Bridgend · Mid Glamorgan
Wall tie replacement in Bridgend
Plenty of cavity-walled houses, in Bridgend 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£1,650per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CF31, CF35
- Population
- about 50,000
- Area
- Mid Glamorgan
- Pricing region
- Wales
How do local ground conditions affect wall tie replacement in Bridgend?
Bridgend (CF31, CF35) has around 50,000 residents and sits in Mid Glamorgan. If you are just outside Bridgend, we also cover Porthcawl (6 miles), Llantwit Major (8 miles) and Maesteg (8 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Mid Glamorgan. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of Mid Glamorgan, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. What you mostly find across Mid Glamorgan: long stone and brick terraces on valley sides, Victorian houses in Bridgend and post-war estates.
Wall tie replacement prices in Bridgend
For Bridgend we use Wales 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. | £1,650 – £3,200 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £2,300 – £4,600 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £3,200 – £6,450 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £550 – £1,650 | 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
- 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
Rules for wall tie replacement in Wales
In Wales, small like-for-like repairs do not usually need approval, but work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control under the Welsh Building Regulations, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to shared walls.
Questions about wall tie replacement in Bridgend
What is the price of wall tie replacement in Bridgend?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Bridgend start from about £1,650 per house, including VAT, on Wales 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 Bridgend?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Bridgend, including CF31, CF35, and from nearby places such as Porthcawl and Llantwit Major. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Bridgend cause cracking?
Mid Glamorgan lies on the South Wales coalfield, with dense historic workings, spoil tips and steep valley sides. Landslip, retaining walls and mining legacy are all live issues in the valleys. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
How do I know if my wall ties have failed?
The clearest sign is horizontal cracking in the mortar joints repeating every few courses, often with a bulge or a lifted roofline. Wire ties can fail with no cracking at all, so a tie survey with a metal detector and borescope is the only reliable check.
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 Bridgend
- Structural crack repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Retaining wall repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
Wall tie replacement near Bridgend
If your Bridgend home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.