Concrete repair contractors in Dundee

Why concrete fails early in Dundee

Dundee sits on the north shore of the Tay estuary, rising steeply from the waterfront to the Law. That shape and that position explain most of the concrete damage we see in the city.

The estuary brings wind-driven rain and salt-laden air, especially to the waterfront, Broughty Ferry and the exposed east side of the city. Winters bring freeze and thaw cycles and road salt on the hills. Water and chlorides work into the concrete, reach the steel, and the corrosion pushes off the surface.

The slopes mean a great many external stairs, steps, landings and retaining walls. Hillside streets in Hilltown, Lochee, the West End and Broughty Ferry have concrete steps to closes, back courts and gardens, often with no cover from the weather. These take foot traffic and standing water every day, and they are where worn nosings, hollowed treads and cracked landings show up first.

The concrete we repair most often in the city

Stairs, steps and landings. Worn, cracked and spalling steps are rebuilt against timber formwork to give square treads and sharp nosings again, with any exposed steel treated first.

Balconies, walkways and canopies. Post-war flats, deck-access blocks and commercial buildings across Dundee have balconies, walkways and canopies with thin cover to the steel. Edges and soffits spall first, and loose concrete over a path is a safety issue that needs making safe straight away.

Lintels and sills. Concrete and cast stone lintels and sills on 20th-century houses and tenement infills crack as their steel corrodes. We repair them in place where we can and replace them where we cannot.

Slabs, yards and plinths. On the industrial estates at Kingsway West, Dryburgh, Baldovie and Wester Gourdie, yard slabs, loading bays and machinery plinths crack and break up under heavy traffic. These are cut out, repaired and brought back into use with rapid-setting materials where downtime matters.

Working in the city

Much of central Dundee and the West End is tightly built, with narrow pends, shared back courts and busy pavements. Access and protection are planned before work starts: who needs to get in and out, where materials can be stored, and whether a road or pavement permit is needed. Tenement repairs often involve several owners and a factor, so the report and quote are written to be shared.

Being based in the city means we can visit quickly, look at the concrete, and tell you what we think is happening before anything is priced.

In Broughty Ferry we refurbished a worn external concrete stair, removing the defective concrete, rebuilding the edges, risers and nosings in timber formwork, and finishing it with a slip-resistant grey coating.