What is Subsidence?
Homeowners face a serious problem when their homes suffer from subsidence. These kinds of structural are quite extensive and expensive.
Subsidence refers to the slow sinking of ground and the structure on it. There are numerous reasons that can contribute to why structures sink slowly over time. The most frequent and serious causes are problem soils – especially clays. Some other factors could be:
Water supply: water supply services that leak lead to the ground being washed out or softened.
Environmental problems: trees, for example, can use a lot of water and that can cause serious structural issues.
Mining: the underground voids left behind can lead to a lot of serious issues.
These events—water getting in, water getting out, and the ground not being supported—are the main triggers for subsidence.
What is a Subsidence Survey?
A subsidence survey investigates potential subsidence in buildings. If you own a property and think it might be affected by subsidence, you can get a specialized subsidence survey carried out. The investigation is carried out by a qualified building professional (usually a chartered surveyor or structural engineer). The in-depth survey looks at the property to assess whether it is experiencing any kind of movement or not. If in the course of the investigation it finds that the property is moving, the survey will assess how far and how fast the property is moving.
How Much Does a Subsidence Survey Cost?
The subsidence survey cost can vary quite a bit. For most properties, the average cost is about £700, although this will depend on property size and location, as well as the extend of the problem.
How do you Detect Subsidence?
To uncover issues related to subsidence, our panel of surveyors from Manchester conducts building surveys and structural integrity assessments of properties. These highly detailed surveys are performed at RICS level 2 and level 3. In these two levels of surveys, the surveyors are allowed to find more general issues within the property. If a surveyor finds an issue that might have subsidence as a cause, then a subsequent subsidence report should be commissioned.
Is Subsidence Covered by Insurance?
Whether subsidence damage is covered by insurance is not consistent across insurers or the details of different policies. Many home and commercial property policies do cover the cost of repairing subsidence. To know for sure, you must read your policy or get help from the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Mitigating the Risk of Subsidence
Taking active measures can greatly reduce the risk of subsidence. These measures include:
- Keeping a close eye on below-ground drainage systems and water supply lines to make sure they are leak-free and in good working order.
- Being very deliberate when managing trees and vegetation about the property so as to not encourage excessive soil drying.
- Carrying out regular inspections and maintenance of the property to catch any early signs of ground movement or undue stress on the property’s structure.
Subsidence Reporting in Manchester, London, Bristol, Birmingham & Cardiff
When there are concerns that a home might be in danger of subsidence, an assessor from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) or Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) will investigate for subsidence as part of either an RICS level 2 or level 3 Building Survey.
If these assessors determine that there is a potential problem, they will usually call in a structural engineer to do a more detailed inspection of the property. After that, a subsidence report is generated. The person who prepares the report will usually do a visual inspection of the property and look for signs that might indicate that the house is experiencing subsidence. As a worst-case scenario, they might even look for signs that the house could be in danger of experiencing subsidence.
The survey report pinpoints the likely reasons for subsidence damage and suggests what may be necessary to address the problem—initial risk evaluation and some kind of effective action to limit any further movement that could damage the house. One of the potential solutions the report mentions is “underpinning,” which means strengthening the house’s foundation so that it can better resist movement.
Beyond simply solving the immediate problem at hand, understanding subsidence makes us more aware of its potential to impact our lives, not in a straightforward way but through a kind of ripple effect. Ignorance of the problem can lead to investing in something that simply isn’t sustainable.
Signs of Subsidence
Preventing really serious damage requires addressing subsidence as soon as it becomes apparent. Some of the most obvious signs are:
- Cracks in the walls that are wider at the top than at the bottom, and are diagonal rather than vertical
- Windows and doors that are either not opening or not closing properly, because frame is bent
- The levels or positions of floors are changing
- Wallpaper is ripping off due to damp
Is It Possible to Sell a House that has Subsidence?
Selling an affected property is certainly possible, but it will definitely impact your home’s market value and appeal. With the right expert subsidence report in hand, you can sell your home with subsidence, but you may need to get a little creative in finding the right buyer for such a unique situation.
Subsidence Remedy: Underpinning
The last-resort technique for stopping subsidence problems in buildings is underpinning. It is used mainly to steady buildings that aren’t sinking uniformly. It’ll do the job if the building is mostly the same height all the way around, but it’s good for stopping other types of unevenness in buildings, too, like when parts of a foundation crack and let a building move around even if the cracks are small. Underpinning can also remodel a building’s foundation, mostly by changing its depth.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Underpinning
There are several significant benefits to underpinning. Primarily, it can address various subsidence triggers, from the nearby tree roots that pry into the soil and weaken it to the heavy rains that soak the ground and cause it to shift. Also, underpinning is changeable and can be done differently in each situation, depending on the structure being salvaged.
Selecting an inferior method could make subsidence happen faster and cause it to progress farther. Therefore, it is very important to choose a contractor who can do the job well.
Surveys of Commercial Property
If you’re thinking of acquiring, leasing, subletting, disposing of, or altering commercial premises in Manchester, you would be well advised to locate a surveyor skilled in the nuances of commercial building surveying – should you spot a defect in a commercial building you can use that information to negotiate an asking price for the property that’s considerably lower than what the seller originally wanted, or you can talk your way out of a bad deal altogether.
Our Manchester-based team of RICS-compliant commercial building surveyors is equipped to handle matters throughout Manchester.
Contact
Our team prioritizes client care above all else. We look forward to being in touch with you so you can instruct a surveyor in Manchester, London, Bristol, Birmingham or Cardiff. You can reach out to us easily. Just fill out our form, and we’ll get back to you with a free quote for your survey. All our surveyors are qualified as members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and we are one of the UK’s leading providers of building survey and valuation services:
- Accredited Professionals: Certified by organizations like RICS, CIOB, and RPSA.
- Customized Survey Reports: inspections to meet your specific requirements.
- Local Expertise: Deep understanding and specialized knowledge.
- Expert Guidance: Professional recommendations and support.
The property survey you commission will be carried out by an accredited professional. Your chartered surveyor will be a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), or will belong to some other industry-standard professional body. Rest assured; you will receive highest quality of professional service for your survey.
