UK underpinning guidance

Underpinning, explained calmly and without the sales pitch

What underpinning a house really costs, the signs that point to subsidence, how underpinning affects a property's value, and how subsidence insurance claims work. Every figure is a range, with its source.

£6k–£21k+ typical whole-house range~£1k–£2k/m mass-concrete, per linear metre~10% of subsidence cases need it
Cited sourcesCheckatrade, MyJobQuote, insurersRanges, not promisescosts depend on your propertyVetted contractorschecked & introduced

In 40 seconds

Underpinning a house in the UK typically costs somewhere between £6,000 and £21,000+, with many standard semi-detached jobs landing around £10,000–£15,000 for the common mass-concrete method. Per linear metre of affected wall, traditional mass-concrete underpinning usually runs about £1,000–£2,000 per metre, rising further for deep, complex or London jobs. It is worth keeping the scale in perspective: only around 10% of properties with subsidence actually need underpinning — many are stabilised in less drastic ways. If the movement is caused by subsidence and you hold buildings insurance, the repair is often covered by a subsidence claim, usually subject to a higher excess. The honest answer is always a range, because it depends on your property, the cause and the depth of work.

Subsidence and underpinning are stressful subjects, and a lot of the guidance online is published by firms selling the work. The pages below give calm, sourced cost ranges, explain the signs that genuinely point to underpinning, set out how it affects value, and walk through the insurance and subsidence-claim route — before you commit to anything.

£6k–£21k+
typical whole-house
~£1k–£2k/m
mass concrete per metre
~10%
of subsidence cases
Often covered
by subsidence insurance

Cost & pricing

What underpinning a house actually costs in the UK.

Cost

How much does underpinning a house cost in the UK?

Typical whole-house ranges, why a semi and a detached differ, and how depth, method, engineer fees and access move the number.

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Cost per metre

What underpinning costs per linear metre by method.

Per metre

How much does underpinning cost per metre in the UK?

Mass-concrete prices per linear metre and per square metre, how the methods compare, and how to read a per-metre quote.

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Signs & identification

The signs that genuinely point to subsidence and underpinning.

Signs

What are the signs you need underpinning?

The subsidence cracks and movement signs that matter, what they look like, and why most subsidence does not actually need underpinning.

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Value & selling

How underpinning affects a property's value and sale.

House value

Does underpinning affect a house's value?

How underpinning and a subsidence history can affect value, why recency matters, and what you must disclose when selling.

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Insurance & claims

How subsidence insurance and underpinning claims work.

Insurance

Does insurance cover underpinning and subsidence?

When a subsidence claim covers the work, how excesses and future cover change, and the practical steps of making a claim.

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How it works

Guidance first. Quotes only if you want them.

We publish calm, sourced answers on underpinning costs, the signs of subsidence, how it affects value, and the insurance route — then, if you'd like prices, match you with a vetted structural/underpinning contractor who works from a structural engineer's findings and quotes on a clear specification. Costs are always shown as ranges that depend on your property. No obligation, and you decide whether to proceed.

Ready for an underpinning assessment on your home?

Tell us about your property and we'll match you with a vetted structural/underpinning contractor who works to a structural engineer's specification and quotes on a clear, comparable basis.

Free to be matched. You agree any price with the contractor directly.