Sales & Technical: +44 (0)20 8735 5200 | ROI: +353 (01) 695 0726 | [email protected]

Structural repairs to solid masonry walls of farmhouse

Client:	Private homeowner
Location:	Cotheridge, Worcester
Approved Installer:	Allbritain Ltd
Reference No:	PR241

The farmhouse at Maple Cross Farm, near Worcester, was showing signs of subsidence, due to historic settlement at the front left corner, and outward bowing of the front elevation at first floor level. While the former was not considered to be progressive, the bowing wall definitely needed urgent remedial action to stabilise the property. Project engineers, The Structural Design Partnership, specified repair systems from Helifix as they could provide a rapid, cost-effective and unobtrusive structural solution.

The two storey property was constructed in the early 20th century with solid masonry walls. Its wall was considered to be bowing and separating due to shrinkage and deterioration of the timber bearers and lintels built into the inner face of the wall, compounded by the building settlement. Helifix devised an appropriate repair scheme to stabilise the front elevation, provide lateral restraint and reconnect the external wall to the internal cross walls.

Approved Installer, Allbritain Ltd, bonded stainless steel HeliBars into the mortar beds at two levels between the ground and first floor windows across the full width of the front elevation. This created a masonry beam that reinforced the brickwork, provided restraint and redistributed the structural loads. To stabilise the bowing wall, BowTies were installed through the wall, between the two rows of HeliBars, and into the floor joists before being bonded into the solid masonry wall. Grouted CemTies were then installed through the front wall, at 450mm vertical centres, to reconnect it 500mm into two internal cross walls.

The economical repairs were quickly completed and fully concealed causing minimal structural disturbance and leaving the 100 year old farmhouse fully stabilised and visually unaltered.