Underpinning is the procedure of strengthening and stabilizing the foundation of a solid brick or brick veneer home, which is showing signs of structural movement. The process of underpinning requires a soil test to find the best depth for the foundation, and a structural engineer to identify the job that needs to be done. It is a requirement that all underpinning permit applications must be accompanied by a structural engineer’s design and certification.

Your home may need to be underpinned for a variety of reasons. The soil beneath your foundations may have decreased due to leaking pipes, poor drainage, tree root damage, or even excessively dry founding soil due to drought or extreme weather. Another common reason is that the existing foundations may just have been of a poor standard than is required today. 

We will advise you on the process which is most suited to your house along with the guidelines of a structural engineer. The engineer will examine the property to determine the structural movement which needs to be fixed. As well as the soil test the engineer will then recommend the extent of underpinning required, including identifying the founding depth of the underpin, the size of the underpin, and the number of pins required to repair the structure. The structure may be stabilized only, or may include raising the structure to its original level. We can then provide you with a free quote for the work that the engineer has specified.