Angus and Dundee · Scotland
Floor joist repairs in Angus and Dundee
Floor joist repairs in Angus and Dundee starts with the ground. Shrinkable clay is less common in Angus and Dundee than in south-east England, and the buildings here are mostly sandstone tenements in Dundee, so the repair has to suit both.
Guide price from£240per joist inc VAT
- Area
- Angus and Dundee
- Pricing region
- Scotland
- Ground
- Mostly firmer ground
- Towns listed
- 5
How do local ground conditions affect floor joist repairs 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. Across Angus and Dundee, most homes are sandstone tenements in Dundee, fishing-town houses and post-war estates.
How much will floor joist repairs cost in Angus and Dundee?
Guide prices below are for homes in Angus and Dundee, on Scotland rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Splicing or sistering a damaged joist | £240 – £380 | per joist |
| Whole room of joists and boards | £1,900 – £5,700 | per room |
| Sleeper wall rebuild and ventilationest. | £380 – £1,400 | per room |
Which repair method suits a home in Angus and Dundee?
Sistering a joist
A new length of treated timber, the same depth as the original, is bolted or screwed alongside the damaged joist so the two share the load. It is the quickest fix for a notched, cracked or sagging joist that is otherwise sound, usually after lifting a few boards.
Best for: Cut, cracked or sagging joists with sound ends
Splicing ends and fitting hangers
Where only the end has rotted, it is cut back to sound timber and a new piece is fixed alongside, bearing on the wall or on a new joist hanger. Missing or under-nailed hangers elsewhere are replaced at the same time. The damp in the wall must be fixed too.
Best for: Rotten joist ends in damp solid walls
Sleeper walls and ventilation
Settled or damp sleeper walls are rebuilt on a sound base with a damp-proof course under new timber plates. Blocked air bricks are cleared, extra ones added where the void has dead spots, and soil or paving heaped against the outside wall is lowered.
Best for: Damp ground floor voids or joists on poor supports
What happens when we carry out floor joist repairs in Angus and Dundee?
Photos and a call
Send photos of the dip or soft area, the outside wall at ground level and any air bricks. A short call about when it started, and any recent plumbing or heating work, tells us whether the problem is local or widespread.
Lift boards and inspect
On site we lift a few boards where the floor is worst and check the joist ends, sleeper walls and void with a moisture meter. Outside, we look for high ground, blocked vents and leaks keeping the timber wet.
Written quote
You get a no-obligation written quote listing which joists are sistered, spliced or replaced and any sleeper wall or ventilation work. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.
Signs you may need floor joist repairs
- A gap opening up between the skirting board and the floor
- Soft or spongy boards near outside walls, hearths or the bathroom
- Ceiling cracks below that follow the line of the joists
- A musty smell, or fungal strands showing between the boards
Do you need approval for floor joist repairs in Scotland?
In Scotland, small repairs often do not need a building warrant, but structural alterations and strengthening generally do. Check with the council’s building standards service if unsure; there is no Party Wall Act in Scotland.
Towns in Angus and Dundee we cover for floor joist repairs
Floor joist repairs in Angus and Dundee: questions and answers
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 floor joist repairs cost in Angus and Dundee?
On Scotland rates, floor joist repairs starts from about £240 per joist, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
Can floor joists be repaired without taking up the whole floor?
Yes, in most cases only the boards over the affected joists need lifting, and three or four boards are often enough to sister a joist or splice a rotten end. Widespread rot is the exception, because the whole floor must come up to remove the decay.
Do I need building control for floor joist repairs?
Usually not for like-for-like repairs to a few joists, but replacing a whole floor structure can be building work. In Scotland that generally needs a building warrant, and in Northern Ireland council building control applies. We deal with building control where the work needs it.
Will my insurance pay for rotten floor joists?
Usually not, because rot, woodworm and gradual wear are standard exclusions. Damage from a sudden escape of water, or a floor that dropped through subsidence, may be treated differently. Check your policy, and tell your insurer before permanent repairs start if either applies.