Black & White Facilities / Service brief
Concrete Repairs
Spalled surfaces, exposed reinforcing bars, cracks and loose fragments need investigating, with the area beneath made safe while that happens. State when the damage was first seen and whether it is isolated, spreading or linked to other work or changes at the site. That helps separate the immediate repair from any structural investigation that should precede it.
What the work can include
- Mapping of defects across the element.
- Preparation and localised repair where the concrete is suitable.
- Arrangement of investigation and any protective coatings.
The written scope identifies the elements involved, the areas left untouched and the information required at completion. Across a portfolio, every item is tied to a site and location so costs and follow-on actions are traceable.
Our full service catalogue, including every individual service, is available across every listed sector and location. For one site or several, we agree the scope, access and programme around the buildings concerned.
Important decisions
The repair method depends on why the concrete failed and what the element does in the structure. Where deterioration affects structural capacity, an engineer's assessment is required rather than a surface patch. Log repeated defects by asset reference so urgent making-safe and planned renewal are budgeted apart.
Before we visit
Provide the location and extent of the damage, photographs, structural drawings and details of any earlier repair. Add the site records, the operational effect and the approval limit. Name the local contact and when the affected area can be cordoned off without disrupting critical activity.
How the work proceeds
The enquiry establishes the result needed and what information exists. Defect mapping then confirms the extent of the damage and the boundaries of the job. The agreed method sets sequence, protection and access before any breaking out begins.
Completed work is recorded against the site or element reference, the outcome noted and any remaining action listed apart from the closed instruction. That record informs later inspection and budget decisions.
What affects cost and timing
Curing arrangements, preparation, access, the state of the reinforcement and the depth of damage are the main variables. They dictate resource, order of work and duration; a photograph or approximate area will not define the scope by itself.
Where several structures are involved, check that the tasks and access assumed for each are genuinely equivalent before they go into one programme. Agree the arrangements for the area beneath and who signs off additional work found once the surface is opened.
Applications across sectors
Offices may need car parks or plant areas released in phases, education sites need work planned around occupied areas, and hospitality and industrial premises bring their own finish, cleaning and operating constraints. The sectors directory sets out the complete range.
Local coverage
Black & White Facilities serves North East England, which takes in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley. State the postcode and access arrangements in your enquiry, whether the site is in Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham, Middlesbrough or another listed area. Coverage is set out in the location directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is filling a crack enough?
A local surface repair can be right in some cases, but a crack may signal movement or deterioration deeper in the element. The assessment should be clear about what the repair is meant to achieve.
What information helps define concrete repairs?
The position and size of the damage, photographs, structural drawings and past repair details are sound starting information. Add the outcome required and any fixed dates. Reports already in hand prevent assumptions about what has been investigated or agreed.
What most affects the price and programme?
Pricing starts from how deep the damage goes, the state of the reinforcement, access, preparation and how the repair will be cured. Proposals compare properly only when the scope states what preparation, access and completion work each covers.
How should the finished work be recorded?
Enter the work order and site reference, the elements repaired and what remains outstanding. Anything not done is logged as a limitation rather than folded into completed work, so the estate record can be relied on.
Guides and useful reading
The decisions that underpin this service are explained in the building fabric planning guidance. Where patching and renewal are both possible, repair versus replacement helps decide between them on condition, cost and disruption.
HSE construction guidance supplies the wider working context.
Related services and your enquiry
Building Fabric lists all services in this family. Related pages are Doors, Windows and Glazing, Flooring and General Building Repairs. The wider requirement is covered by all services, maintenance, projects, sectors and locations.
Contact Black & White Facilities, setting out the site reference, how urgent the work is, who can authorise it and the records held. Photographs, the position and size of the damage, structural drawings and notes on earlier repairs, where available, mean the work can be scoped against the actual element.
Discuss the scope
Tell us what needs attention.
Share the site, the issue and any access requirements so we can discuss the next step.