Tewkesbury · Gloucestershire
Wall tie replacement in Tewkesbury
For landlords with older housing stock in Tewkesbury, 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
- GL20
- Population
- about 20,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Gloucestershire?
We cover Tewkesbury and its postcode districts GL20, part of Gloucestershire, with a population of roughly 20,000. Nearby places we cover include Cheltenham (7 miles), Gloucester (9 miles) and Malvern (11 miles).
Parts of Gloucestershire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
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
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
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
- Cracked render with a regular horizontal pattern
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
Wall tie replacement prices in Tewkesbury
For Tewkesbury we use South West rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
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 Tewkesbury
How much should I budget for wall tie replacement in Tewkesbury?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Tewkesbury 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 Tewkesbury?
Yes, Tewkesbury is covered, along with postcode districts GL20. We also cover nearby Cheltenham and Gloucester.
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.
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.
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.
Related work in Tewkesbury
Wall tie replacement near Tewkesbury
If your Tewkesbury home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.