Frequently asked questions

In a cavity wall, metal ties bridge the gap between the outer brick leaf and the inner leaf, holding the two together. Many older ties were made of steel with a thin protective coating, and over the decades moisture in the cavity rusts them. Rust swells as it forms, which can force mortar joints apart, and a badly corroded tie can snap and stop holding the outer leaf at all.

Horizontal cracks that follow the mortar beds, often repeating every few courses, are the classic clue. Bulging or bowing walls, window sills that have lifted and cracked render on gable ends can point the same way. Cracking has plenty of other causes, so the pattern across the whole elevation tells more than one crack.

It is rarely a good idea. As ties weaken, the outer leaf loses support and becomes more exposed to movement in strong wind, and in serious cases sections of brickwork may need taking down and rebuilding. Acting while the damage is limited usually keeps the remedial job smaller.

A survey makes sense if you have spotted cracking or bowing, or you own or are buying an older cavity-walled property. The specialist checks the elevations, locates ties with a metal detector and may drill small holes so a borescope camera can show their condition inside the cavity. The findings then show whether remedial ties are needed and where.

A specialist wall tie firm does the work. It inspects the walls, explains what it found and, if new ties are needed, the specialist firm fits them and deals with any old ties. Wall Tie Survey NI takes the booking only, so nobody from this website comes out to drill or inspect.

The survey is booked at a set price, which you see before confirming. Replacement work is not part of that booking. Its cost depends on things such as wall area, number of storeys, access and scaffolding, and whether old ties must be removed or isolated, and the specialist firm explains the cost of any recommended work after the survey.

Book a wall tie survey for the property and copy the relevant wording from the report into the booking notes, along with your expected completion date and who can give access. Knowing the condition of the ties before you exchange gives you something firm to discuss with the seller.

The visit date depends on the specialist firm's diary and is confirmed once your booking goes through. If replacement follows, the time it takes varies with the number of elevations, the height of the building and whether scaffolding is required, and the specialist firm can advise on that for your property.

Fresh mortar can make the wall look tidy while the rusting ties behind it carry on deteriorating, and the cracks often reopen. A wall tie specialist concentrates on finding and assessing the ties themselves, then choosing a remedial tie suited to the brick, block and cavity width of that wall.