Ashford · Kent
Subsidence repairs in Ashford
Whatever the ground is like under Ashford, the order of work for subsidence stays the same. Confirm the cause, deal with it, check the movement has stopped, and only then repair the walls so the cracks do not simply return.
Guide price from£2,800per property inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TN23, TN24
- Population
- about 63,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Is Kent prone to ground movement?
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).
Kent is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
What should you budget for subsidence repairs in Ashford?
Guide prices below are for homes in Ashford, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer's investigation and report | £560 – £2,250 | per property |
| CCTV drain survey (common first check) | £170 – £390 | per survey |
| Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest. | £2,800 – £13,400 | per property |
| Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning) | £1,100 – £3,900 | per metre of wall |
Repair options we may recommend
Crack stitching and making good
Once movement has stopped, cracked brickwork is cut along the bed joints, stainless helical bars are bonded in to tie the wall together, and the joints are repointed to match. Inside, plaster is renewed along the crack line before redecoration.
Best for: Category 1 to 3 cracking in walls that are otherwise sound
Foundation strengthening
Where the ground cannot be made stable, the load is carried down to firmer soil by underpinning, a beam-and-base scheme, mini-piles or resin injection, depending on the soil and access. It is designed by an engineer and is the exception, not the rule.
Best for: Ongoing movement where removing the cause has not worked
What to expect when we carry out subsidence repairs
Send photos or call
Send photos of the cracks with a coin or tape for scale, and say when you first noticed them. We give a free initial assessment and suggest whether an engineer, a drain survey or your insurer comes first.
Find the cause
An independent chartered structural engineer inspects the house and, where needed, arranges a drain survey, trial pits or soil tests. We can arrange the engineer. The aim is to know what is moving, and why, before money goes on repairs.
Deal with the cause
Drains are repaired, vegetation is managed on the engineer’s advice, or a foundation scheme is designed if nothing else will work. Where monitoring is recommended, readings run for several months to show the movement has stopped.
Is it time for subsidence repairs? Common signs
- Fresh cracks showing on both the inside and outside of one wall
- Doors and windows that start to stick or no longer close
- A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor
Rules for subsidence repairs in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Your subsidence repairs questions
What is the price of subsidence repairs in Ashford?
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Ashford start from about £2,800 per property, 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.
Do you carry out subsidence repairs in Ashford?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Ashford, including TN23, TN24, and from nearby places such as Faversham and Canterbury. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Ashford cause cracking?
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.
Should I cut down the tree near my house?
Not without advice, because felling a mature tree on clay can make things worse. As the roots stop drawing water, the clay swells and can lift the foundations, which is called heave. Pruning or staged removal may be advised instead. Check whether the tree is protected.
How do I know if cracks are subsidence?
Subsidence cracks are usually tapered, run diagonally from door and window corners, and show on both faces of the wall. Fine vertical cracks in new plaster are more often shrinkage. An engineer’s inspection, sometimes with monitoring, is the reliable way to tell.
More repairs we carry out in Ashford
- Structural crack repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Underpinning
- Roof structure repairs
Subsidence repairs near Ashford
If your insurer is already involved, send us the loss adjuster’s schedule for your Ashford property and we will price the repairs to it in writing.