Subsidence can be a serious problem with property, but there are solutions. The experts from Subsidence Ltd explain their approach
What are the common causes of subsidence?
Subsidence occurs when the ground under or around a property and its foundations begin to sink downwards. Subsidence can be caused by a number of factors and can be extremely expensive to fix; generally, subsidence gets worse over time. The types of things that can cause sinkage include, the soil types under the property, trees and tree roots, damage to drains or water leaks, poor construction of foundations and more recently the impact of climate and weather impacting the soils.
What are the first signs of subsidence?
One of the most visible signs of subsidence is the appearance of cracks in the walls. While small, hairline cracks are relatively common in many homes, large cracks, particularly those that are wider at the top than at the bottom, can be a cause for concern. Also, pay attention to cracks that appear near doors and windows, as these areas are often the first to show signs of subsidence. As the property shifts, door and window frames can become distorted, making them stick. In addition to this, if there are concrete floors, you may start to see sloping and cracking in the floors as the underlying soils sink or move.
Does it affect any particular areas or types of building?
The location of the crack is a vital clue. Subsidence-related cracks often appear near structural weak points, such as the corners of windows and doors. If you notice cracks in these areas, especially if they are wider at the top than at the bottom, it could be a sign of subsidence. Look for additional signs in your home, such as doors and windows that are sticking, sloping floors, or visible changes in the ground level outside the building. These symptoms, along with cracks, further support the possibility of subsidence.
What are the potential problems and costs involved in subsidence?
If a property has subsidence, then it will normally need some sort of treatment to rectify the issue. Traditional concrete underpinning is a more invasive subsidence repair method that involves excavating the ground beneath your property and installing new foundations. Underpinning costs can be more expensive and time-consuming than resin injection, but it may be necessary for severe cases of subsidence. Far less invasive than underpinning, resin treatment is so much quicker and hardly disrupts the property owner. It’s much more affordable than underpinning, less likely to cause damage to your property, and more effective for treating localised subsidence.
How does Subsidence Ltd’s resin injection process work?
Resin Injection is usually complete in one day, there is little or no mess, and we also give you a warranty for the work we complete! So, how does our subsidence-busting process work? It’s simple; we begin by drilling small holes in the affected area. We then inject our proprietary, eco-friendly resin directly into the affected areas. The material hardens quickly, providing a firm and reliable support similar to concrete. Resin has the capability to lift your property and stabilise your property foundations starting from the first day, leaving you to complete the cosmetic repairs to the property afterwards.
What kinds of damage can it repair?
The resin injection treatment can help stabilise the soils under foundations and can be used to lift and relevel floors in a property. Once the resin injection work has been completed, it allows cosmetic repairs to be carried out to cracks, and for doors and windows to be repaired, so that the previous signs of subsidence are resolved. We can help the customer with this too and can also carry out external brick repairs, internal plaster repairs, install helibars where needed to provide additional support and install root barrier systems to protect foundations from tree roots.
How long does the work take and what does it cost? Will the cost be covered by my insurance?
The cost of the treatment depends on the type of ground being treated, the depth that the treatment needs to be completed to and the area of the property that is impacted. Sustainable and eco-friendly, resin injection can usually be completed within one to two days, while underpinning takes several weeks or months. Resin injection causes very little disruption to your property, while underpinning is more invasive and disruptive. The cost of the treatment depends on the type of ground being treated, the depth that the treatment needs to be completed to and the area of the property that is impacted. When it comes to approaching insurance companies with your subsidence concerns, many policies do cover subsidence. However, this does vary from one insurer to another. As with any insurance claim, you must pay an excess fee for the overall cost and this excess fee can often be much higher than those for other types of claims
What guarantee is offered on the work?
We have confidence over the quality of our work and the longevity of the materials we use – the resin injection process is so effective, that a 10-year warranty is provided to every customer. The warranty covers any settlement issues due to material deterioration or shrinkage, ensuring that the property remains stable for a decade. This guarantee reflects the confidence that both Subsidence Ltd and the customer can have in the resin injection method’s long-term efficacy.
What’s the story behind Subsidence Ltd?
The Subsidence Ltd team brings together the best-in-class personnel from the industry, collectively having over 30 years of experience in construction and over 16 years specifically in underpinning and resin stabilisation activities. The management and the operational team are fully trained, competent and provide the expertise required to deliver the work as a one-stop-shop activity for the customer.The business is committed to providing a focused customer journey, giving property owners a low cost, high quality, personalised service to remedy subsidence. The unique selling point of Subsidence Ltd is the provision of a service that is significantly more effective and personalised for the customer than our competition, providing a fixed one-stop cost for remedial works.
Where can I find out more about Subsidence Ltd?
You can find out more about the business by going to our website on www.subsidenceltd.co.uk, or search us up on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube! Or you can even just give us a call on 0333 1300592 and our friendly team will be happy to explain who we are, what we do and how we can help!
