Kensington and Chelsea · Greater London
Concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea
From a cracked canopy over a shop door to a spalling lintel on a house, concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea follow the same steps. Cut back to sound concrete, treat the steel, rebuild the section and stop water getting back in.
Guide price from£105per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10, W2
- Population
- about 140,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
How do local ground conditions affect concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea?
We cover the whole of Kensington and Chelsea, including postcode districts SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10, W2; about 140,000 people live in the borough. We also take enquiries from nearby Hammersmith and Fulham (1 miles), Westminster (2 miles) and Wandsworth (3 miles).
Much of Greater London 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 Greater London: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.
What to look for before calling about concrete repairs
- Damp patches, white deposits or drips on a balcony or canopy underside
- Hollow sound when the surface is tapped with a hammer
- Rust-coloured stains or streaks running down the concrete surface
Concrete repairs prices in Kensington and Chelsea
For Kensington and Chelsea we use London 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £105 – £225 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £225 – £600 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £560 – £1,100 | per visit |
How we usually approach 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
What happens during concrete repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
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.
Questions about concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea
How much should I budget for concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Kensington and Chelsea start from about £105 per m², including VAT, on London 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 Kensington and Chelsea?
Yes, Kensington and Chelsea is covered, along with postcode districts SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10. We also cover nearby Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster.
Why do houses in Greater London crack?
Most of Greater London sits on London Clay, among the most shrinkage-prone ground in the UK, with river gravels along the Thames. Subsidence claims here are among the most frequent in the country, especially after dry summers and near street and garden trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can you repair a cracked concrete lintel?
Often, yes. Spalling and small cracks in a concrete lintel can be patch repaired and the steel treated. If the lintel is badly cracked, sagging or the bars have lost much of their section, replacement is usually better, and the opening is propped while it is done.
Why does concrete crack and rust?
Concrete cracks as it shrinks, moves with temperature or carries more load than intended. Steel inside it rusts when carbonation or salts reach it and moisture gets in. The two feed each other: cracks let water in, and rusting steel expands and cracks the concrete further.
Related work in Kensington and Chelsea
- Bowing wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Structural crack repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Concrete repairs near Kensington and Chelsea
Managing a block in Kensington and Chelsea with tired concrete balconies? Send photos or an engineer’s schedule, and we will price the repairs balcony by balcony.