Caterham · Surrey
Subsidence repairs in Caterham
If doors have started sticking in your Caterham home and new cracks have appeared, it is worth acting before they widen. We can look at photos first and tell you whether an engineer, a drain survey or your insurer should be the next call.
Guide price from£2,800per property inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CR3, CR6
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- Surrey
- Pricing region
- South East
Why does the ground in Surrey matter for subsidence repairs?
Postcode districts CR3, CR6 cover Caterham, a Surrey town of about 21,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Redhill (5 miles), Croydon (5 miles) and Banstead (6 miles).
Surrey is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Surrey: Victorian and Edwardian villas, 1930s semis and detached houses in the commuter towns, and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about subsidence repairs
- Cracks that open in summer and partly close again in winter
- Doors and windows that start to stick or no longer close
- Diagonal cracks wider at the top, running from window or door corners
Subsidence repairs prices in Caterham
Guide prices below are for homes in Caterham, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer's investigation and report | £560 – £2,250 | per property |
| CCTV drain survey (common first check) | £170 – £390 | per survey |
| Typical repair once the cause is dealt with: crack stitching and making goodest. | £2,800 – £13,400 | per property |
| Foundation strengthening where it is needed (see underpinning) | £1,100 – £3,900 | per metre of wall |
How we usually approach 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
What happens during subsidence repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
Questions about subsidence repairs in Caterham
How much will subsidence repairs cost in Caterham?
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Caterham start from about £2,800 per property, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Caterham?
Yes, Caterham is covered, along with postcode districts CR3, CR6. We also cover nearby Redhill and Croydon.
Is the ground in Surrey prone to subsidence?
North Surrey sits on London Clay, the south on Weald Clay, with chalk along the North Downs and sands in the west. Large gardens with mature trees on clay make seasonal subsidence a familiar problem. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Caterham
- Brick arch repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
Subsidence repairs near Caterham
If your insurer is already involved, send us the loss adjuster’s schedule for your Caterham property and we will price the repairs to it in writing.