Does Your Property Need Underpinning?

What Is Underpinning?

In construction, underpinning is the process of strengthening and stabilising the foundation of an existing building or other structure. Underpinning is a method of construction that sees the depth of the foundations to a building being increased. The soil beneath the existing foundation is excavated and is replaced with the foundation material.

Underpinning issues can often a rise in buildings both old and new. The passage of time may cause walls to move and more often than not, the poor quality of the ground beneath the building is the reason.

Why would I need underpinning?

In many cases older builders were never built with sufficient foundations, suitable for the ground beneath it. Often we see buildings that have one or more extensions or significant alterations done. This increases the total weight of the building, reducing the capacity of the existing foundation to support the total weight of the new building. Being a loft conversion company, we also know the weight added by a loft conversion can be quite substantial.

With all of this in mind, buildings over time will begin to see some form of subsidence. This is normal for a new build as things settle, but if this continues, the safety of your home could be compromised. Getting your property underpinned with improved foundations is the only way to ensure the problem is stopped, and to ensure your building doesn’t collapse.