Subsidence repairs in Greater London

Area: Greater London
Pricing region: London
Ground: Shrinkable clay widespread
Towns listed: 32

Is Greater London prone to ground movement?

Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Greater London: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.

What should you budget for subsidence repairs in Greater London?

These are guide prices for Greater London, using London rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on London rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Structural engineer's investigation and report	£625 – £2,500	per property
CCTV drain survey (common first check)	£190 – £440	per survey
Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest.	£3,100 – £15,000	per property
Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning)	£1,250 – £4,400	per metre of wall

Repair options we may recommend

Foundation strengthening

Where the ground cannot be made stable, the load is carried down to firmer soil by underpinning, a beam-and-base scheme, mini-piles or resin injection, depending on the soil and access. It is designed by an engineer and is the exception, not the rule.

Best for: Ongoing movement where removing the cause has not worked

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

What to expect when we carry out subsidence repairs

Send photos or call
Send photos of the cracks with a coin or tape for scale, and say when you first noticed them. We give a free initial assessment and suggest whether an engineer, a drain survey or your insurer comes first.
Deal with the cause
Drains are repaired, vegetation is managed on the engineer’s advice, or a foundation scheme is designed if nothing else will work. Where monitoring is recommended, readings run for several months to show the movement has stopped.
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.

Is it time for subsidence repairs? Common signs

Cracks that open in summer and partly close again in winter
A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor
Diagonal cracks wider at the top, running from window or door corners
Fresh cracks showing on both the inside and outside of one wall

Subsidence: stepped crack above a corner that has dropped on drying clay. Indicative drawing, not to scale.

Do you need approval 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.

Subsidence repairs near you in Greater London

Your subsidence repairs questions

Does the ground around Croydon cause cracking?

Most of Greater London sits on London Clay, among the most shrinkage-prone ground in the UK, with river gravels along the Thames. Subsidence claims here are among the most frequent in the country, especially after dry summers and near street and garden trees. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.

How much will subsidence repairs cost in Greater London?

On London rates, subsidence repairs starts from about £3,100 per property, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.

Can I sell a house that has had subsidence?

Yes, though buyers and lenders will want paperwork. Keep the engineer’s report, monitoring results, the repair specification and any building control sign-off. A repaired house shown to be stable is far easier to sell than one with an open problem.

How do I know if cracks are subsidence?

Subsidence cracks are usually tapered, run diagonally from door and window corners, and show on both faces of the wall. Fine vertical cracks in new plaster are more often shrinkage. An engineer’s inspection, sometimes with monitoring, is the reliable way to tell.

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.