Cracks opening, doors sticking, floors sloping? Underpinning strengthens the foundations your home already has — and done properly, it ends the movement for good.
First: is it really subsidence?
Not every crack is a crisis. Seasonal hairline cracking in plaster is common, especially on the shrinkable clays found across parts of the North West. The signs that deserve attention are stepped cracks in brickwork wider than a £1 coin, cracks that keep growing, doors and windows that stick in their frames, and floors that noticeably slope.
The right first step is a structural engineer's assessment — not a contractor's sales pitch. We work to the engineer's recommendation, and if monitoring or a simple repair is the honest answer, that is what we will tell you.
Traditional vs piled underpinning
The ground beneath the existing footing is excavated in short, sequenced bays and filled with concrete. Best when firm ground sits within about 2 metres of the surface.
Piles are installed either side of the wall and connected by needle beams through it, carrying the load far deeper than digging can reach. The answer on the region's deep soft clays, peat and made ground.
Piles on one side only, where access or ownership stops work on the other — common on party walls.
Where whole floor slabs have settled, a new reinforced slab on piles resets the building.
Common causes across the North West
- Clay shrinkage in dry summers, made worse by thirsty trees near foundations.
- Leaking drains washing out fine soils beneath footings.
- Consolidation of made ground under Victorian and interwar housing.
- Historic mining and salt workings in parts of Lancashire and Cheshire.
- Shallow original footings — many older homes were built on less than 450mm of brick spread.
Insurance claims
Where subsidence is covered by buildings insurance, the insurer typically appoints a loss adjuster and engineer. We regularly deliver the repair schemes they specify, provide the documentation the claim needs, and keep homeowners informed in plain English throughout. If you are at the "we've found cracks, what now?" stage, call us — we will explain the process before anyone commits to anything.
Living through the works
Most underpinning is done from outside in sequenced bays, and most families stay in their homes throughout. Internal work is contained with dust protection, and we agree working hours with you up front. Typical schemes run from two to six weeks depending on the length of wall involved.
Where we work
Our teams cover the whole North West, with local crews in:
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my house needs underpinning?
Warning signs include stepped cracking in brickwork, doors and windows sticking, sloping floors and gaps opening around frames. Not every crack means subsidence - a structural engineer's assessment comes first, and we work to their recommendation.
What is the difference between traditional and piled underpinning?
Traditional underpinning excavates beneath the existing footing in short sections and fills with mass concrete - suited to shallow problems. Piled underpinning transfers the load to piles either side of the wall via needle beams, reaching far deeper and suiting the soft clays and made ground common across the North West.
Will insurance cover underpinning?
Where subsidence is an insured event, buildings insurance often covers investigation and repair. We regularly work alongside loss adjusters and structural engineers on insurance-led schemes and can provide the reports they need.
Can I stay in my home during underpinning?
In most cases, yes. Work is sequenced in small bays from outside wherever possible. Where internal access is needed we contain the working area so the rest of the house stays liveable.