Yes, we carry out underpinning and subsidence repairs in Old Swan, L13, always to a chartered structural engineer’s design. Many enquiries here are not about underpinning at all but about whether a crack matters, and the honest answer is often that the cause needs fixing rather than the foundations. Where underpinning is needed, we explain the method, deal with Building Control and plan the work around you.
Two kinds of house, two kinds of question
Victorian terraces
The older terraced streets have shallow footings by modern standards, brick party walls and drainage that may be as old as the houses. Calls tend to be about cracking at the back where outriggers and later extensions meet the main house, or about stepped cracks above openings. On a terrace, any dig beside the footings will usually involve the neighbour too, so the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is part of the early conversation.
Inter-war semis
The semis that followed often have front bay windows, side or rear extensions and longer gardens, sometimes with trees that have grown a long way since the houses were built. That combination is why we are asked about cracks around bays, gaps at extension junctions and doors that suddenly catch. None of those is proof of subsidence; each is a reason to have the engineer look.
Is underpinning really needed?
The RICS consumer guide on subsidence says fewer than 5% of affected properties need underpinning, and that the Institution of Structural Engineers recommends it only as a last resort. In practice that means the first jobs are usually diagnostic: a CCTV survey to rule a drain in or out, an arboriculturist’s view on any tree, and sometimes months of measurements. If a cracked drain is to blame, repairing the drain and letting the ground settle may be the main fix.
| What you notice | What usually comes next |
|---|---|
| A hairline crack that hasn’t changed in years | Often decoration only; keep a dated photo |
| A new crack wider than 3 mm, or one that is growing | Insurer informed if subsidence is suspected; engineer inspection |
| Cracks around a bay with sticking front doors | Engineer inspection, possibly drain survey and monitoring |
| Movement confirmed and the cause cannot be removed | Engineer-designed underpinning or other foundation repair |
When the repair is decided
Once the engineer has chosen a scheme, we give a written quote, lodge the Building Control notice and, where needed, work alongside a party wall surveyor. Repairs to masonry, such as helical bar crack stitching, normally come at the end, once the ground is stable. The engineer and Building Control sign off the work as applicable.
If movement could be subsidence and you have buildings insurance, contact the insurer before any repair. The insurer decides what is investigated and how the damage is put right.
We also work in neighbouring Wavertree, West Derby and Walton. For the full range of methods, start with our page on foundation underpinning in Liverpool, or read how local underpinning and subsidence repair is approached across the city.
Worried about a crack in L13?
Call 07777 659786. Tell us whether it’s a terrace or a semi, where the crack is and how long it has been there, and we’ll ring back to explain the sensible next step.
Frequently asked questions
Do inter-war semis in Old Swan need underpinning more than terraces do?
There is no rule either way. Each house type has its own weak points: semis often have bays, side extensions and gardens with trees, while terraces have shared walls and older shared drains. Whether any of them needs underpinning depends entirely on the cause of movement, which a structural engineer has to establish on site.
My bay window has a crack running down from the sill. What should I do first?
Take dated photos with a ruler or coin for scale, note whether it widens over the coming weeks, and if you suspect subsidence tell your buildings insurer. Don’t fill it yet. Bays often sit on shallower footings than the main walls, so the engineer will want to see the crack as it is. Our bay window repair page explains the usual investigation.
Is a crack in the plaster always a structural problem?
No. Most fine cracks are shrinkage or decoration-level, and BRE guidance treats cracks up to about 5 mm as aesthetic in most cases. What matters more is whether a crack is new, growing, wider at the top, or matched by doors starting to stick. If any of those apply, get an engineer to look.
Can crack stitching be done without underpinning?
Yes, and that is common. Where the cause has been removed and the ground has stopped moving, stainless steel helical bars can restore the masonry across a crack. Stitching does not stop ongoing foundation movement, though, so it only makes sense once the engineer is satisfied the movement has ended.
Do you cover streets between Old Swan and Tuebrook or Broadgreen?
Yes. We cover the whole of Liverpool and Merseyside, so the exact boundary of a neighbourhood makes no difference to whether we can visit. Give us the postcode when you call and we will arrange a time.