Chichester · West Sussex
Underpinning in Chichester
Before any underpinning goes ahead on a Chichester 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£1,100per metre of wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PO19
- Population
- about 32,000
- Area
- West Sussex
- Pricing region
- South East
Is West Sussex prone to ground movement?
Chichester is in West Sussex and takes in postcode districts PO19. About 32,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Bognor Regis (6 miles), Emsworth (7 miles) and Hayling Island (9 miles).
Much of West Sussex sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in West Sussex: Wealden cottages, 1930s semis and bungalows on the coast, and new-town estates in Crawley.
From first photo to finished repair
Engineer’s investigation
An independent chartered structural engineer studies the monitoring results, trial pits and soil tests, then decides whether underpinning is needed and which method suits. We can arrange the engineer if you do not already have one.
Design and approvals
The engineer produces drawings and calculations. We make the building control or building warrant application, and party wall notices are served where the law requires them, before any digging starts.
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.
Symptoms that point to underpinning
- Floors sloping noticeably towards one external wall
- One corner of the house visibly lower than the others
- Cracks that keep widening after the drains have been repaired
Guide prices for underpinning in Chichester
These are guide prices for Chichester, using South East rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Mass-concrete underpinning | £1,100 – £1,700 | per metre of wall |
| Beam-and-base underpinning | £1,700 – £2,800 | per metre of wall |
| Mini-piled underpinning | £2,250 – £3,900 | per metre of wall |
| Engineer's design and building control feesest. | £895 – £2,800 | per scheme |
Methods for underpinning
Beam-and-base underpinning
A reinforced concrete beam is cast beneath or alongside the existing footing and carries the wall onto mass concrete bases at intervals. It spreads load well across variable ground and can mean less digging than continuous underpinning along the whole wall.
Best for: Longer runs of wall or heavier loads over variable ground
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
Rules for underpinning 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of underpinning in Chichester?
Guide prices for underpinning in Chichester start from about £1,100 per metre of wall, 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 carry out underpinning in Chichester?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Chichester, including PO19, and from nearby places such as Bognor Regis and Emsworth. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Chichester cause cracking?
North West Sussex around Crawley and Horsham sits on Weald Clay, the South Downs are chalk, and the coastal plain has brickearth and gravels. The Weald Clay is prone to shrink-swell movement near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Does my house really need underpinning?
Often not, because most subsidence is fixed by repairing drains or managing trees and then repairing the cracks. Underpinning is justified when monitoring shows movement continuing after the cause has been dealt with, or when the ground itself is unsuitable. An independent engineer should make that call.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Chichester
- Retaining wall repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Wall tie replacement
- Crack stitching
Underpinning near Chichester
Not sure your Chichester home needs underpinning at all? Send photos for a free initial assessment and we will say whether an engineer should look first.