Wigston · Leicestershire
Structural surveys and crack monitoring in Wigston
If a valuer or insurer has asked for a structural report on your Wigston property, we can arrange an independent engineer. Their findings, and any monitoring they recommend, give buyers, lenders and insurers the evidence they need.
Guide price from£490per property inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE18
- Population
- about 37,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What is the ground like in Leicestershire?
With roughly 37,000 people, Wigston spans postcode districts LE18 in Leicestershire. We also take enquiries from nearby Leicester (4 miles), Earl Shilton (9 miles) and Mountsorrel (10 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Leicestershire. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Leicestershire: Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
Methods for structural surveys and crack monitoring
Engineer’s structural inspection and report
A chartered structural engineer visits, records the cracks, checks the walls, floors, drains and nearby trees, and writes a report on the likely cause and next steps. It may recommend monitoring, investigations such as trial pits, or a repair specification.
Best for: A first expert opinion on any significant cracking
Tell-tales and crack-width monitoring
Gauges are fixed across key cracks and read at set intervals, or reference studs are measured with callipers to a fraction of a millimetre. The readings show whether each crack is widening, closing or stable, and whether any change follows the seasons.
Best for: Tracking individual cracks over the seasons
From first photo to finished repair
Engineer’s inspection
We can arrange an independent chartered structural engineer to inspect. They record the damage, assess likely causes and recommend whether monitoring, drain surveys or trial pits are needed before any repair decision.
Install monitoring points
Tell-tales, measuring studs or level points are fixed at the locations the engineer chooses. A base reading is taken on the first visit, so every later reading can be compared against it.
Seasonal readings
Readings are taken at intervals across the seasons, typically including late summer when clay is driest and late winter when it is wettest. The engineer checks each set against the base reading and decides whether more visits are needed.
Symptoms that point to structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Doors and windows sticking at some times of year only
- A crack you are unsure is old or new
- Cracks that seem wider after a hot, dry summer
Guide prices for structural surveys and crack monitoring in Wigston
For Wigston we use East Midlands 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer's inspection and report | £490 – £1,950 | per property |
| Crack monitoring: installation and three seasonal readings | £1,400 – £2,350 | per programme |
| Extra monitoring visit | £410 | per visit |
Rules for structural surveys and crack monitoring 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 will structural surveys and crack monitoring cost in Wigston?
Guide prices for structural surveys and crack monitoring in Wigston start from about £490 per property, including VAT, on East Midlands rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Wigston?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Wigston, including LE18, and from nearby places such as Leicester and Earl Shilton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Leicestershire prone to subsidence?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What do BRE crack categories mean?
BRE Digest 251 groups damage by typical crack width. Category 0 is under 0.1 mm, 1 up to 1 mm, 2 up to 5 mm, 3 from 5 to 15 mm or several of about 3 mm, 4 from 15 to 25 mm, and 5 usually over 25 mm. It is a guide to severity, not a diagnosis of cause.
What is a tell-tale on a crack?
A tell-tale is a small gauge fixed across a crack, with two overlapping plates marked in millimetres. As the crack opens, closes or shears, the plates move against each other and the reading changes. It gives a simple, repeatable record that anyone can check between visits.
Other structural repairs in Wigston
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Structural surveys and crack monitoring near Wigston
Unsure whether the cracks in your Wigston home are moving? Share dated photos, and we will suggest the most sensible first step.