Northern Ireland wall tie survey services
Wall tie surveys in Northern Ireland
Wall tie surveys across Northern Ireland.
About wall tie surveys
What wall tie surveys involves
Wall ties are the small metal strips or wires that bridge the gap between the outer and inner leaves of a cavity wall, holding the two skins of brick or block together. Older ties, especially those fitted before the 1980s, were often made of mild steel with a thin zinc coating, and over decades that coating wears away. Once rust takes hold, the tie swells inside the mortar joint and stops doing its job. A wall tie survey finds out what is going on inside the cavity: the specialist locates the ties, looks at a sample of them with a small camera and records their condition.
This booking suits Northern Ireland owners of cavity-built homes who have spotted repeating horizontal cracks, buyers whose home report mentions possible tie corrosion, and landlords wanting a clear record of a wall before planning repairs. You book the wall tie survey at a set price, and a local specialist will be in touch to confirm the visit.
Wall tie surveys at a glance
Wall tie surveys specialists cover Northern Ireland.
When a wall may be telling you about its ties
Could your walls have failing ties?
- Horizontal cracks running along mortar beds, repeating every few courses up the wall
- An outer leaf that bows or bulges outwards when you sight along it
- Window or door heads that have started to crack or drop at the corners
- Roof edges or verges lifting slightly where the brickwork has grown taller
- A home report or mortgage valuer noting suspected wall tie failure
- A cavity-built house from before the 1980s on an exposed, wet or coastal site
How it works
How wall tie surveys works with us
Pick a slot
You book the wall tie survey at the set price online and choose a date that suits you.
Tie location
The specialist runs a metal detector across each elevation to map where ties sit and how they are spaced.
Borescope check
A small hole is drilled at chosen points so a camera can view the ties and cavity, then the holes are filled.
Written findings
You receive a report describing tie condition, photographs from inside the cavity and the specialist's recommendations.
what comes with it
Booking a tie check across Northern Ireland
- One price, stated up front. The specialist firm's set price is written down when you book.
- Findings on paper. The specialist firm writes up tie condition, cavity findings and any remedial advice.
- Specialists based nearby. Specialists working throughout Northern Ireland know its exposed coasts and older cavity walls.
- Next steps are yours. Any replacement advice is there to consider; nobody presses you to proceed.
Looking after it
Looking after it afterwards
- Keep a dated photo record of any hairline cracking along mortar joints so you have a baseline to compare against.
- Keep cavity trays, weep holes and rendering in good repair, trapped damp in the cavity speeds up corrosion of any remaining ties.
- Ask for the tie density and locations used in any remedial work, so future surveys have something to check against.
- Keep your survey report and any completion paperwork safe, they matter for future mortgages, remortgaging or sale.
What's involved
Why the cavity needs a look from inside
Rust you cannot see from the garden
Corrosion happens on the part of the tie buried in the outer leaf. A camera pushed through a small drilled hole lets the specialist see the metal itself rather than guessing from cracks on the face of the brick.
Weather in Northern Ireland
Driving rain off the Atlantic keeps outer leaves damp for long spells, and damp mortar speeds up rust on old ties. Gable walls and elevations facing the prevailing wind are often checked with extra care.
Cracks with other causes
Similar cracking can come from expanding mortar, frost or ground movement. Part of the survey is ruling these in or out so any repair targets the real fault.
Planning what comes next
If replacement is needed, the findings note which walls are affected and how badly, giving you something firm to plan around before deciding on remedial work.
Wall tie surveys across Northern Ireland
Specialists carry out wall tie surveys in Ballymena · Bangor · Belfast · Craigavon · Derry · Lisburn · Newry · Newtownards, plus many more areas across Northern Ireland, from Victorian terraces to post-war cavity semis.
No pressure
Book a wall tie survey
Give the address and a few lines on the brickwork, and a specialist covering your area will confirm the visit at the set price.