Cornwall · England
Structural crack repairs in Cornwall
If you live in Cornwall and are looking at structural crack repairs, the first question is why the wall moved. Shrinkable clay is less common in Cornwall than in south-east England; old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties.
Guide price from£80per metre of crack inc VAT
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
- Ground
- Mostly firmer ground
- Towns listed
- 9
What is the ground like in Cornwall?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there.
Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. What you mostly find across Cornwall: granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
How we usually approach structural crack repairs
Crack stitching with helical bars
Stainless steel helical bars are grouted into slots cut along the bed joints, bridging the crack so the masonry works as one piece again. It is the standard repair for wider stepped and vertical cracks once whatever caused them has stopped.
Best for: Stable cracks wider than about 5 mm, or ones that keep reopening
Rebuilding a cracked section
Where bricks have split or the wall has moved out of line, the damaged area is taken down and rebuilt, bonded into sound masonry on either side. Reclaimed or matched bricks keep the repair discreet, with temporary support used where needed.
Best for: Badly displaced or broken brickwork
Filling and repointing
For hairline and narrow cracks that have stopped moving, the crack line is raked out and repointed in mortar matched to the original for strength, colour and texture. Inside, plaster cracks are cut out, filled with a flexible filler and redecorated.
Best for: Cracks up to about 5 mm that are no longer moving
What happens during structural crack repairs, step by step?
Survey and record
On site we measure the width along the crack, note its pattern and check nearby drains, trees and openings. If the cause is unclear, gauges can be fixed across it and read over several months.
Deal with the cause
Leaking drains, failed ties, a sagging lintel or ground movement are put right first, sometimes through an insurance claim. Repairing a crack before its cause is fixed usually means paying for the same job twice.
Repair and make good
Cracks are stitched, repointed or rebuilt as specified, with mortar matched to the existing wall. Internal crack lines are filled and redecorated where included, and you get a written note of what was done.
What to look for before calling about structural crack repairs
- Diagonal cracks running from the corners of windows and doors
- A crack noticeably wider at the top than the bottom, or the reverse
- Doors or windows that have started sticking or no longer latch
- Daylight or a draught coming through a crack in an outside wall
Structural crack repairs prices in Cornwall
These are guide prices for Cornwall, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Crack stitching with helical bars | £80 – £185 | per metre of crack |
| Single crack, outside only (up to about 2 m)est. | £410 – £925 | per crack |
| Internal making good and redecoration of the crack lineest. | £155 – £515 | per room |
Do you need approval for structural crack 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.
Find structural crack repairs in your Cornwall town
Questions about structural crack repairs in Cornwall
Why do houses in Cornwall crack?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.
How much will structural crack repairs cost in Cornwall?
On South West rates, structural crack repairs starts from about £80 per metre of crack, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
Are horizontal cracks in a wall serious?
Horizontal cracks are often more serious than vertical ones, because they suggest the wall is being pushed or lifted. Cracks repeating every few courses point to rusting wall ties, while one long crack with a bulge may mean lost restraint.
Can I just fill a crack and paint over it?
You can fill a fine crack that is not moving, and for many hairline cracks that is the right repair. Filling a crack that is still opening hides the evidence, and it will usually come back. If a filled crack returns within a year or two, have it assessed.
Should I tell my insurer about cracks in my house?
Yes, if you think the cracks could come from subsidence or heave, tell your insurer before any permanent repair, because repairing first can make a claim harder to prove. Cracks from normal shrinkage or ageing are not usually covered, and the insurer decides which applies.