Bridgend · Mid Glamorgan
Subsidence repairs in Bridgend
If doors have started sticking in your Bridgend home and new cracks have appeared, it is worth acting before they widen. We can look at photos first and tell you whether an engineer, a drain survey or your insurer should be the next call.
Guide price from£2,300per property inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CF31, CF35
- Population
- about 50,000
- Area
- Mid Glamorgan
- Pricing region
- Wales
What should you know about the ground under Bridgend?
Postcode districts CF31, CF35 cover Bridgend, a Mid Glamorgan town of about 50,000 people. Nearby, we also cover Porthcawl (6 miles), Llantwit Major (8 miles) and Maesteg (8 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Mid Glamorgan. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of Mid Glamorgan, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. Housing stock in Mid Glamorgan: Long stone and brick terraces on valley sides, Victorian houses in Bridgend and post-war estates.
Subsidence repairs prices in Bridgend
The ranges below reflect typical Wales costs for subsidence repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer's investigation and report | £460 – £1,850 | per property |
| CCTV drain survey (common first check) | £140 – £320 | per survey |
| Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest. | £2,300 – £11,000 | per property |
| Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning) | £920 – £3,200 | per metre of wall |
How we usually approach subsidence repairs
Remove the cause, then repair
Most subsidence is dealt with this way. The drain is repaired or the vegetation managed, the house is watched to confirm it has stabilised, and then the cracks are stitched, repointed and made good inside. It is the least disruptive route and usually the cheapest.
Best for: Clay movement or drain leaks where the cause can be removed
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
What happens during subsidence repairs, step by step?
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.
Written quote
We price the agreed repair and confirm a fixed price in writing once it is specified. If there is an insurance claim, we can price to the loss adjuster’s or engineer’s schedule instead of our own scope.
Repairs and making good
Cracks are stitched and repointed outside, plaster is renewed along the crack lines inside, and sticking doors are eased. Where the work needs it, we deal with building control and hand over the paperwork.
What to look for before calling about subsidence repairs
- A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor
- Wallpaper rippling or tearing where the wall meets the ceiling
- Doors and windows that start to stick or no longer close
Rules for subsidence repairs in Wales
In Wales, the Welsh version of the Building Regulations applies. Underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control approval and inspection; like-for-like repairs often do not. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies to work on party walls and excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations.
Questions about subsidence repairs in Bridgend
How much will subsidence repairs cost in Bridgend?
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Bridgend start from about £2,300 per property, including VAT, on Wales rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Bridgend?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Bridgend, including CF31, CF35, and from nearby places such as Porthcawl and Llantwit Major. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Mid Glamorgan prone to subsidence?
Mid Glamorgan lies on the South Wales coalfield, with dense historic workings, spoil tips and steep valley sides. Landslip, retaining walls and mining legacy are all live issues in the valleys. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Bridgend
Subsidence repairs near Bridgend
For a no-obligation written quote on subsidence repairs in Bridgend, call us or send a few photos and a short note on when the cracks appeared.