Underpinning
Underpinning Contractors Across the North West
At Basetec Piling, we provide professional underpinning services to strengthen, stabilise and restore building foundations that have become weak or unstable. Whether your property has suffered from subsidence, requires structural reinforcement before an extension, or needs foundation repair due to ground movement, our team offers expert underpinning solutions tailored to your site.
What Is Underpinning?
Underpinning is a foundation repair method that involves extending or reinforcing the existing foundations of a building to increase stability and load-bearing capacity. It ensures that your structure remains safe, secure and compliant with building control requirements, even in challenging ground conditions
Why Might a Building Need Underpinning?
There are several reasons a property may require underpinning:
-
Inadequate original foundations – older buildings may have shallow or weak foundations that no longer meet modern standards.
-
Additional storeys or basements – if you’re adding extra floors or a basement level, your existing foundations may need strengthening to support the increased load.
-
Ground movement or subsidence – changes in the soil beneath your building can cause foundations to shift or sink, leading to cracks, uneven floors and structural instability.
-
Flooding or drought – excess water or prolonged dryness can weaken the soil, affecting foundation strength.
-
Nearby construction or excavation – ground vibration or soil displacement from surrounding developments can destabilise existing foundations.
If you’ve noticed cracks in walls, sloping floors, sticking doors or gaps between walls and ceilings, these may be signs that your property needs underpinning.
Our Underpinning Services
We offer a complete underpinning service, managing every stage of the process from inspection to completion:
-
Site surveys and structural assessments – our experienced engineers inspect your property and determine the best underpinning method for your ground conditions.
-
Structural design and calculations – all underpinning work is carried out to structural engineer specifications and building control standards.
-
Underpinning installation – we use proven underpinning techniques to stabilise and strengthen your foundation safely and efficiently.
-
Foundation repair and restoration – we ensure the entire foundation is secure, restoring stability to the property.
-
Compliance and certification – full documentation is provided for building inspectors and insurance purposes.
Types of Underpinning We Provide
Our engineers choose the most appropriate method for each project, including:
-
Mass concrete underpinning – the traditional method of extending the foundation depth by excavating and filling with reinforced concrete.
-
Mini-piled underpinning – ideal for sites with limited access or poor ground conditions, using driven or bored mini piles to support new or existing foundations.
-
Beam and base underpinning – reinforced concrete beams are installed to distribute the building load evenly to new foundations.
Why Choose Basetec for Underpinning?
-
Experienced underpinning and piling contractors serving the North West
-
Full design, calculation and installation service
-
Expertise in subsidence repair and structural foundation strengthening
-
Work completed to building control and engineering standards
-
Free, no-obligation site surveys and clear, transparent quotations
Underpinning Contractors Covering the North West
We provide underpinning and foundation repair services across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria.
Whether you’re a homeowner, builder or developer, our team delivers reliable underpinning solutions to keep your building safe and structurally sound.
Get a Free Site Survey and Quotation
If you suspect your property needs underpinning or foundation repair, contact us today. We’ll arrange a free, no-obligation site visit, assess the ground conditions and provide a detailed quotation for your underpinning works.
Underpinning Frequently Asked Questions
Underpinning strengthens or extends a building’s foundations when the ground weakens or extra load is added. Basetec Piling provides safe, engineered underpinning solutions across the North West.
Signs include wall cracks, sloping floors, or sticking doors. Basetec Piling offers free site surveys to check if underpinning or another fix is required.
Subsidence happens when soil shifts or sinks due to drought, tree roots, or leaks. Basetec Piling identifies the cause and stabilises your foundations.
Most domestic projects take one to three weeks. Basetec Piling provides clear timelines before starting work.
Costs depend on property size, soil type and underpinning method. Basetec Piling provides free quotes with no hidden fees.
Yes. When done correctly, underpinning stabilises the structure long-term. Basetec Piling ensures all work meets engineer’s standards.
Yes and we often work on heritage and period homes. Basetec Piling strengthens old foundations while preserving character.
Not usually, but building control approval is required. Basetec Piling manages this process for you.
Basetec Piling provides underpinning across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria.