Perth · Perth and Kinross
Underpinning in Perth
Before any underpinning goes ahead on a Perth property, building control has to approve the design and inspect the excavations. Where the wall is shared, party wall notices may be needed too in England and Wales, so allow time for paperwork before the dig.
Guide price from£950per metre of wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PH1, PH2
- Population
- about 47,000
- Area
- Perth and Kinross
- Pricing region
- Scotland
What should you know about the ground under Perth?
Postcode districts PH1, PH2 cover Perth, a Perth and Kinross town of about 47,000 people. Nearby places we cover include Blairgowrie (14 miles), Crieff (16 miles) and Glenrothes (17 miles).
Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in Perth and Kinross, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Perth and Kinross, most homes are sandstone town houses and tenements, rural cottages and post-war estates.
Guide prices for underpinning in Perth
Guide prices below are for homes in Perth, on Scotland rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Mass-concrete underpinning | £950 – £1,400 | per metre of wall |
| Beam-and-base underpinning | £1,400 – £2,400 | per metre of wall |
| Mini-piled underpinning | £1,900 – £3,300 | per metre of wall |
| Engineer's design and building control feesest. | £760 – £2,400 | per scheme |
Methods for underpinning
Mini-piled underpinning
Small-diameter piles are driven or bored down to firm ground and linked by a reinforced beam or needles that pick up the wall. Compact rigs fit through narrow access, and the method reaches depths that would be impractical to excavate by hand.
Best for: Deep soft ground, tree roots, or restricted access
Mass concrete underpinning
The traditional method. Short sections under the wall are dug out in a set sequence, usually about a metre at a time, and filled with concrete before the next section is opened. It suits moderate depths and good access, and it needs little specialist plant.
Best for: Shallow failures on firm ground found at moderate depth
From first photo to finished repair
Fixed written price
With the design in hand we confirm a fixed price in writing, setting out the method, the length of wall, access arrangements and the making good. For insurance work we can price to the loss adjuster’s or engineer’s schedule.
Excavation and concrete
Work runs in the sequence the engineer sets so the wall is never left unsupported over a long length. Building control inspects the excavations before concrete goes in, and each section is dry-packed tight to the footing above.
Crack repairs and handover
Once the new foundation has cured, cracks are stitched and repointed, inside walls are made good, and paths or patios disturbed by the dig are reinstated. You receive the building control completion paperwork for your records.
Symptoms that point to underpinning
- One corner of the house visibly lower than the others
- Floors sloping noticeably towards one external wall
- Footings found to be very shallow during a trial pit
Rules for underpinning in Scotland
In Scotland, underpinning and other structural alterations generally need a building warrant from the council’s building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end; small like-for-like repairs often do not. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; shared walls are covered by title deeds and, for flats, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of underpinning in Perth?
Guide prices for underpinning in Perth start from about £950 per metre of wall, including VAT, on Scotland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out underpinning in Perth?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Perth, including PH1, PH2, and from nearby places such as Blairgowrie and Crieff. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Perth cause cracking?
Perth and Kinross is largely Old Red Sandstone and Highland rock with glacial deposits and river alluvium along the Tay, which can be soft and flood-prone. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Will underpinning affect selling my house?
It needs explaining to buyers, but a properly documented scheme is far better than unresolved movement. Keep the engineer’s design, the building control completion certificate and any insurance paperwork. Lenders and surveyors will usually ask for these before agreeing a sale.
Can I stay in my house during underpinning?
Most people stay at home during external underpinning, because the digging happens outside along the wall. Expect noise, restricted access to that side of the house and some dust. If the work has to be done from inside, through the floor, moving out for part of the job is sometimes advised.
More repairs we carry out in Perth
Underpinning near Perth
Have an engineer’s underpinning design for your Perth property? Send it over and we will return a fixed price in writing once the scheme is specified.