Margate · Kent
Concrete repairs in Margate
A crumbling balcony edge at a Margate property is rarely just cosmetic. It is usually a sign of rusting steel inside, and the sooner it is repaired, the less concrete has to be broken out and rebuilt.
Guide price from£95per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT8, CT9, CT11
- Population
- about 63,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
What is the ground like in Kent?
Margate, Kent: about 63,000 residents across postcode districts CT8, CT9, CT11. We also take enquiries from nearby Ramsgate (3 miles), Deal (11 miles) and Herne Bay (11 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. Across Kent, most homes are Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
Is it time for concrete repairs? Common signs
- Fine cracks running in straight lines along the line of the reinforcement
- Rust-coloured stains or streaks running down the concrete surface
- Hollow sound when the surface is tapped with a hammer
What should you budget for concrete repairs in Margate?
The ranges below reflect typical South East 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 | £95 – £200 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £200 – £540 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £505 – £1,000 | per visit |
Repair options we may recommend
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 to expect when we carry out concrete repairs
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.
Your concrete repairs questions
What is the price of concrete repairs in Margate?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Margate 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.
Do you carry out concrete repairs in Margate?
Yes, Margate is covered, along with postcode districts CT8, CT9, CT11. We also cover nearby Ramsgate and Deal.
Does the ground around Margate cause cracking?
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 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Margate
- Structural crack repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Underpinning
- Chimney stack repairs
Concrete repairs near Margate
Get a free initial assessment of cracked or spalling concrete in Margate from your photos or a call, including whether an engineer should look first.