Gillingham · Kent
Extension pulling away repairs in Gillingham
Repairing a separating extension in Gillingham can be as simple as tying the junction or as involved as underpinning. The choice rests on the movement history and the ground, and we confirm a fixed written price once the repair is specified.
Guide price from£670per junction inc VAT
- Postcodes
- ME7, ME8
- Population
- about 100,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Is Kent prone to ground movement?
With roughly 100,000 people, Gillingham spans postcode districts ME7, ME8 in Kent. Neighbouring towns we cover: Strood (3 miles), Gravesend (8 miles) and Maidstone (9 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. Housing stock in Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
What happens when we carry out extension pulling away repairs in Gillingham?
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.
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.
Signs you may need extension pulling away repairs
- Daylight or draughts showing through the internal corner joint
- A vertical crack or gap where the extension meets the house
- Mastic or render at the joint repeatedly splitting open
How much will extension pulling away repairs cost in Gillingham?
Prices in Gillingham 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Gillingham?
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
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
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.
Extension pulling away repairs in Gillingham: questions and answers
What is the price of extension pulling away repairs in Gillingham?
Guide prices for extension pulling away repairs in Gillingham 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 Gillingham?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Gillingham, including ME7, ME8, and from nearby places such as Strood and Gravesend. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Gillingham 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.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Gillingham
- Lintel replacement
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Extension pulling away repairs near Gillingham
Call about the cracked extension junction at your Gillingham property; a free initial assessment first, then a fixed written price once the repair is specified.