Independent subsidence investigations — diagnosing whether movement is live, what's causing it, crack monitoring programmes, insurer liaison and remedial design.
“Subsidence” is the most feared word in UK property — and one of the most over-diagnosed. Much of what alarms owners is historic settlement or seasonal movement that needs no work at all; some of it is live movement that genuinely threatens the structure. A subsidence investigation establishes which, independently, before anyone spends money on underpinning or loses a sale to panic.
What the investigation involves
- Diagnosis — inspection of crack patterns, distortion and external levels; review of tree proximity, soil type, drainage and the property's history to identify the probable cause.
- Monitoring — where progression is uncertain, a crack-monitoring programme over agreed intervals distinguishes live movement from stable history (how surveyors check is explained in our subsidence guide).
- Further investigation — scoped only where justified: drainage CCTV, trial pits, root identification.
- Remedial design — proportionate solutions, from tree management and drain repair to structural repair schemes; underpinning is the last resort, not the default.
Insurance claims and purchases
For owners claiming on buildings insurance, our reports give you an independent position rather than relying solely on the insurer's appointed experts — and our engineers liaise with loss adjusters directly. For buyers, an investigation converts a scary survey comment into a priced, negotiable fact (typical repair costs in our 2026 subsidence cost guide). Where a claim or transaction turns contentious, the same panel provides expert witness evidence.
Fees and timescales
Fixed fees for the initial investigation and report, typically 5–10 working days from inspection; monitoring programmes quoted by visit schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my house has subsidence?
The classic signs: diagonal cracks stepping through brickwork (often wider at the top), cracks appearing after dry summers or near large trees, doors and windows sticking, and sloping floors — particularly in combination. None of these prove subsidence on their own; plenty of movement is historic and stable. An investigation distinguishes live subsidence from the harmless history most older houses carry.
Does subsidence always mean underpinning?
No — underpinning is the last resort, needed in only a minority of confirmed cases. Most subsidence traces to a treatable cause: tree roots drying clay soil, a leaking drain washing out ground, or seasonal movement that stabilises once the cause is managed. Fix the cause, monitor, repair the cracking — that is the usual sequence. Be wary of anyone proposing underpinning from a single glance.
Should I claim on my buildings insurance for subsidence?
Sometimes — but go in informed. Subsidence claims typically carry a higher excess, and a recorded claim affects future premiums and sale disclosures, so trivial or stable movement may not justify one. An independent investigation first tells you whether the damage is genuinely subsidence, what remediation is proportionate, and gives you your own expert position alongside the insurer's loss adjuster.