Slough · Berkshire
Wall tie replacement in Slough
The first clue to failing wall ties in Slough is usually a crack pattern: fine horizontal lines every few courses on one elevation. We confirm what is happening inside the cavity with a metal detector and borescope before recommending any new ties.
Guide price from£2,000per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SL1, SL2, SL3
- Population
- about 160,000
- Area
- Berkshire
- Pricing region
- South East
What should you know about the ground under Slough?
Slough is in Berkshire and takes in postcode districts SL1, SL2, SL3. About 160,000 people live there. Neighbouring towns we cover: Maidenhead (5 miles), Gerrards Cross (6 miles) and Egham (6 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Berkshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Berkshire: Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Reading and Windsor, 1930s semis, and large post-war new-town estates around Bracknell.
Signs you may need wall tie replacement
- Cracked render with a regular horizontal pattern
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
- The roof edge or verge lifting slightly above the brickwork
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Slough?
The ranges below reflect typical South East costs for wall tie replacement, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-terrace houseest. | £2,000 – £3,900 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £2,800 – £5,600 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £3,900 – £7,850 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £670 – £2,000 | per elevation |
Which repair method suits a home in Slough?
Removing old ties and rebedding
On badly cracked elevations the old ties are cut out from the outer face, the joints raked and rebedded, and the brickwork repointed. It is more work than isolation but removes the source of expansion entirely. An engineer or the survey report usually specifies where this is needed.
Best for: Elevations with severe cracking or lifting
Partial rebuild of the outer leaf
If a section of the outer leaf has bulged too far to be tied back, it is carefully taken down and rebuilt with new ties built in as the work goes up. This is uncommon, and is usually limited to a gable top, a parapet or a panel under a window.
Best for: Outer leaf too distorted to tie back safely
What happens when we carry out wall tie replacement in Slough?
Tie survey
A metal detector locates the existing ties and shows their pattern. Small holes are then drilled at sample points and a borescope passed into the cavity to see the tie condition, type and embedment. The holes are made good afterwards.
Access
Ties are fitted across the whole of each affected elevation, so scaffold or a tower is usually needed above ground floor. We plan access around conservatories, extensions, neighbours’ land and any parking that must be suspended.
Deal with the old ties and make good
Old ties are isolated or removed where the report calls for it, cracked joints are raked out and repointed, and drilled holes are filled in matching mortar. A written note of tie positions and findings goes in your property file.
Rules for wall tie replacement 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.
Wall tie replacement in Slough: questions and answers
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Slough?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Slough start from about £2,000 per house, 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 cover Slough?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Slough, including SL1, SL2, SL3, and from nearby places such as Maidenhead and Gerrards Cross. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Berkshire prone to subsidence?
East Berkshire is largely London Clay with Thames terrace gravels along the river, while the west rises onto chalk downland. Houses on the clay near Slough, Windsor and Bracknell are the ones most exposed to shrink-swell movement. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do all walls of the house need new ties?
Not necessarily, because ties often fail on one exposed elevation long before the others. The survey checks each wall, and the quote covers only the elevations where ties have failed or are close to it. Sheltered walls may simply be noted for future checks.
Do the old wall ties have to be removed?
Not always, because thin wire ties that cannot swell are usually left in place once new ties are fitted. Thicker ties that are still expanding and cracking the wall are isolated or removed so they stop causing damage. The survey decides which applies.
Other structural repairs in Slough
- Bowing wall repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Gable end wall repairs
Wall tie replacement near Slough
Send photos of any horizontal cracking at your Slough property and we will tell you whether a wall tie survey looks worthwhile.