Wall Tie Installers Federation

We are the representative trade organisation for registered installers of remedial and replacement wall ties and related services in the UK with a 25 Year insurance backed Warranty Scheme.

Most registered installers also offer the ancillary services of lateral restraints and bed-joint reinforcement, all carried out in conformity with the recommendations of the Building Research Establishment.

The Federation is nationally recognised as the accepted reference point for professional bodies along with private individuals seeking information or guidance on these subjects.

The Wall Tie Installers Federation was formed in 1989 to ensure members work to a strict code of practice and the BRE standards.

It introduced a 25-Year insurance-backed Warranty scheme for its full members to give peace of mind to their customers. It is a Federation of members and does not distribute any surpluses the company makes.

Home-Owners & Wall-Ties
The majority of homes built in the last hundred years consists of cavity wall construction. This means that there are inner and outer walls (known as leaves) linked together with wall ties. This method gives a warmer and drier home compared to the older solid brick construction.

However unless the ties consist of stainless steel or steel which has been very heavily galvanised, there is a tendency for the ties to rust and making the wall less secure. This corrosion can lead to problematic issues such as bowing of the brickwork and could ultimately lead to the demolition of the wall. Rectifying problems such as this can be very costly. Mild steel wall ties have a shorter life span than brickwork and may need replacing before major repair work is necessary.

The WTIF 25 Year Warranty
The WTIF Warranty Scheme can be offered by any full member of the Federation. It guarantees the wall tie work of the member for a period of twenty-five years. Each individual warranty covers a single building or identified elevations of a building (part-elevations are not covered due to the effect that ties in the untreated part may have on the treated work if they fail.)

The W.T.I.F. Warranty is:

• Independent of manufacturer or installer
• Fully insurance backed
• Covers all aspects of the work
• Fully transferable to any new owner of the building

This guarantee indemnifies the customer for a period of twenty-five years up to a limit of £100,000. This covers costs of removal, repair, alteration, treatment of any product which fails to perform the function for which it was manufactured, designed, sold, supplied, installed, repaired, altered, dispatched, or delivered on behalf on the installer. The definition of the term 'product' means not only the wall tie itself, but also the workmanship of the installer.

Training and the CITB
The Wall Tie Installers Federation (WTIF) holds training courses on wall tie surveying and remedial work.

The 2 day Surveying Course includes the following:

• Surveying
• Equipment
• Health & Safety
• Risk Assessment
• Report writing
• Pricing
• Problem Solving
• Contract management
• Practical demonstrations and 'hands-on' advice from an experienced installer

The second day is combined with the 1 day Operatives Course which includes:

• Installation patterns of new ties
• Treatment of existing ties
• Equipment
• Pull out testing
• Health & Safety
• Risk Assessment
• Site Control
• Form completion
• Practical demonstrations and 'hands-on' advice from an experienced installer

Both the Surveyors course and Operatives course are held on a regular basis in Liverpool with additional courses being held, subject to demand. Adhoc personally arranged courses can be undertaken for individual members or for new members subject to availability and at an additional cost.

Landlords

Wall-Tie Advisory Service
The Wall Tie Installers Federation can, via its members, provide landlords with guidance on wall tie replacement and associated works to professional staff tasked with drawing up remedial programmes in housing schemes.

Housing Stock Maintenance Scheduling
We can provide a service, in conjunction with registered installers, for integrating wall tie replacement into regular maintenance programmes. This minimises disturbance to the building fabric and disruption of schedules.

Housing Stock Appraisal Scheme
Our members can provide an inspection, report and advisory scheme for bulk appraisal of property already in ownership, or before being taken into ownership with a view to anticipating and minimising future wall tie liabilities.

Use our Registered Installer Finder to find a WTIF Registered Installer active in your area.