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Angus and Dundee · Scotland

Extension pulling away repairs in Angus and Dundee

We arrange surveys and price extension pulling away repairs throughout Angus and Dundee. Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in Angus and Dundee, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first, and we take that into account before recommending a method.

Guide price from£570per junction inc VAT

Rear brick extension with a tapered crack at the joint with the house
Area
Angus and Dundee
Pricing region
Scotland
Ground
Mostly firmer ground
Towns listed
5

What is the ground like in Angus and Dundee?

Angus and Dundee sit on Old Red Sandstone and igneous rock with glacial and raised-beach deposits. Hillside sites in Dundee mean retaining walls are common.

Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Angus and Dundee: Sandstone tenements in Dundee, fishing-town houses and post-war estates.

Methods for extension pulling away repairs

Junction crack repair with stainless ties

The open joint is cut out, stainless ties or helical bars are fixed across it into both the old and new masonry, and the joint is repointed or rendered to match. Inside, the corner is replastered. This suits extensions that moved once and have since stopped.

Best for: Settled extensions with a stable gap at the junction

Movement joint and making good

Where some seasonal movement is expected to continue, the junction is formed into a proper flexible movement joint with a compressible filler and sealant, so the two parts can move without cracking. Flashings and internal finishes are detailed to suit.

Best for: Minor ongoing movement that does not threaten the structure

Underpinning the extension

If the extension is still dropping because its footings are too shallow or on poor ground, they are taken deeper by mass concrete, beam-and-base or mini-piles. The engineer designs the scheme, and the junction is repaired once the new foundation is in.

Best for: Active movement from shallow footings, roots or soft ground

From first photo to finished repair

  1. Show us the junction

    Send photos of the crack outside, the internal corner and any flashing above, with a measure for scale. We give a free initial assessment and an initial view on whether the gap is likely old or still opening.

  2. Find what is moving

    An independent chartered structural engineer can inspect, and we can arrange one. A drain survey under the extension, a trial pit at its footing and tell-tale monitoring across the joint are common checks before choosing the repair.

  3. Finish and hand over

    Internal corners are replastered, skirtings and coving refixed, and doors or windows in the extension eased where the movement affected them. Records of the repair and any approvals are passed to you.

Symptoms that point to extension pulling away repairs

  • Floor level dropping where the extension and house floors meet
  • Daylight or draughts showing through the internal corner joint
  • Extension roof flashing lifting off the original wall
  • Mastic or render at the joint repeatedly splitting open

Guide prices for extension pulling away repairs in Angus and Dundee

These are guide prices for Angus and Dundee, using Scotland rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on Scotland rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
ItemGuide pricePer
Junction crack repair with stainless tiesest.£570 – £1,900per junction
Movement joint and making goodest.£380 – £1,150per junction
Underpinning the extension where needed£950 – £2,400per metre of wall
Extension pulling away: tapered gap at the junction tied in with stainless barsTAPERED GAPTIES ACROSS JOINTSHALLOWER FOOTINGINDICATIVE · NOT TO SCALE
Extension pulling away: tapered gap at the junction tied in with stainless bars. Indicative drawing, not to scale.

Do you need approval for extension pulling away repairs in Scotland?

In Scotland, underpinning and other structural alterations generally need a building warrant from the council’s building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end; small like-for-like repairs often do not. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; shared walls are covered by title deeds and, for flats, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.

Towns in Angus and Dundee we cover for extension pulling away repairs

Frequently asked questions

Is the ground in Angus and Dundee prone to subsidence?

Angus and Dundee sit on Old Red Sandstone and igneous rock with glacial and raised-beach deposits. Hillside sites in Dundee mean retaining walls are common. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.

How much will extension pulling away repairs cost in Angus and Dundee?

On Scotland rates, extension pulling away repairs starts from about £570 per junction, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.

Why is my extension pulling away from my house?

Usually because the extension and the house sit on different foundations that react differently to the ground. Shallow extension footings, leaking drains under the extension, nearby roots and weak tie-ins between old and new walls are the common causes.

Is it normal for an extension to crack at the join?

A fine crack at the junction is fairly common, especially in the first few years as a new extension settles. It becomes a concern when the gap is widening, tapering, letting in water or matched by sticking doors and sloping floors. Those signs point to continuing movement.

Who is responsible if a recent extension is moving?

If the extension is recent, the original builder, the designer or building control records may be relevant, and you may have rights against the builder. Gather the plans, completion certificate and contract. Insurance often excludes defects in new construction, so check your policy.

Other structural repairs in Angus and Dundee

Next step

Send us photos of the crack or movement

A free initial assessment from your photos, then a no-obligation written quote. If an engineer, drain survey or monitoring is needed first, we say so before you spend anything.

CallGet a quote