To ensure the stability of structures, underpinning is typically carried out on weak or damaged foundations to strengthen them for a longer time to come. House underpinning is normally necessary when the home is determined to be undergoing subsidence or additional weight is being added to the structure through the construction of extra floors. In some cases, a poorly constructed home may also need to be underpinned to ensure its stability moving forward.
Many homeowners struggle with understanding the cost of underpinning services. The process is often lengthy and time consuming, and it can be challenging to know how much you will end up spending once the work is done. There are several factors that determine the cost of underpinning.
1. Location of the property
Underpinning requires plenty of space to access the home's foundation. Therefore, homes in highly populated urban areas will cost more to underpin than those in spacious rural areas. In addition, the additional demand for underpinning services in urban areas typically drives up the cost of the work in places where the population is high.
To access and underpin tight spaces, the mass concrete method or beam method may be more suitable due to the limited working area available.
2. Your insurance policy
Depending on the type of insurance coverage that you have on your home, you may be able to enjoy insurance coverage for underpinning costs. In cases where you have your home insured and it experiences subsidence, you can make a claim on your insurance policy to have the house underpinned.
However, homes that are still under the builder's initial warranty will have the underpinning costs covered by the builder and not the insurer. The premium that you will pay on your insurance policy to cover underpinning costs will depend on the level of risk that the home is exposed to over time.
3. Shared walls with neighbours
If your home is only partially detached from your neighbours, you will need to obtain their approval before underpinning the house. This is because the underpinning may cause disruptions to shared walls and floors, in addition to other inconveniences such as noise and dust/dirt particles being emitted.
To avoid potential disputes, it is wise to hire a lawyer who can prepare legal agreements between all the involved parties regarding the current state of the diving wall and how long the project will last.
4. Available width in the construction area
Underpinning involves both vertical and horizontal strengthening to the current structure. In addition to digging downwards in order to stabilise the home, the contractor will also need to dig sideways.
More sideways digging in tight spaces will likely result in higher costs during the course of the work. Therefore, larger homes that are in need of wider foundations may cost more to underpin.
