Christchurch · Dorset
Extension pulling away repairs in Christchurch
If the corner joint in your Christchurch extension keeps splitting after you fill it, something is still moving. Measuring the gap over a few months, with dated photos, gives an engineer the evidence to recommend the right repair.
Guide price from£620per junction inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BH6, BH7, BH23
- Population
- about 31,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Dorset?
Christchurch (BH6, BH7, BH23) has around 31,000 residents and sits in Dorset. We also take enquiries from nearby Bournemouth (4 miles), New Milton (5 miles) and Ferndown (7 miles).
Dorset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Dorset: Stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Extension pulling away repairs prices in Christchurch
For Christchurch we use South West 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Junction crack repair with stainless tiesest. | £620 – £2,050 | per junction |
| Movement joint and making goodest. | £410 – £1,250 | per junction |
| Underpinning the extension where needed | £1,050 – £2,600 | per metre of wall |
How we usually approach extension pulling away repairs
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
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
What happens during extension pulling away repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
Choose the fix
The engineer decides between ties, a movement joint or underpinning. We confirm a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified, covering the junction, flashings, internal finishes and any foundation work.
What to look for before calling about extension pulling away repairs
- Extension roof flashing lifting off the original wall
- Daylight or draughts showing through the internal corner joint
- A vertical crack or gap where the extension meets the house
Rules for extension pulling away repairs in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Questions about extension pulling away repairs in Christchurch
How much will extension pulling away repairs cost in Christchurch?
Guide prices for extension pulling away repairs in Christchurch start from about £620 per junction, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Christchurch?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Christchurch, including BH6, BH7, BH23, and from nearby places such as Bournemouth and New Milton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Dorset prone to subsidence?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Will my extension need underpinning?
Often not. Many separating extensions are fixed by repairing a drain, tying the junction or forming a movement joint. Underpinning is for extensions that keep dropping because their footings are too shallow or the ground beneath is poor, as shown by monitoring.
What is a movement joint?
A movement joint is a deliberate, flexible break in a wall that lets two parts of a building move slightly without cracking. It is filled with a compressible material and sealed. At an extension junction it can replace a rigid joint that keeps cracking.
Other structural repairs in Christchurch
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Chimney stack repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Extension pulling away repairs near Christchurch
If the junction at your Christchurch property keeps reopening, send dated photos and we will suggest whether monitoring, a drain survey or a repair comes next.