Swindon · Wiltshire
Wall tie replacement in Swindon
For landlords with older housing stock in Swindon, wall ties are worth checking before the cracks appear. A short survey on each elevation gives you a clear record and a priced plan if replacement is needed.
Guide price from£1,850per house inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SN1, SN2, SN3
- Population
- about 200,000
- Area
- Wiltshire
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Wiltshire?
Postcode districts SN1, SN2, SN3 cover Swindon, a Wiltshire town of about 200,000 people. We also take enquiries from nearby Calne (13 miles), Cirencester (14 miles) and Carterton (16 miles).
Wiltshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Wiltshire: Stone cottages, railway terraces in Swindon, and large post-war and new-build estates.
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
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to wall tie replacement
- Horizontal cracks along mortar joints, repeating every few brick courses
- A house built before the 1980s on an exposed or coastal site
- Cracked render with a regular horizontal pattern
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Swindon
The ranges below reflect typical South West costs for wall tie replacement, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| 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 |
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 should I budget for wall tie replacement in Swindon?
Guide prices for wall tie replacement in Swindon 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.
Can you survey a property in Swindon?
We do. Swindon and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Calne and Cirencester. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Wiltshire crack?
Southern Wiltshire is chalk, while the north around Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge sits on Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays that are prone to seasonal movement near trees. Bath stone was mined underground around Corsham. 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.
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.
Related work in Swindon
- Brick arch repairs
- Crack stitching
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Structural crack repairs
Wall tie replacement near Swindon
If your Swindon home has a bulging outer wall, send photos from a few angles and we will help you decide what needs checking first.