How to assess a collapsed dry stone wall before repair

Before repairing a collapsed dry stone wall, find out why it fell, how much of it must come down to reach sound work, and whether the fallen stone is enough to rebuild it. Look at the foundation, the ground, water running along or under the wall, roots, animals and vehicles, then check the batter and the through-stones of the standing sections on each side. Note the access, the season and any livestock. Your quote can then cover dismantling back to sound wall, rebuilding with the original stone and any stone to add.

Rebuilding without dealing with the cause brings the wall down again. If the cause lies outside your work — a drain, a tree, a track — tell the client what needs doing and by whom.

Look at the sections either side of the gap. Is the batter, the inward lean of each face, still regular? Are the faces bulging? Do through-stones still tie both faces together? A bulge next to a gap means the repair must start further back than the collapse itself. Mark on site the length you'll take down, and photograph it for the quote.

A dry stone wall is rebuilt from its own stone. Estimate whether what's on the ground is enough: some may have been carried off, buried or broken. Sort it mentally into footings, building stone, through-stones, hearting and copes. If new stone is needed, it should match the local type and colour; note where it can come from and how it will reach the site.

The small stones packed between the two faces, the hearting, hold the wall together as much as the face stones. Check whether it has washed out of the standing sections. On top, the copes protect the wall and add weight; missing or loose copes let the top courses work loose and are a cheap fix that saves a bigger repair later.

Dry stone walls differ from one area to the next: the stone, the height, the coping style, the way corners and gateways are built. Match the existing wall rather than your habits, and ask the client whether there are local rules or heritage protections to respect.

Dry stone work is priced by length and height of wall rebuilt, with extra for dismantling, bringing in stone, difficult access or features such as gateposts. Give the client a range for the days on site and explain that rain can stop work. Photos taken on the visit help you write the quote and show the client later what was there.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a "Site visit" service and open slots on days when you're working in the area. Clients book with their name, email and phone and describe where the wall is and what happened in the optional note, which you read in your new-booking email; ask in the description for a map pin or directions and photos by email. Once the quote is accepted, book the working days yourself from your calendar.

Durations and prices are examples: set your own. If the weather forces you to move a day, reschedule it from your bookings list and tell the client yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.