Haringey · Greater London
Wall tie replacement in Haringey
Plenty of cavity-walled houses, in Haringey 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£2,250per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- N2, N4, N8, N10, N11
- Population
- about 260,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
What is the ground like in Greater London?
We cover the whole of Haringey, including postcode districts N2, N4, N8, N10, N11; about 260,000 people live in the borough. Nearby places we cover include Islington (3 miles), Camden (4 miles) and Hackney (4 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Greater London. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Greater London: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.
Symptoms that point to wall tie replacement
- Outer brickwork bowing or bulging, often worst near the top
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one elevation
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Haringey
For Haringey we use London 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. | £2,250 – £4,400 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £3,100 – £6,250 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £4,400 – £8,750 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £750 – £2,250 | per elevation |
Methods for 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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of wall tie replacement in Haringey?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Haringey start from about £2,250 per house, including VAT, on London 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 Haringey?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Haringey, including N2, N4, N8, N10, and from nearby places such as Islington and Camden. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Haringey cause cracking?
Most of Greater London sits on London Clay, among the most shrinkage-prone ground in the UK, with river gravels along the Thames. Subsidence claims here are among the most frequent in the country, especially after dry summers and near street and garden trees. 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Haringey
- Structural crack repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Wall tie replacement near Haringey
Send photos of any horizontal cracking at your Haringey property and we will tell you whether a wall tie survey looks worthwhile.