County Durham · England
Sink & basin repair in Gilesgate, County Durham
Chip, crack and resurfacing work on bathroom sinks and basins at your home in Gilesgate, with a one-year guarantee on every repair.
- Repairs from £95
- Chips on a built-in basin
- A crazed, tired basin
Materials and what they mean for the repair
Period and antique
Older basins may have crazing, chips and makers’ marks. We repair them sympathetically and leave the character intact.
Composite and resin
Cast mineral and resin basins are common in vanity units. Chips and scratches can be filled and matched, with colour mixed on site.
Sink repair in Gilesgate, done in place
Chipped, cracked and crazed basins and vanity units can be repaired, matching the colour and gloss. Nothing is taken off the wall. We’re frequently asked to fix a crack near the taps and knocks from hair straighteners, on vanity unit basins, ceramic & vitreous china basins and antique & period basins.
You are covered after we leave: our one-year guarantee applies to every job, and we explain what it covers before you book.
- Where
- Gilesgate (DH1)
- Region
- County Durham
- Warranty
- 12 months on all our work
- Price
- From £95. Free and fixed, from your pictures
- Phone
- 0345 017 0787
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Should you replace it?
A basin cracked through and leaking needs replacing. For chips, surface cracks and crazing, a repair is normally best. Prices start from £95. A repair generally costs much less than people expect, especially compared with replacing and refitting. Photos let us give you the exact figure.
Why choose Surface Doctor in Gilesgate
- Straight answers about what a repair can do
- No need to remove anything
- Free fixed quotes from pictures
- We come to you, anywhere in the UK
Take a look at our full price list.
How the visit works
On the day itself, there is little for you to do. Let us in and show us the room, and we’ll get on with it. Most visits take a couple of hours for most chips, including clearing up.
- First, we check the basin is firm and dry.
- We degrease and key the damage.
- Filler is built up and sanded flush.
- We match the colour and the gloss.
- We tidy up and give you the curing time.
Getting ready for the visit
- Let us know which floor the room is on
- Avoid using the area for a few hours before we arrive
- Plan for the room to be out of bounds to pets and children
Get a quote
Getting a price is easy: snap the damage close up and then the whole item, send them over with your postcode, and you’ll get a fixed price back. There is no charge for the quote and no obligation.
Read more
How to look after the repair
How the surface is treated afterwards matters. Here’s what we suggest:
- Store toiletries on a shelf
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild detergent
- Use a heat mat for hair tools
- Ask a plumber not to overtighten fittings
Wipe the basin over after use, and avoid strong bleach or descalers.
A crack near the taps can spread, so get it looked at early. If water is getting through, isolate the basin until it’s seen to.
Common questions in Gilesgate
Are you a vetted contractor?
Yes. Our accreditations include CHAS, Constructionline and SafeContractor. See our accreditations page for the full list.
Is repairing better than replacing?
Typically, when the rest is in good condition. Repairing avoids the cost and disruption of replacing. If replacing would be better, we will say so.
Can you keep the maker’s mark?
Yes. We repair around makers’ marks where we can. Mention it when you ask for a quote.
Can you price it without visiting?
In nearly every case. If pictures do not show enough, we will ask for another angle.
Is there a guarantee?
Every repair comes with a one-year guarantee. We’ll explain what it covers when we quote.
Is it messy?
No. The work area is masked and covered, and we take our waste away with us.
Do you charge for travel?
Travel is included in the price, with the same prices everywhere we work.
Can you repair several things at once?
Yes. Doing several items on one visit usually costs less than separate visits. Include pictures of each item.
Landlord and trade work in Gilesgate
Housing associations and facilities teams use us for planned and reactive repairs. Repairing in place avoids the disruption of a replacement, which matters when someone is living in the home.
Builders, developers and site managers book us for snagging repairs, fixing chips and scratches before handover so nothing needs replacing. We’re CHAS, Constructionline and SafeContractor accredited.
What else we do in Gilesgate
Gilesgate and nearby
Gilesgate is about 1 mile east of Durham, in County Durham. We work in every kind of home, old or new, large or small, plus businesses and rented homes. Gilesgate is one of 329 towns and villages in County Durham we cover. Our nearest city page is Newcastle upon Tyne, about 15 miles away.
Our visits in DH1 are booked in the same way as anywhere else. Whether you live on Mill Lane, Green Lane and Oak Avenue or a nearby road, we can come to you. With the A181 and A690 close by, Gilesgate is easy for our technicians to reach. Close by, we cover Old Durham (1 mile south), Durham (1 mile west), Belmont (1 mile east), Moor End (1 mile north-east) and Elvet (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Consett (13 miles north-west), Newton Aycliffe (11 miles south), Bishop Auckland (10 miles south-west), Spennymoor (6 miles south), Seaham (9 miles north-east) and Chester-le-Street (5 miles north).
What’s near Gilesgate
In Gilesgate, that means homes near Durham Sixth Form Centre, Chorister School and Durham University Library and Collections and the streets around them. You will also find The Dun Cow Public House (0.7 miles south-west), St Giles Church (under half a mile south-west), Old Durham Gardens (0.7 miles south) and Durham Gilesgate Primary School (less than half a mile north-east). For rail, the closest station is Durham station, roughly 1.1 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Kepier Hospital (within half a mile west) and The Gates Shopping Centre (1 mile west).
- Local facilities include Durham (1.2 miles west)
When a repair is not the answer
Not everything can be repaired, and we will tell you before we start. Repairs won’t solve:
- A loose basin, until it’s refixed
- Plumbing leaks
- Glaze crazing across the entire basin, where resurfacing is better
Not sure? Send pictures and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book.
Materials we work on in Gilesgate
- Ceramic & vitreous china basins
- Vanity unit basins
- Antique & period basins
- Belfast and butler sinks
- Enamelled basins
Can I fix it myself?
For a hairline mark somewhere you’ll never see, a kit may be enough. For damage in plain view, cracks, holes or rust, or coloured finishes, it’s worth having it done properly.
You can buy a DIY kit for most repairs, and they can make a small mark look better. Where they fall down is colour and preparation: they come in a handful of shades, and if the surface isn’t prepared the repair won’t last.
How we price sink repair
Repairs from £95. You’ll know the full cost before you book. We look at:
- The type of damage
- How many items we do on one visit
- How much damage there is
- Where the damage is and how we get to it
Set against the cost of replacement, a repair is normally a fraction of the price, because nothing has to be taken out, refitted or made good. Your fixed quote shows exactly what’s included.
How to get a fixed quote
Before you send pictures, these tips help us give you a firm price:
- A clear, close picture of the problem area
- What it’s made of, if you know
- A coin beside the damage so we can judge size
- A photo taken from further back
For most jobs, photos are all we need to give you a price. Tell us what happened and where you are, and we’ll send back a fixed quote and some dates.
About our accreditations · Every repair comes with a one-year guarantee.
