Ashford · Kent
Structural crack repairs in Ashford
Homeowners and landlords in Ashford often ask whether a crack is something to worry about. Measured against BRE Digest 251, most are cosmetic, but wide, tapered or growing cracks deserve proper investigation before anyone picks up a trowel.
Guide price from£90per metre of crack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TN23, TN24
- Population
- about 63,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
What is the ground like in Kent?
We cover Ashford and its postcode districts TN23, TN24, part of Kent, with a population of roughly 63,000. Nearby places we cover include Faversham (12 miles), Canterbury (13 miles) and Folkestone (13 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Kent. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
What happens when we carry out structural crack repairs in Ashford?
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.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote listing each crack, the repair method chosen for it and the making good inside and out. Once the scope is settled, that becomes a fixed price in writing.
Signs you may need structural crack repairs
- A crack noticeably wider at the top than the bottom, or the reverse
- Stepped cracks zigzagging through the mortar joints of outside brickwork
- Diagonal cracks running from the corners of windows and doors
How much will structural crack repairs cost in Ashford?
The ranges below reflect typical South East costs for structural crack repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Crack stitching with helical bars | £90 – £200 | per metre of crack |
| Single crack, outside only (up to about 2 m)est. | £450 – £1,000 | per crack |
| Internal making good and redecoration of the crack lineest. | £170 – £560 | per room |
Which repair method suits a home in Ashford?
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
Rules 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.
Structural crack repairs in Ashford: questions and answers
How much should I budget for structural crack repairs in Ashford?
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Ashford start from about £90 per metre of crack, 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.
Can you survey a property in Ashford?
We do. Ashford and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Faversham and Canterbury. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Kent crack?
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.
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.
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.
Related work in Ashford
- Subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Structural crack repairs near Ashford
Each crack at your Ashford property is priced separately in our written quote, so you can see exactly what you are paying for and why.