Newcastle-under-Lyme · Staffordshire
Wall tie replacement in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Plenty of cavity-walled houses, in Newcastle-under-Lyme 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£1,800per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- ST5
- Population
- about 130,000
- Area
- Staffordshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Newcastle-under-Lyme?
We cover Newcastle-under-Lyme and its postcode districts ST5, part of Staffordshire, with a population of roughly 130,000. Neighbouring towns we cover: Stoke-on-Trent (2 miles), Kidsgrove (6 miles) and Biddulph (8 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Staffordshire. Parts of Staffordshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Staffordshire, most homes are Potteries terraces, brick villas, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about wall tie replacement
- Mortar joints that look wider or opened up on one elevation
- Outer brickwork bowing or bulging, often worst near the top
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
Wall tie replacement prices in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Guide prices below are for homes in Newcastle-under-Lyme, on West Midlands rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-terrace houseest. | £1,800 – £3,500 | per house |
| Semi-detached house | £2,500 – £5,000 | per house |
| Detached houseest. | £3,500 – £7,000 | per house |
| Scaffolding where neededest. | £600 – £1,800 | per elevation |
How we usually approach 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
What happens during wall tie replacement, step by step?
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.
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.
Questions about wall tie replacement in Newcastle-under-Lyme
What is the price of wall tie replacement in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Newcastle-under-Lyme start from about £1,800 per house, including VAT, on West Midlands 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Yes, Newcastle-under-Lyme is covered, along with postcode districts ST5. We also cover nearby Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove.
Does the ground around Newcastle-under-Lyme cause cracking?
North Staffordshire around Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove, and the Cannock Chase area, lie on coalfields with recorded workings. Much of the rest of the county is Mercia Mudstone and glacial clay. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Which houses are most at risk of wall tie failure?
Cavity-walled houses built before the 1980s are most at risk, especially those with mild steel ties, black ash mortar or an exposed position. Coastal and hilltop houses, and elevations facing the prevailing weather, tend to fail first.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Newcastle-under-Lyme
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
Wall tie replacement near Newcastle-under-Lyme
If your Newcastle-under-Lyme home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.