Southampton · Hampshire
Floor joist repairs in Southampton
Floor joist repairs in Southampton start underneath the boards, not on top of them. We look at the joist ends, the sleeper walls and the ventilated void before suggesting sistering, splicing or replacement, so the price reflects the timber you actually have.
Guide price from£280per joist inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SO14, SO15, SO17
- Population
- about 270,000
- Area
- Hampshire
- Pricing region
- South East
What is the ground like in Hampshire?
Southampton is in Hampshire and takes in postcode districts SO14, SO15, SO17. About 270,000 people live there. If you are just outside Southampton, we also cover Hythe (3 miles), Totton (4 miles) and Hedge End (5 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Hampshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Hampshire: Victorian terraces in Portsmouth and Southampton, 1930s semis, and large post-war and new-build estates.
What to look for before calling about floor joist repairs
- Ceiling cracks below that follow the line of the joists
- Floor bouncing, or ornaments rattling, when someone walks across
- A gap opening up between the skirting board and the floor
Floor joist repairs prices in Southampton
Guide prices below are for homes in Southampton, on South East 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 | £280 – £450 | per joist |
| Whole room of joists and boards | £2,250 – £6,700 | per room |
| Sleeper wall rebuild and ventilationest. | £450 – £1,700 | per room |
How we usually approach floor joist repairs
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 happens during floor joist repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
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.
Questions about floor joist repairs in Southampton
What is the price of floor joist repairs in Southampton?
Guide prices for floor joist repairs in Southampton start from about £280 per joist, 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 floor joist repairs in Southampton?
Yes, Southampton is covered, along with postcode districts SO14, SO15, SO17. We also cover nearby Hythe and Totton.
Does the ground around Southampton cause cracking?
Central Hampshire is chalk, while the south around Portsmouth, Southampton and the New Forest fringe and the north-east around Farnborough sit on London Clay, Reading Beds and other clays and sands. The clay areas see seasonal movement near 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.
Why is my floor bouncy?
A bouncy floor usually means the joists are deflecting too much, often because they span too far, have lost their strutting or have been weakened by notches. It rarely means imminent failure, but it is worth checking, especially if the bounce appeared after work in the room.
More repairs we carry out in Southampton
- Chimney stack repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Floor joist repairs near Southampton
Send photos of the floor and the outside wall at your Southampton property for a free initial assessment and a no-obligation written quote.