Wall Tie Replacement in Cambridge (13)

This depends. Replacing wall ties is a skilled job that should be completed by an experienced professional.

If you have experience in wall tie replacement, you may wish to tackle the job yourself. As wall ties are a structural component, however, the replacement job will need to be done properly.

At Checkatrade, we recommend hiring an experienced professional to replace your wall ties. This will ensure that your cavity walls are secure.

Replacing wall ties involves drilling a pilot hole through the outer and inner substrate. The new tie can then be inserted and secured using a specialist drill adapter.

The type of wall ties and the method of installation will vary depending on the wall’s construction. A wall tie survey will provide all the information you require.

There are several things to look out for to check if your wall ties need replacing. These include:

• Horizontal cracks in brick mortar

• Signs of damage around a window’s masonry

• Cracks or damage to brick’s surface (spalling)

• Lifting or sagging lintels

• Movement between the sections of a cavity wall

If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to replace your wall ties.

This depends on when your house was built. For properties built before the 1980s, substandard materials were often used for wall ties. These will usually need replacing after around 15 to 20 years.

For properties built in the 1980s and more recently, wall ties were usually made from stainless steel. Stainless steel wall ties have a life expectancy of around 50 years.

In more modern houses, neoprene wall ties are often used. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber and can last as long as stainless steel and even longer in some cases.

This depends on the size of the wall area needing wall tie replacement. Single wall ties cost between £5 and £8 to replace. This equates to between around £30 and £50 per m².

Before replacing wall ties, however, you will need to have a wall tie survey done. This will assess the need for wall tie replacement using a metal detector.

Wall tie surveys cost anywhere from £250 to £450 so you’ll need to factor this cost into your budget.

Our wall tie replacement cost guide will tell you all you need to know about the costs involved in wall tie replacement.

No. Wall ties don’t cause damp themselves. One of the reasons for wall tie failure, however, is corrosion from damp or water penetration.

If a building has been poorly constructed or has undergone extensive weathering due to extreme weather conditions, water may begin to penetrate the brickwork.

If this happens, wall ties can become corroded. When wall ties become corroded, they start to deteriorate and no longer provide the necessary structural support.

If wall ties are corroded because of damp, they will need to be replaced to reduce the chance of structural instability.

You will also need to ensure that any remedial work to repair the cause of the damp is carried out.

This may involve replacing damaged or blown bricks or re-pointing damaged sections of mortar. You may also choose to apply a coat of waterproofing sealant to the entire face of the wall.

Signs of wall tie failure include mortar cracks, brick damage, and sagging lintels.

Wall tie failure is not common. If you experience wall tie failure it is usually due to a problem with the original installation such as incorrect spacing of wall ties.

It could also be a problem with corrosion due to weathering or damaged brickwork. This is more common in older buildings where substandard wall ties were used.