Washington · Tyne and Wear
Concrete repairs in Washington
If rust stains or loose concrete have appeared on your Washington property, it is worth acting before pieces fall. Patch repair, crack injection and a protective coating usually restore balconies, canopies and lintels without replacing them.
Guide price from£80per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE37, NE38
- Population
- about 67,000
- Area
- Tyne and Wear
- Pricing region
- North East
What should you know about the ground under Washington?
Postcode districts NE37, NE38 cover Washington, a Tyne and Wear town of about 67,000 people. Nearby, we also cover Chester-le-Street (4 miles), Houghton-le-Spring (5 miles) and Sunderland (5 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Tyne and Wear. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of Tyne and Wear, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. Housing stock in Tyne and Wear: Tyneside flats and terraces, Victorian villas, inter-war council estates and post-war semis.
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.
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.
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.
Is it time for concrete repairs? Common signs
- Chunks or flakes of concrete breaking away from edges and soffits
- Rust-coloured stains or streaks running down the concrete surface
- Fine cracks running in straight lines along the line of the reinforcement
What should you budget for concrete repairs in Washington?
These are guide prices for Washington, using North East rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £80 – £165 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £165 – £440 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £415 – £830 | per visit |
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
How much should I budget for concrete repairs in Washington?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Washington start from about £80 per m², including VAT, on North 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 Washington?
Yes, Washington is covered, along with postcode districts NE37, NE38. We also cover nearby Chester-le-Street and Houghton-le-Spring.
Why do houses in Tyne and Wear crack?
Tyne and Wear lies on the Durham and Northumberland coalfield, with old shallow workings recorded beneath parts of Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland, mostly under a cover of glacial clay. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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 Washington
- Structural crack repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Brick arch repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Concrete repairs near Washington
Managing a block in Washington with tired concrete balconies? Send photos or an engineer’s schedule, and we will price the repairs balcony by balcony.