Farnham · Surrey
Subsidence repairs in Farnham
If doors have started sticking in your Farnham 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
- GU9, GU10
- Population
- about 37,000
- Area
- Surrey
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect subsidence repairs in Farnham?
With roughly 37,000 people, Farnham spans postcode districts GU9, GU10 in Surrey. Nearby, we also cover Aldershot (3 miles), Fleet (5 miles) and Farnborough (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. Housing stock in Surrey: Victorian and Edwardian villas, 1930s semis and detached houses in the commuter towns, and post-war estates.
What happens during subsidence repairs, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about subsidence repairs
- A gap opening between the skirting board and the floor
- Wallpaper rippling or tearing where the wall meets the ceiling
- Cracks that open in summer and partly close again in winter
Subsidence repairs prices in Farnham
Prices in Farnham are worked out on South East rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| 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
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
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 Farnham
How much will subsidence repairs cost in Farnham?
Guide prices for subsidence repairs in Farnham 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 Farnham?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Farnham, including GU9, GU10, and from nearby places such as Aldershot and Fleet. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Farnham
- Brick arch repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Chimney stack repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
Subsidence repairs near Farnham
Worried about movement at your Farnham property? Share photos or ring for a free initial assessment before you spend anything on investigations.