Who should I use to handle my subsidence problem?
Insurer-employed vs independent subsidence consultants When you have subsidence, it needs to be handled carefully and properly, by an experienced consultant. Adequate and appropriate investigations need to be undertaken not only to correctly diagnose the precise...
UK Geology – and root-induced subsidence (part 1 – London clay)
Root-induced subsidence occurs in shrinkable soils, which are mainly clays, or clay-based matrixes. In the UK there are a great deal of different soil types, and layers of differing soils. We need to differentiate between bedrock (i.e. the main older ground type...
Is the UK out of step with the rest of the world on subsidence?
Basically, yes! In most other countries, they view cracking to buildings much differently, more like how we would view any other minor building defect. The vast majority of subsidence cracks are minor and not structurally threatening and subsidence is generally not...
When street trees cause subsidence
Everybody likes a tree-lined avenue and street trees are important for several environmental reasons such as air quality as well as their aesthetic value. Local authorities want to keep street trees wherever possible, but in many cases on shrinkable clay subsoils,...
Party Wall Act – Dealing With Damage
What do you do when there is an issue of damage caused by work authorised by a Party Wall Award? If you are an Adjoining Owner and you suspect that damage has been caused by your neighbour’s work then you should notify the Building Owner (or his contractor /...
Avoiding Subsidence – Risk Assessments & Advice on Avoiding Clay Subsidence
Clay subsidence is something you really don’t want to get and is in most cases completely avoidable. Why bother? Most subsidence damage is minor in structural terms and not dangerous to occupants, but repairs can be extensive, very disruptive and very costly, and it...
How does your garden grow? – Is clay subsidence avoidable? (part 2 of 2)
Absolutely it is! All clay subsidence is caused by a combination of tree roots beneath foundations, shrinkable clay and prolonged hot/dry weather. Remove any one of those elements and the problem disappears. Live tree roots are of course the easiest element to remove....
How does your garden grow? – could that tree/shrub really pose a subsidence risk to your house? (part 1 of 2)
Many people are very surprised to learn that trees they thought were too far away to pose a risk are actually proven to have grown beneath their foundations and caused subsidence to their house. They are similarly proven wrong about bushes and shrubs thought to be too...