Whitstable · Kent
Wall tie replacement in Whitstable
Horizontal cracking on a Whitstable 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£2,000per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT5
- Population
- about 32,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Why does the ground in Kent matter for wall tie replacement?
Postcode districts CT5 cover Whitstable, a Kent town of about 32,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Herne Bay (5 miles), Canterbury (6 miles) and Faversham (7 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Kent. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Symptoms that point to wall tie replacement
- The roof edge or verge lifting slightly above the brickwork
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one elevation
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Whitstable
For Whitstable we use South East 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. | £2,000 – £3,900 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £2,800 – £5,600 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £3,900 – £7,850 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £670 – £2,000 | per elevation |
Methods for 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
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
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
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Whitstable?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Whitstable start from about £2,000 per house, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Whitstable?
Yes, Whitstable is covered, along with postcode districts CT5. We also cover nearby Herne Bay and Canterbury.
Is the ground in Kent prone to subsidence?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Whitstable
- Underpinning
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Wall tie replacement near Whitstable
If your Whitstable home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.