Bodmin · Cornwall
Wall tie replacement in Bodmin
Horizontal cracking on a Bodmin house is easy to mistake for subsidence. Rusting wall ties leave a much more regular pattern, though, and telling the two apart early saves time, money and an unnecessary insurance claim.
Guide price from£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PL31
- Population
- about 17,000
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Cornwall?
Postcode districts PL31 cover Bodmin, a Cornwall town of about 17,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: St Austell (9 miles), Newquay (16 miles) and Truro (20 miles).
Most of Cornwall is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Typical buildings in Cornwall: Granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
Wall tie replacement prices in Bodmin
These are guide prices for Bodmin, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-terrace houseest. | £1,850 – £3,600 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £2,600 – £5,150 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £3,600 – £7,200 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £620 – £1,850 | per elevation |
How we usually approach wall tie replacement
Remedial tie installation
New stainless ties are drilled through the outer leaf into the inner leaf, then fixed by mechanical expansion or resin, depending on the masonry. They are placed to a set grid across each elevation, with extra ties around openings and at the edges. Holes are made good in matching mortar.
Best for: Walls where the original ties have failed or are missing
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 during wall tie replacement, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about wall tie replacement
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one elevation
- Outer brickwork bowing or bulging, often worst near the top
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
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.
Questions about wall tie replacement in Bodmin
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Bodmin?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Bodmin start from about £1,850 per house, 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.
Do you cover Bodmin?
We do. Bodmin and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby St Austell and Newquay. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Cornwall prone to subsidence?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can wall ties be replaced on a rendered house?
Yes, new ties can be fitted through render, with each drill hole made good afterwards. The repairs can show on painted render, so redecoration of the affected elevation is often worth including. Render can also hide the cracking pattern, so a survey matters more.
Which houses are most at risk of wall tie failure?
Cavity-walled houses built before the 1980s are most at risk, especially those with mild steel ties, black ash mortar or an exposed position. Coastal and hilltop houses, and elevations facing the prevailing weather, tend to fail first.
Other structural repairs in Bodmin
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Brick arch repairs
Wall tie replacement near Bodmin
Our no-obligation written quote for wall ties in Bodmin shows each elevation and the scaffold on its own line, so nothing is bundled together.