Hammersmith and Fulham · Greater London
Floor joist repairs in Hammersmith and Fulham
A sagging or springy floor in a Hammersmith and Fulham home usually has a simple explanation once a few boards are lifted. Rotten joist ends, careless notching and blocked air bricks account for most dipping floors in older houses, and each one has a clear, well-understood repair.
Guide price from£310per joist inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SW13, SW14, W3, W4, W6
- Population
- about 180,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
Is Greater London prone to ground movement?
Hammersmith and Fulham is one of the 32 London boroughs, with around 180,000 residents in districts such as SW13, SW14, W3, W4, W6. Nearby, we also cover Kensington and Chelsea (1 miles), Wandsworth (3 miles) and Westminster (4 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Greater London. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Greater London: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.
What should you budget for floor joist repairs in Hammersmith and Fulham?
For Hammersmith and Fulham we use London 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Splicing or sistering a damaged joist | £310 – £500 | per joist |
| Whole room of joists and boards | £2,500 – £7,500 | per room |
| Sleeper wall rebuild and ventilationest. | £500 – £1,900 | per room |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
What to expect when we carry out floor joist repairs
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.
Repair the structure
Boards are lifted and numbered if they are going back, and rotten timber is cut out. New treated timber is fixed and checked with a level before strutting, hangers and any restraint straps go in.
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.
Is it time for floor joist repairs? Common signs
- Ceiling cracks below that follow the line of the joists
- Floor bouncing, or ornaments rattling, when someone walks across
- Soft or spongy boards near outside walls, hearths or the bathroom
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.
Your floor joist repairs questions
How much will floor joist repairs cost in Hammersmith and Fulham?
Guide prices for floor joist repairs in Hammersmith and Fulham start from about £310 per joist, including VAT, on London rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Hammersmith and Fulham?
Yes, Hammersmith and Fulham is covered, along with postcode districts SW13, SW14, W3, W4. We also cover nearby Kensington and Chelsea and Wandsworth.
Is the ground in Greater London prone to subsidence?
Most of Greater London sits on London Clay, among the most shrinkage-prone ground in the UK, with river gravels along the Thames. Subsidence claims here are among the most frequent in the country, especially after dry summers and near street and garden trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What is sistering a floor joist?
Sistering is fixing a new length of timber alongside an existing joist so the two share the load. It strengthens a notched, cracked or sagging joist without removing it, so it is quicker and less disruptive than replacement.
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.
Other structural repairs in Hammersmith and Fulham
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Retaining wall repairs
- Roof structure repairs
Floor joist repairs near Hammersmith and Fulham
Got a bouncy or sinking floor in Hammersmith and Fulham? Send a short video of someone walking across it, and we will tell you what it is likely to need.