Bognor Regis · West Sussex
Crack stitching in Bognor Regis
Got a crack you can slip a coin into? In Bognor Regis, as anywhere, that is usually wide enough to justify stitching rather than filling, provided an engineer or surveyor agrees the wall has stopped moving.
Guide price from£90per metre of crack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PO21, PO22
- Population
- about 64,000
- Area
- West Sussex
- Pricing region
- South East
Why does the ground in West Sussex matter for crack stitching?
Bognor Regis (PO21, PO22) has around 64,000 residents and sits in West Sussex. We also take enquiries from nearby Chichester (6 miles), Littlehampton (6 miles) and Emsworth (12 miles).
West Sussex is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across West Sussex, most homes are Wealden cottages, 1930s semis and bungalows on the coast, and new-town estates in Crawley.
Guide prices for crack stitching in Bognor Regis
Guide prices below are for homes in Bognor Regis, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Crack stitching with stainless helical bars | £90 – £200 | per metre of crack |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £390 – £560 | per visit |
| Repointing over the stitched line in matching mortarest. | £35 – £65 | per metre |
Methods for crack stitching
Helical bars in resin grout
A resin grout bonds quickly and strongly to the bar and masonry and suits wet conditions or work that must take load sooner. It is less forgiving of soft or crumbly bricks, so the choice of grout is made wall by wall rather than as a rule.
Best for: Dense bricks, damp walls and repairs needing a fast cure
Stitching with crack injection
Once the bars are in, the crack itself is filled. Fine cracks are pointed in matching mortar, while wider or deeper cracks can be injected with grout so the void inside the wall is filled rather than just the face. On older houses, lime mortar keeps the repair breathable.
Best for: Deep cracks running through the full thickness of the wall
From first photo to finished repair
Cut, clean and grout
Slots are cut into the bed joints to the right depth, dust is blown and washed out, and grout is placed. The bars are pressed home and covered, and the crack line is filled or injected.
Repoint to match
The cut joints and crack are pointed in a mortar chosen to match the colour, texture and strength of the existing work. On older houses with soft bricks, a lime mortar is used so the repair does not trap moisture.
Make good and record
Internal plaster cracks are cut out and filled where included, and dust is cleared. You receive a short note of where the bars went, which is useful for future buyers, surveyors and any insurance file.
Symptoms that point to crack stitching
- Stepped cracking beside a window, door or corner
- Filled cracks that keep reopening along the same line
- Cracking that a surveyor or engineer has said is now stable
Rules for crack stitching 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 crack stitching in Bognor Regis?
Guide prices for crack stitching in Bognor Regis start from about £90 per metre of crack, 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 Bognor Regis?
Yes, Bognor Regis is covered, along with postcode districts PO21, PO22. We also cover nearby Chichester and Littlehampton.
Why do houses in West Sussex crack?
North West Sussex around Crawley and Horsham sits on Weald Clay, the South Downs are chalk, and the coastal plain has brickearth and gravels. The Weald Clay is prone to shrink-swell movement near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
How far apart are helical bars placed?
Helical bars are usually placed every few courses up the full height of the crack, each one running well past the crack into sound brickwork. Spacing and bar length depend on the wall and the crack width, and where an engineer has specified the repair, their drawing sets them.
How long does crack stitching last?
Stainless steel bars do not rust, so a stitched repair in a stable wall should last as long as the surrounding brickwork. The repair only fails early when the wall keeps moving, which is why the cause is dealt with before the bars go in.
Related work in Bognor Regis
- Subsidence repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Crack stitching near Bognor Regis
Have a loss adjuster’s schedule for a Bognor Regis property? Send it over and we can price the crack stitching to it line by line.