A list of repairs is also easier to price and plan as one job. Scaffold, access and making good can be shared, and the builder can spot connections between faults, such as a damp wall and the blocked gutter above it.
Order of priority
Not every fault is urgent, but some make every other problem worse the longer they wait.
- Roof coverings, flashings and valleys that leak
- Gutters and downpipes that overflow or discharge against walls
- Cracked render, failed pointing and rotten window sills
- Structural cracks that are widening or doors that have started to bind
- Internal damp, rot and failed plaster once the cause is fixed
- Joinery, decoration and finishes last
Water: the cause behind most repairs
A slipped tile, a split joint in a gutter or a gap around a window frame lets a little water in every time it rains. Over months that becomes a stained ceiling, a rotten joist end or blown plaster. Fixing the stain without the leak simply means doing it again. A good repair visit always asks where the water is coming from.
Cracks: when to worry
Fine cracks in new plaster, at the joint between an extension and the house, or above door openings are often movement or shrinkage and can be filled once they stop growing. Cracks that are wider, stepped through brickwork, or getting bigger over time need a closer look, and sometimes a structural engineer. Our guides to settlement cracks in extensions and cracks in new plaster go into those differences.
Timber repairs
Rotten sills, fascias, door frames and floor joists can often be repaired by splicing in new timber rather than replacing the whole piece, which keeps original joinery in older houses. Whether splicing or replacing is right depends on how far the decay has spread and whether the timber is structural.
How to brief a builder for repairs
List each fault, where it is and when you first noticed it. Photos of stains, cracks and leaks during rain are especially helpful. Ask for the quote to set out each repair separately, so you can see what is essential and what could wait. A written fixed price is far easier to plan around than an open ended day rate.
Access and scaffold
Many repairs at height, such as chimney flashings, valleys, fascias and upper render, need scaffold or a tower to be done safely and properly. Once access is up, it makes sense to inspect and deal with everything within reach at the same time, such as gutters, pointing and window heads, rather than paying for access twice.
Ladder repairs suit small, low level jobs. For anything that needs two hands, heavy materials or time on the roof, proper access is safer and usually produces a better finished repair.
How we handle building repairs
We have more than 40 years of building and carpentry experience and carry out repairs with our own team from our Biddenden workshop, including roofing, cladding and guttering, joinery and structural work. We start with a free site visit to trace the causes, then give a fixed-price written quote that lists each repair.
Common questions
Which building repairs should I do first?
Anything that lets water in: roofs, flashings, gutters, render and sills. Most internal damage starts from a leak outside.
Are cracks in walls always serious?
No. Fine, stable cracks are often shrinkage or minor movement. Wide, stepped or growing cracks need a closer inspection.
Can rotten timber be repaired rather than replaced?
Often. New timber can be spliced in where decay is limited, keeping the rest of the original piece.
Can you quote for several repairs at once?
Yes, and it is often more efficient, as access and making good can be shared.
Do you give a fixed price?
Yes. After a free site visit we provide a fixed-price written quote.