Subsidence repairs in Greater Manchester

Area: Greater Manchester
Pricing region: North West
Ground: Clay in parts
Towns listed: 23

Is Greater Manchester prone to ground movement?

Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Greater Manchester: Red-brick terraces, mill-town stone terraces, inter-war semis and post-war estates.

Methods for subsidence repairs

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

From first photo to finished repair

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.
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.

Symptoms that point to subsidence repairs

Fresh cracks showing on both the inside and outside of one wall
Wallpaper rippling or tearing where the wall meets the ceiling
Doors and windows that start to stick or no longer close
A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor

Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Greater Manchester

Guide prices below are for homes in Greater Manchester, on North West rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.

Guide prices inc VAT on North West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Structural engineer's investigation and report	£480 – £1,900	per property
CCTV drain survey (common first check)	£145 – £335	per survey
Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest.	£2,400 – £11,500	per property
Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning)	£960 – £3,350	per metre of 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.

Find subsidence repairs in your Greater Manchester town

Frequently asked questions

Why do houses in Greater Manchester crack?

Greater Manchester is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Lancashire coalfield beneath much of Wigan, Bolton, Salford and parts of the east. Historic mine workings, made ground and old mill sites are common. Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.

How much will subsidence repairs cost in Greater Manchester?

On North West rates, subsidence repairs starts from about £2,400 per property, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.

How long should I wait before repairing subsidence cracks?

Usually until the cause has been dealt with and the engineer is satisfied that movement has stopped. On clay that can mean watching the house through a summer and a winter. Repairing too early risks the same cracks opening again.

Should I cut down the tree near my house?

Not without advice, because felling a mature tree on clay can make things worse. As the roots stop drawing water, the clay swells and can lift the foundations, which is called heave. Pruning or staged removal may be advised instead. Check whether the tree is protected.

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.