Kettering · Northamptonshire
Structural crack repairs in Kettering
If you have found a crack in a wall at your Kettering 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
- NN15, NN16
- Population
- about 57,000
- Area
- Northamptonshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Why does the ground in Northamptonshire matter for structural crack repairs?
Postcode districts NN15, NN16 cover Kettering, a Northamptonshire town of about 57,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Wellingborough (7 miles), Corby (7 miles) and Rushden (9 miles).
Northamptonshire is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Historic ironstone working has left disturbed ground in places. Typical buildings in Northamptonshire: Ironstone and limestone cottages, Victorian terraces in Northampton and Kettering, and new-town estates in Corby.
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Kettering
These are guide prices for Kettering, using East Midlands 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 – £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 |
Methods for 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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Symptoms that point to structural crack repairs
- Doors or windows that have started sticking or no longer latch
- Stepped cracks zigzagging through the mortar joints of outside brickwork
- Diagonal cracks running from the corners of windows and doors
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of structural crack repairs in Kettering?
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Kettering 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 Kettering?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Kettering, including NN15, NN16, and from nearby places such as Wellingborough and Corby. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Kettering cause cracking?
Northamptonshire sits largely on Lias clay and Jurassic ironstones and limestones, with historic ironstone quarrying around Corby and Kettering. The clay vales are prone to shrinkage near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Kettering
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Brick arch repairs
Structural crack repairs near Kettering
Get a free initial assessment of cracked walls in Kettering from your photos or a call, then a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.