Chippenham · Wiltshire
Structural crack repairs in Chippenham
Whether your Chippenham home is a Victorian terrace or a post-war semi, a crack follows the weakest line through the masonry. Reading that line correctly is the difference between a repair that lasts and one that splits open again next summer.
Guide price from£80per metre of crack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SN14, SN15
- Population
- about 36,000
- Area
- Wiltshire
- Pricing region
- South West
What should you know about the ground under Chippenham?
Postcode districts SN14, SN15 cover Chippenham, a Wiltshire town of about 36,000 people. Nearby, we also cover Calne (5 miles), Melksham (6 miles) and Devizes (9 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Wiltshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Wiltshire: Stone cottages, railway terraces in Swindon, and large post-war and new-build estates.
What happens during structural crack repairs, step by step?
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.
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
- Daylight or a draught coming through a crack in an outside wall
- Cracks that reappear in the same place after filling and painting
- A crack noticeably wider at the top than the bottom, or the reverse
Structural crack repairs prices in Chippenham
For Chippenham we use South West rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
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
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
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 Chippenham
How much should I budget for structural crack repairs in Chippenham?
Guide prices for structural crack repairs in Chippenham start from about £80 per metre of crack, including VAT, on South West 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 Chippenham?
Yes, Chippenham is covered, along with postcode districts SN14, SN15. We also cover nearby Calne and Melksham.
Why do houses in Wiltshire crack?
Southern Wiltshire is chalk, while the north around Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge sits on Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays that are prone to seasonal movement near trees. Bath stone was mined underground around Corsham. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What causes vertical cracks in walls?
Vertical cracks are most often caused by thermal or moisture movement in long walls, or by the joint between old and newer work. An even-width vertical crack is usually cosmetic. One clearly wider at the top or bottom can indicate foundation movement at one end.
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 Chippenham
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Crack stitching
- Chimney stack repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Structural crack repairs near Chippenham
For a guide price on crack repairs in Chippenham, try the quote tool or send us photos, and we will reply with the likely repair and its cost range.