Christchurch · Dorset
Wall tie replacement in Christchurch
Plenty of cavity-walled houses, in Christchurch as elsewhere, were built when galvanised steel ties were standard, and those ties are now reaching the end of their life. A survey shows whether yours are sound, thinning or actively swelling and cracking the brickwork.
Guide price from£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BH6, BH7, BH23
- Population
- about 31,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Dorset matter for wall tie replacement?
Christchurch is in Dorset and takes in postcode districts BH6, BH7, BH23. About 31,000 people live there. If you are just outside Christchurch, we also cover Bournemouth (4 miles), New Milton (5 miles) and Ferndown (7 miles).
Parts of Dorset have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Dorset: stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
What happens during wall tie replacement, step by step?
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.
Install the new ties
New stainless ties are drilled and fixed to the specified grid, with closer spacing around windows, doors and the roofline. Sample ties can be pull-tested to confirm they are holding in your particular brick and block.
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
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
- Outer brickwork bowing or bulging, often worst near the top
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
Wall tie replacement prices in Christchurch
Guide prices below are for homes in Christchurch, on South West rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| 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
Isolating the old ties
Where the old ties are swelling and cracking the brickwork, fitting new ties alone may not stop further damage. Each old tie can be isolated, usually by cutting it through within the cavity or sleeving its outer end, so it can no longer lift the outer leaf as it continues to corrode.
Best for: Thick mild steel ties still causing horizontal cracking
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
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 Christchurch
What is the price of wall tie replacement in Christchurch?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Christchurch 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 carry out wall tie replacement in Christchurch?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Christchurch, including BH6, BH7, BH23, and from nearby places such as Bournemouth and New Milton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Christchurch cause cracking?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. 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.
More repairs we carry out in Christchurch
- Structural crack repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Concrete repairs
Wall tie replacement near Christchurch
Need a report for a buyer or lender in Christchurch? Send us the valuation comment and we will explain what a tie survey and quote would cover.