Gravesend · Kent
Concrete repairs in Gravesend
From a cracked canopy over a shop door to a spalling lintel on a house, concrete repairs in Gravesend follow the same steps. Cut back to sound concrete, treat the steel, rebuild the section and stop water getting back in.
Guide price from£95per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DA11, DA12
- Population
- about 54,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect concrete repairs in Gravesend?
Gravesend is in Kent and takes in postcode districts DA11, DA12. About 54,000 people live there. If you are just outside Gravesend, we also cover Swanscombe (3 miles), Longfield (4 miles) and Strood (6 miles).
Kent is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
Symptoms that point to concrete repairs
- Hollow sound when the surface is tapped with a hammer
- Exposed steel bars showing where concrete has fallen away
- Fine cracks running in straight lines along the line of the reinforcement
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Gravesend
For Gravesend 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £95 – £200 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £200 – £540 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £505 – £1,000 | 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
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
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for concrete repairs in Gravesend?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Gravesend start from about £95 per m², 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 Gravesend?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Gravesend, including DA11, DA12, and from nearby places such as Swanscombe and Longfield. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Kent crack?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. 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.
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.
Related work in Gravesend
- Bowing wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Concrete repairs near Gravesend
Get a free initial assessment of cracked or spalling concrete in Gravesend from your photos or a call, including whether an engineer should look first.