Portishead · Somerset
Wall tie replacement in Portishead
Horizontal cracking on a Portishead 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£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BS20
- Population
- about 26,000
- Area
- Somerset
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Somerset?
With roughly 26,000 people, Portishead spans postcode districts BS20 in Somerset. Neighbouring towns we cover: Nailsea (3 miles), Clevedon (5 miles) and Kingswood (11 miles).
Somerset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. 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.
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.
Symptoms that point to wall tie replacement
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one elevation
- Outer brickwork bowing or bulging, often worst near the top
- Cracked render with a regular horizontal pattern
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Portishead
For Portishead we use South West 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. | £1,850 – £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 |
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 Portishead?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Portishead 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 Portishead?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Portishead, including BS20, and from nearby places such as Nailsea and Clevedon. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Portishead
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Underpinning
Wall tie replacement near Portishead
Our no-obligation written quote for wall ties in Portishead shows each elevation and the scaffold on its own line, so nothing is bundled together.