Blyth · Northumberland
Wall tie replacement in Blyth
Horizontal cracking on a Blyth 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£1,650per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE23, NE24
- Population
- about 37,000
- Area
- Northumberland
- Pricing region
- North East
Why does the ground in Northumberland matter for wall tie replacement?
Postcode districts NE23, NE24 cover Blyth, a Northumberland town of about 37,000 people. Nearby places we cover include Bedlington (3 miles), Ashington (4 miles) and Cramlington (4 miles).
Northumberland has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Northumberland lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Northumberland: Colliery terraces, stone farmhouses and villages, and post-war estates.
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Blyth
Prices in Blyth are worked out on North East rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| 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 |
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
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
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.
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
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
- The roof edge or verge lifting slightly above the brickwork
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Blyth?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Blyth start from about £1,650 per house, including VAT, on North East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Blyth?
We do. Blyth and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Bedlington and Ashington. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Northumberland prone to subsidence?
South-east Northumberland around Blyth, Ashington and Cramlington lies on the Northumberland coalfield, worked extensively in the past, under a cover of glacial clay. The north and west are hard rock and moorland. 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.
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 Blyth
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Structural crack repairs
Wall tie replacement near Blyth
If your Blyth home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.