Folkestone · Kent
Extension pulling away repairs in Folkestone
An extension pulling away from a Folkestone house is often a drain problem, a shallow footing or a missing tie-in, rather than a failing building. Finding out which applies decides whether the fix is a junction repair or new foundations.
Guide price from£670per junction inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT19, CT20
- Population
- about 66,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Is Kent prone to ground movement?
Postcode districts CT19, CT20 cover Folkestone, a Kent town of about 66,000 people. We also take enquiries from nearby Dover (7 miles), Ashford (13 miles) and Deal (14 miles).
Kent is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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
- Mastic or render at the joint repeatedly splitting open
- A vertical crack or gap where the extension meets the house
- Floor level dropping where the extension and house floors meet
Guide prices for extension pulling away repairs in Folkestone
Prices in Folkestone are worked out on South East rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Junction crack repair with stainless tiesest. | £670 – £2,250 | per junction |
| Movement joint and making goodest. | £450 – £1,350 | per junction |
| Underpinning the extension where needed | £1,100 – £2,800 | per metre of wall |
Methods for 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
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of extension pulling away repairs in Folkestone?
Guide prices for extension pulling away repairs in Folkestone start from about £670 per junction, 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.
Do you carry out extension pulling away repairs in Folkestone?
Yes, Folkestone is covered, along with postcode districts CT19, CT20. We also cover nearby Dover and Ashford.
Does the ground around Folkestone cause cracking?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Folkestone
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Crack stitching
- Wall tie replacement
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Extension pulling away repairs near Folkestone
Send photos of the extension junction at your Folkestone home, inside and out, and we will give a free initial assessment and a guide price.