Structural engineering

Subsidence Engineers

What Is Subsidence?

The Institute of Structural subsidence engineers defines subsidence as “the downward movement of a building and foundation caused by the loss of support of the site beneath the foundations.” 

It’s important to note that Subsidence is typically DOWNWARD movement while Pyrite consists of upward heave movement.

The term itself is quite commonly known in the public domain and unfortunately can be the scary word applied to any type of subsidence cracking occurring to buildings.

The Insurance Industry common policy wording describes the Subsidence occurrence as an and is an insurable peril within typical household insurance policies.

Subsidence Engineering

What Causes Subsidence?

Leaking Drains

Leaking Water-Main

Shift of Water Table – seasonal or weather influenced

Excessive run off water due to topographical changes of ground and infrastructure

Get Your House Subsidence Repaired Today!

We provide permanent subsidence repairs to properties in Ireland every year. We are Ireland’s premier provider of subsidence and Ground Engineering solutions. Our expert team have built a strong reputation in all areas of Ground Engineering with a specialist approach to foundation design, investigation and subsidence repair.

Subsidence Repair

What CAN Banrach do for you?

We represent home and business owners for the Domestic, Commercial and Insurance markets. We have over 15 years’ experience working with satisfied clients in terms of successful settlement and remediation.

To give you an insight into what we, as Consulting Subsidence Engineers, do when appointed by property owners when a potential Subsidence crack, subsidence repair and other issue arises, we carry out the following:

Signs of Subsidence

Subsidence Engineers

External Walls

This will present itself as vertical and horizontal

Subsidence Engineers

Internal Cracking

Internal cracking be it vertical or horizontal, cracking of floor slabs, doors getting stuck in door frames

Subsidence Engineers

Driveways & Footpaths

Cracking and separation of driveways and paths from
structures such as the building’s external cracks in walls and kerbing.
Cracking of footpaths around manholes

FAQ

Cracking in walls
Some hairline cracks may be just a result of building settlement, particularly in newer
buildings. Cracks relating to subsidence should be either side of wall, and typically are:

  • Diagonal cracks around doors & windows.
  • Vertical cracks between building & extension.
  • Horizontal cracking, increasing in width.

 

Doors/windows sticking
Uneven floors
Building tilt

Most household insurance policies cover ‘subsidence’ to some degree. We can review your
policy for you to see what cover, if any, is in place.

Firstly, we will visit the site, to meet with you, inspect the property and establish whether or
not we believe subsidence is present. If we believe it is present, we will arrange a CCTV drain
survey, and/or a Leak Detection survey. We will compile a report with our findings. If you
are happy for us to do, we will negotiate on your behalf with the Insurance Company/Loss
Adjuster/Assessor.

To fix the problem, you will need to engage the services of a specialist engineer and a
subsidence contractor. The specialist engineer will survey the building, and design an
engineering solution tailored to the issue. The damage is usually remediated by pressure
grouting under foundations, installing mini piles, or a combination of these.

The cracking may be not be as a result of subsidence. Fine, hairline cracks are usually not
subsidence related. These can be related to concrete shrinkage. We can discuss options
with you on site to remediate the cracks.

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