Leicester · Leicestershire
Structural crack repairs in Leicester
If you have found a crack in a wall at your Leicester property, the first job is to work out why it appeared. Our crack repairs start with the cause, so the stitching, repointing or rebuilding that follows has a fair chance of lasting.
Guide price from£80per metre of crack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE1, LE3, LE4, LE5
- Population
- about 370,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Is Leicestershire prone to ground movement?
We cover Leicester and its postcode districts LE1, LE3, LE4, LE5, part of Leicestershire, with a population of roughly 370,000. If you are just outside Leicester, we also cover Wigston (4 miles), Mountsorrel (5 miles) and Earl Shilton (9 miles).
Leicestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Leicestershire: Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
How we usually approach structural crack repairs
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 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.
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.
What to look for before calling about structural crack repairs
- Daylight or a draught coming through a crack in an outside wall
- Diagonal cracks running from the corners of windows and doors
- Cracks that reappear in the same place after filling and painting
Structural crack repairs prices in Leicester
Prices in Leicester are worked out on East Midlands 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 | £80 – £175 | per metre of crack |
| Single crack, outside only (up to about 2 m)est. | £390 – £880 | per crack |
| Internal making good and redecoration of the crack lineest. | £145 – £490 | per room |
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.
Questions about structural crack repairs in Leicester
What is the price of structural crack repairs in Leicester?
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Leicester start from about £80 per metre of crack, including VAT, on East Midlands rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out structural crack repairs in Leicester?
Yes, Leicester is covered, along with postcode districts LE1, LE3, LE4, LE5. We also cover nearby Wigston and Mountsorrel.
Does the ground around Leicester cause cracking?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons. 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.
Do I need a structural engineer for a cracked wall?
Not always, since many cracks can be judged from photos and a visit. An engineer is worthwhile when cracks are wide, tapered, growing or part of a claim. Where the repair needs an engineer’s design or sign-off, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed, and we can arrange this.
More repairs we carry out in Leicester
- Wall tie replacement
- Floor joist repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Retaining wall repairs
Structural crack repairs near Leicester
Send photos of the crack at your Leicester property, close up and from a distance, for a free initial assessment and a no-obligation written quote.