Underpinning can help keep non-moving households in place
With few British households planning on moving house in the next year, those considering home improvements might want to invest in underpinning if they see any evidence of subsidence in their property.
Subsidence can be spotted in several ways, from windows that have become hard to close due to shifting frames, to crumbling and cracked masonry.
If left unchecked, the situation can worsen, leading to structural instability in the worst cases – such as for homes built at the tops of hills, or on land prone to erosion.
According to figures from Nationwide Building Society, just 8% of householders intend to move in the next 12 months.
However, 47% are planning home improvements, 9% of which are likely to involve structural work as they seek to add extra living space to their property.
Underpinning can help to ensure the stability of structures while work takes place around them – particularly if any excavation is required.
And with mini piling rigs, the heaviest piling equipment can be kept off-site, with compact rigs used instead to minimise disruption and vibration.