Gloucester · Gloucestershire
Wall tie replacement in Gloucester
For landlords with older housing stock in Gloucester, wall ties are worth checking before the cracks appear. A short survey on each elevation gives you a clear record and a priced plan if replacement is needed.
Guide price from£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GL1, GL2, GL4
- Population
- about 130,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Gloucestershire prone to ground movement?
We cover Gloucester and its postcode districts GL1, GL2, GL4, part of Gloucestershire, with a population of roughly 130,000. If you are just outside Gloucester, we also cover Cheltenham (7 miles), Stroud (8 miles) and Tewkesbury (9 miles).
Gloucestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
Wall tie replacement prices in Gloucester
The ranges below reflect typical South West 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. | £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
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
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
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.
Report and quote
You receive a written summary of what the survey found on each elevation, which walls need new ties, whether old ties should be isolated or removed, and a no-obligation written quote with scaffold shown separately.
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
- Cracked render with a regular horizontal pattern
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
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 Gloucester
How much should I budget for wall tie replacement in Gloucester?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Gloucester 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.
Can you survey a property in Gloucester?
Yes, Gloucester is covered, along with postcode districts GL1, GL2, GL4. We also cover nearby Cheltenham and Stroud.
Why do houses in Gloucestershire crack?
The Severn vale around Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury is Lias and Mercia Mudstone clay, the Cotswolds are limestone, and the Forest of Dean has a historic coalfield. Parts of South Gloucestershire around Kingswood also lie on old Coal Measures. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Will a mortgage lender accept wall tie replacement?
Lenders generally accept properly carried out tie replacement, but they may want to see the survey, the quote or a record of the completed work. If a valuation has flagged wall ties, a written report and itemised quote are usually what the lender or buyer needs next.
Is wall tie failure covered by insurance?
Usually not, because insurers treat it as gradual deterioration. Damage caused by a sudden event, such as part of a wall collapsing in a storm, may be treated differently under some policies. Check your policy wording, and tell your insurer if you are unsure.
Related work in Gloucester
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Wall tie replacement near Gloucester
If your Gloucester home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.