Deal · Kent
Structural crack repairs in Deal
Homeowners and landlords in Deal 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
- CT14
- Population
- about 31,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
What should you know about the ground under Deal?
We cover Deal and its postcode districts CT14, part of Kent, with a population of roughly 31,000. Nearby places we cover include Dover (8 miles), Ramsgate (8 miles) and Margate (11 miles).
Much of Kent sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. 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 should you budget for structural crack repairs in Deal?
Prices in Deal are worked out on South East rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
What to expect when we carry out structural crack repairs
Send photos
Photograph the crack from a distance and close up, with a coin or tape measure for scale. From these we say whether it looks cosmetic, needs a visit or calls for an engineer.
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.
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.
Is it time for structural crack repairs? Common signs
- Cracks that reappear in the same place after filling and painting
- Stepped cracks zigzagging through the mortar joints of outside brickwork
- A crack noticeably wider at the top than the bottom, or the reverse
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.
Your structural crack repairs questions
How much should I budget for structural crack repairs in Deal?
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Deal 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 Deal?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Deal, including CT14, and from nearby places such as Dover and Ramsgate. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
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.
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.
Related work in Deal
Structural crack repairs near Deal
For a guide price on crack repairs in Deal, try the quote tool or send us photos, and we will reply with the likely repair and its cost range.