Bournemouth · Dorset
Subsidence repairs in Bournemouth
Tapered cracks around the windows or doors of a Bournemouth home are worth taking seriously without assuming the worst. In most cases the cause can be found and removed, and the house then needs crack stitching and making good rather than new foundations.
Guide price from£2,600per property inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BH1, BH2, BH4
- Population
- about 160,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
How do local ground conditions affect subsidence repairs in Bournemouth?
Bournemouth, Dorset: about 160,000 residents across postcode districts BH1, BH2, BH4. We also take enquiries from nearby Christchurch (4 miles), Poole (5 miles) and Ferndown (6 miles).
Dorset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Dorset: Stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Symptoms that point to subsidence repairs
- Wallpaper rippling or tearing where the wall meets the ceiling
- Fresh cracks showing on both the inside and outside of one wall
- A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Bournemouth
These are guide prices for Bournemouth, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer's investigation and report | £515 – £2,050 | per property |
| CCTV drain survey (common first check) | £155 – £360 | per survey |
| Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest. | £2,600 – £12,400 | per property |
| Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning) | £1,050 – £3,600 | per metre of wall |
Methods for subsidence repairs
Crack stitching and making good
Once movement has stopped, cracked brickwork is cut along the bed joints, stainless helical bars are bonded in to tie the wall together, and the joints are repointed to match. Inside, plaster is renewed along the crack line before redecoration.
Best for: Category 1 to 3 cracking in walls that are otherwise sound
Remove the cause, then repair
Most subsidence is dealt with this way. The drain is repaired or the vegetation managed, the house is watched to confirm it has stabilised, and then the cracks are stitched, repointed and made good inside. It is the least disruptive route and usually the cheapest.
Best for: Clay movement or drain leaks where the cause can be removed
From first photo to finished repair
Find the cause
An independent chartered structural engineer inspects the house and, where needed, arranges a drain survey, trial pits or soil tests. We can arrange the engineer. The aim is to know what is moving, and why, before money goes on repairs.
Written quote
We price the agreed repair and confirm a fixed price in writing once it is specified. If there is an insurance claim, we can price to the loss adjuster’s or engineer’s schedule instead of our own scope.
Repairs and making good
Cracks are stitched and repointed outside, plaster is renewed along the crack lines inside, and sticking doors are eased. Where the work needs it, we deal with building control and hand over the paperwork.
Rules for subsidence repairs in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of subsidence repairs in Bournemouth?
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Bournemouth start from about £2,600 per property, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out subsidence repairs in Bournemouth?
We do. Bournemouth and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Christchurch and Poole. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Bournemouth cause cracking?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do you need to visit before giving a price?
Not at first. We give a free initial assessment from your photos or a call, and a no-obligation written quote once the scope is clear. A fixed price follows in writing once the repair is specified, which normally needs a survey.
Does subsidence always need underpinning?
No, most subsidence is repaired without underpinning. When a leaking drain is fixed or nearby vegetation is managed, the ground usually stabilises and the house needs only crack repairs. Foundation work is kept for movement that continues after the cause has gone.
More repairs we carry out in Bournemouth
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Retaining wall repairs
Subsidence repairs near Bournemouth
Get a free initial assessment for subsidence damage in Bournemouth: send photos or call, and a written quote follows once the repair is specified.