Underpinning

[mylittlehouse]

Hello

I have a victorian terrace, some of the other houses in the street have had the kitchen at the back built above so they can move the bathroom upstairs and keep it a two bedroom.
My question is Underpining, how much roughly does this cost, is it alot of work and how common is it as other wise i feel they woudl need to knock down my kitchen and rebuild it.

 

[daverik]

Back breaking work. typical method is for short sections of underpinning to be carried out one at a time. Depending on how much of the foundation is to be underpinned it may be possible for more than one section to be carried out simultaneously – subject to them being sufficiently remote from each other.

The excavation for each section of underpinning will normally be inspected by a design engineer and a building control surveyor before it is concreted. Filling the excavation with concrete will not guarantee that the underpinning will provide sound support to the existing foundation, because of the real possibility that voids between the two will remain. Therefore, it is usually necessary for a sand & cement packing to be rammed into the void to ensure the support. This may also be inspected by the engineer and building control surveyor

The timing of each stage and the specification of the materials to be used will vary on a case by base basis and should normally be the subject of a structural engineer’s design.

If not carried out properly, this kind of work poses very real risks and could see damage to or collapse of the existing home. You are therefore advised to employ experienced people for the design (for example, an experienced designer and structural engineer) and construction (for example, somebody with experience of underpinning and general building work) to carry out the project.

 

[DIWHY]

Are you underpinning because of subsidence.

Or because you believe the existing foundation is insufficient for the extra storey.

 

[kevnurse]

Your house is more than 100 years old and will be strongly built. It is very unlikely that you will need to underpin. However, you should bite the bullet and get an architect to check the site, discuss your requirements (and those of the planning and building office) and make a few enquiries for you with a local structural engineer. It will cost you a few hundred quid but it is money worth spending to find out this stuff.