Garden walls are one of the structures that structural engineers often need to explain.
As a common feature in British homes of all sizes, they are commonplace but also often suffer from structural problems such as leaning, cracking or general deterioration. These occur often in garden walls as builders historically did not always build them as robustly as they built the adjacent house.
Other professionals in the construction industry such as surveyors, builders or architects may give advice on such matters but unfortunately their advice cannot always be relied upon. For that reliable advice, you will need a structural engineer.
Leaning walls are the garden wall problem we see most regularly at Structures-Made-Easy and can occur perhaps due to an adjacent tree, shrub or bush. It may be the plant is physically pushing the wall over or instead is affecting the foundations. Alternatively, the leaning may be due to problems with the foundations of the wall or the local ground conditions. We would visit to inspect the wall and the surroundings, including taking measurements of how far it is leaning. Using this information we will then report to you describing why the wall is leaning and whether or not it is safe and stable. As a wall leans, there is a certain point beyond which it is no longer stable such that it will tend to pull itself over to lean more. Whilst this is often a gradual process, it is one that needs addressing and our report will give guidance on the urgency of remedial works or whether rebuilding is required or most-cost-effective. Those repairs may involve addressing that root cause, excuse the pun, then repairing or stabilising the wall. We will give options if rebuilding is required since there are often more suitable options for a new wall than reproducing the original.
Cracking or deterioration is also often common in garden walls, again because the original builder didn’t adopt the same construction techniques they used for the main building, but also because the walls are constantly exposed to all kinds of weather. Structures-Made-Easy would visit to inspect the conditions then provide a written report on the cause of the problems together with recommendations on repairs or remedial works.
Early on in any investigations into garden walls, it is worth establishing the ownership of the wall. There are standard rules for this but the title deeds of your property should give guidance. This will help determine whether it is you or your neighbour who are responsible for repairs to the wall.
If you would like to discuss further please feel free to contact us using our email support@structures-made-easy.co.uk or call us on 0207 965 7376
Case studies
Brent 01 London NW10
Domestic ground floor side extension to outrigger of a terrace house.
Why choose us?
With over 3000 successfully completed projects to date, we have consistently proven ourselves to be a leader in the industry. From design cross check procedures to quality control measures, we will ensure your project is completed to your exact specifications.
100% Success in Building Regs
Fully Qualified SE
Transparent Fees
Practical & Efficient Designs
Clear Advice
Fast Turnaround
We make all our processes as simple as
possible giving you peace of mind
STEP 1
Get a quote. Refer to enquiry form or email or speak to engineer
STEP 2
Arrange site inspection
STEP 3
Report delivered