Bath · Somerset
Wall tie replacement in Bath
The first clue to failing wall ties in Bath is usually a crack pattern: fine horizontal lines every few courses on one elevation. We confirm what is happening inside the cavity with a metal detector and borescope before recommending any new ties.
Guide price from£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BA1, BA2
- Population
- about 100,000
- Area
- Somerset
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Somerset prone to ground movement?
Bath (BA1, BA2) has around 100,000 residents and sits in Somerset. Nearby, we also cover Keynsham (6 miles), Trowbridge (8 miles) and Kingswood (8 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Somerset. Parts of Somerset lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Somerset: Bath stone Georgian terraces, Victorian houses in Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and post-war estates.
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Bath?
These are guide prices for Bath, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Bath?
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
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
What happens when we carry out wall tie replacement in Bath?
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.
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.
Signs you may need wall tie replacement
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
- The roof edge or verge lifting slightly above the brickwork
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.
Wall tie replacement in Bath: questions and answers
How much will wall tie replacement cost in Bath?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Bath 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.
Do you cover Bath?
We do. Bath and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Keynsham and Trowbridge. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Somerset prone to subsidence?
Somerset mixes Lias clays, Mercia Mudstone, limestone hills and the peat and alluvium of the Levels around Bridgwater, which can settle. The former Somerset coalfield around Radstock and Midsomer Norton left recorded workings. 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 all walls of the house need new ties?
Not necessarily, because ties often fail on one exposed elevation long before the others. The survey checks each wall, and the quote covers only the elevations where ties have failed or are close to it. Sheltered walls may simply be noted for future checks.
Other structural repairs in Bath
- Brick arch repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Gable end wall repairs
Wall tie replacement near Bath
If your Bath home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.