Retaining wall repairs in Faversham

Postcodes: ME13
Population: about 23,000
Area: Kent
Pricing region: South East

Is Kent prone to ground movement?

Postcode districts ME13 cover Faversham, a Kent town of about 23,000 people. If you are just outside Faversham, we also cover Whitstable (7 miles), Sittingbourne (7 miles) and Canterbury (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. Across Kent, most homes are Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.

What to expect when we carry out retaining wall repairs

Site assessment
On site we measure height and lean, check the drainage and the ground at the top and bottom, and look at access for digging out. Walls that support a drive, path or building, or retain more than a modest height, are referred to an engineer.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote covering demolition, excavation, temporary support, the footing, the new or repaired wall, drainage and spoil removal. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.
Build and drain
The failing section is taken down, the soil supported in short lengths, and the footing cast. The wall is rebuilt with drainage behind it, backfilled with free-draining material, and building control inspects where the work needs it.

Is it time for retaining wall repairs? Common signs

Water seeping through joints, or white salt staining, after rain
Ground cracking or sinking along the top of the wall
Bricks or blocks pushed out of line, or coping stones sliding off

What should you budget for retaining wall repairs in Faversham?

For Faversham we use South East rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.

Guide prices inc VAT on South East rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Minor repairs and drainage	£560 – £2,250	per wall
Structural repair or partial rebuild	£3,350 – £16,800	per wall
New retaining wall	£225 – £505	per m² of wall face

Repair options we may recommend

Drainage and minor repairs

Blocked weep holes are cleared or new ones drilled, and where practical a drainage layer is formed behind the wall with an outlet at its base. Loose copings are rebedded, open joints repointed and a few damaged bricks replaced. For a low wall that has not moved much, this can be enough.

Best for: Low walls that are damp or slightly weathered but still upright

Structural repair and partial rebuild

A leaning or bulging section is taken down, the soil behind dug out and supported, and the wall rebuilt on a new footing with drainage and, where specified, reinforcement tied into the sound wall either side. The engineer’s design sets footing size and wall thickness.

Best for: A section that has moved while the rest stays sound

Rules for retaining wall 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.

Your retaining wall repairs questions

What is the price of retaining wall repairs in Faversham?

Guide prices for retaining wall repairs in Faversham start from about £560 per wall, 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 retaining wall repairs in Faversham?

We do. Faversham and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Whitstable and Sittingbourne. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.

Does the ground around Faversham 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.

Do I need an engineer for a retaining wall?

For low walls holding back a planting bed, often not. Walls retaining more than a modest height, often taken as more than about a metre, or supporting a drive, path, building or neighbour’s land, generally need an engineer’s design. An independent chartered structural engineer is appointed where needed, and we can arrange this.

Is a leaning retaining wall dangerous?

It can be, especially if the lean is getting worse, the wall is tall, or there is a path, drive or building next to it. A wall that has leaned slightly for decades may be stable, but one that has moved recently should be kept clear and assessed soon.

More repairs we carry out in Faversham

Retaining wall repairs near Faversham

For a guide price on retaining wall repairs in Faversham, use the quote tool or send photos with the wall’s rough height and what sits behind it.