Floor joist repairs in Crewe

Postcodes: CW1, CW2
Population: about 76,000
Area: Cheshire
Pricing region: North West

What should you know about the ground under Crewe?

Crewe, Cheshire: about 76,000 residents across postcode districts CW1, CW2. Nearby places we cover include Nantwich (4 miles), Sandbach (5 miles) and Winsford (7 miles).

Cheshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Historic brine and salt working has caused ground movement in parts of Cheshire in the past. Typical buildings in Cheshire: Brick terraces in Crewe, Northwich and Warrington, Victorian villas in Chester, and inter-war and post-war semis.

Methods for floor joist repairs

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

Replacing joists and boards

When rot or woodworm runs through most of a floor, it is usually cheaper to replace the joists, strutting and boards together. Where joists run parallel to an outside wall, restraint straps tie the new floor back to it so the wall keeps its lateral support.

Best for: Widespread rot, or a whole floor that has dropped

From first photo to finished repair

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.
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.
Relay and ventilate
Boards are relaid or replaced, skirting refitted and air bricks cleared or added outside. We point out anything that would let damp back in, such as soil heaped against the wall, so the repair lasts.

Symptoms that point to floor joist repairs

Ceiling cracks below that follow the line of the joists
Soft or spongy boards near outside walls, hearths or the bathroom
A musty smell, or fungal strands showing between the boards

Guide prices for floor joist repairs in Crewe

The ranges below reflect typical North West costs for floor joist repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.

Guide prices inc VAT on North West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Splicing or sistering a damaged joist	£240 – £385	per joist
Whole room of joists and boards	£1,900 – £5,750	per room
Sleeper wall rebuild and ventilationest.	£385 – £1,450	per room

Rules for floor joist repairs in England

Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget for floor joist repairs in Crewe?

Guide prices for floor joist repairs in Crewe start from about £240 per joist, including VAT, on North West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.

Can you survey a property in Crewe?

We do. Crewe and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Nantwich and Sandbach. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.

Why do houses in Cheshire crack?

Most of Cheshire is glacial till over Mercia Mudstone. Around Northwich and the Weaver valley, historic salt and brine extraction has caused subsidence in the past, and a separate brine subsidence compensation scheme exists for parts of the county. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.

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.

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.

Related work in Crewe

Floor joist repairs near Crewe

For a guide price on floor joist repairs in Crewe, use the quote tool or send photos of the dip, any soft boards and the air bricks.