South West rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| 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
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
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.
Break out, repair, protect
Damaged concrete is cut back to sound material, steel cleaned and primed, and the section rebuilt and cured. Cracks are injected, then the surface is coated and drainage details put right so water runs off rather than sitting.
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
What is the price of concrete repairs in Dorchester?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Dorchester 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 carry out concrete repairs in Dorchester?
We do. Dorchester and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Weymouth and Yeovil. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Dorchester cause cracking?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do you repair concrete on blocks of flats?
Yes, we repair concrete on houses, flats and small commercial buildings, including balconies, walkway edges, canopies and lintels. For flats, the freeholder, managing agent or owners’ association normally instructs the work. We can price to an engineer’s schedule where one has been prepared.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Dorchester
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Crack stitching
- Chimney stack repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
Concrete repairs near Dorchester
Concrete falling from a balcony or canopy in Dorchester? Fence off the area below, send us photos, and we will advise on making it safe and repairing it.