Underpinned house

Time40 · 28/09/2021 15:24

We've just sold a house that was underpinned in 1990, and it wasn't a problem at all.

Original poster

choixx · 28/09/2021 15:29

Thanks for replying @Time40, that's reassuring as it's the only thing holding me back a bit.
Did you buyers seem bothered at all, I presume surveys showed no movement? Can I ask if the underpinning was a similar reason to my op?

OP posts:

MyCatDribbles · 28/09/2021 15:32

If it’s just the conservatory bit that’s underpinned then if you’re knocking it down and starting again then it’ll just have normal foundations won’t it? I thought underpinning is only done as a remedial action

Original poster

choixx · 28/09/2021 15:34

just assumed most extensions were underpinned as best practice for the clay. I could be wrong though

OP posts:

Time40 · 28/09/2021 15:40

@choixx it was underpinned because of bad, failed drains. There hasn't been any new cracking since, and they buyer wasn't in the least bit bothered.

Original poster

choixx · 28/09/2021 15:44

thanks @Time40

OP posts:

Original poster

choixx · 30/09/2021 07:39

bump

OP posts:

homebuyer34 · 03/10/2021 21:41

I heard an underpinned house will be stronger on that side than neighbouring houses, if the work has been done under the supervision of a structural engineer and signed-off properly.

Structural engineer said an underpinned house is solid. Engineered to withstand the previous pressures put on it, it essentially gives foundations to houses that have no foundations. Period houses have very little in the way of foundations. It was standard construction.
The problem is usually a lack of education and for anyone ready to walk away, there are still plenty willing to buy.

homebuyer34 · 03/10/2021 22:00

@choixx

Hello all,

So after giving up hope of finding a suitable property & thinking we need to leave London we have found a house with great potential.
The seller has been upfront & we know a conservatory bit at the back was underpinned due to a WW2 bomb & some trees. This all happened early 90s & the trees were removed & apparently insurance isn't a problem in terms of premiums due to it being so long ago.

Obviously we will get a structural engineer to have a look, price wise it's no cheaper then others that have sold but I know underpinning is very normal in Lambeth, Wandsworth etc & houses aren't often for sale on this road plus apparently climate change in the future will only make it worse so I see it as a good thing in a weird way.

We would knock down the conservatory & build out anyway to extend the kitchen & I assume that work would require underpinning.

i know people say it can affect future sales but how true is that

Period properties weren't built with much in the way of foundations. I've seen substantial houses resting on a couple of courses below ground, with one brick turned at a 90 degree angle for them to sit on. Bay windows were built with even less in the way of foundations, so it's fairly common to get differential movement - all houses move.

If you are buying any period property it will have no foundations. This house wasn't special. If you are buying a period property in the same area it will also probably have the same soil make up. You swap a stigma of it having been underpinned for the actual risk of a house that might need it one day. Both houses need the same care, the one that is underpinned is better primed for the future.

People essentially preferring houses with no foundations to houses with foundations. There are thousands of properties which have been underpinned, sell without issue and make perfectly good homes - often more stable homes than some new builds!
No blame on buyers as they don't really get it, but most people genuinely have no idea at all what they are buying. Not even with an expensive survey. They're all in the dark.

Kocduw · 03/10/2021 22:18

Underpinning is a method of strengthening faulty foundations. If you are starting again, you just need to employ a structural engineer to design the foudations appropriate for the ground conditions. With clay soils they may be ok with a reasonably shallow foundation if stiff dry clay, or deeper if different types of clay. If underpinning is related to a bomb, I expect that the issue is filled ground. This could be retified by compacting the earth in layers or mini piling.

In essence, its just an engineering solution that would cost more than strip foundation.

homebuyer34 · 04/10/2021 09:52

@Kocduw

Underpinning is a method of strengthening faulty foundations. If you are starting again, you just need to employ a structural engineer to design the foudations appropriate for the ground conditions. With clay soils they may be ok with a reasonably shallow foundation if stiff dry clay, or deeper if different types of clay. If underpinning is related to a bomb, I expect that the issue is filled ground. This could be retified by compacting the earth in layers or mini piling.

In essence, its just an engineering solution that would cost more than strip foundation.

i am not really sure about underpinned related to a bomb. Tat must be very hard work!!!!

Kocduw · 05/10/2021 05:52

Its probably just filling in a crater.

homebuyer34 · 09/10/2021 09:29

[quote Time40]@choixx it was underpinned because of bad, failed drains. There hasn't been any new cracking since, and they buyer wasn't in the least bit bothered.[/quote]
Hello
It it was underpinned due to failed drains , problem fixed and there will be a very low chances of a further subsidence. nothing to bothered.

homebuyer34 · 09/10/2021 09:34

My friend bought and recently sold out an underpinned house at full asking price and it wasn't a problem at all.

I guess it depends on the buyers.

Georgewontsleepnow · 09/10/2021 15:00

We tried to buy an underpinned 1940's house. Because the house was in poor repair, it was impossible to get buildings insurance- event using a specialist broker. So our mortgage lender wouldn't lend etc. I was gutted to pull out and it had to be purchased by a cash buyer.

sherl0ck · 09/10/2021 15:27

Your mortgage or insurance provider may ask for a monitoring report to ensure the subsidence is historic and has been adequately fixed. Monitoring for reports of this type take place over a period of time (3 months usually) so if you are looking for a quick purchase just be aware.

homebuyer34 · 09/10/2021 17:21

@sherl0ck

Your mortgage or insurance provider may ask for a monitoring report to ensure the subsidence is historic and has been adequately fixed. Monitoring for reports of this type take place over a period of time (3 months usually) so if you are looking for a quick purchase just be aware.

{ monitoring report to ensure the subsidence is historic}

You should have a Certificate of Structural Adequacy. It is required by mortgage or lender. The certificate is issued following completion of repairs and a period of monitoring.

homebuyer34 · 09/10/2021 17:23

@Georgewontsleepnow

We tried to buy an underpinned 1940's house. Because the house was in poor repair, it was impossible to get buildings insurance- event using a specialist broker. So our mortgage lender wouldn't lend etc. I was gutted to pull out and it had to be purchased by a cash buyer.

May i ask how long ago it was underpinned? The one you were trying to buy but pulled out.

Georgewontsleepnow · 09/10/2021 21:09

It was around 25 years ago. No further evidence of movement, but repairs (cavity wall ties, lintels, roof!) needed.

sherl0ck · 09/10/2021 21:59

@homebuyer34 the house didn’t have one of those and the owner decided not to go through their insurance, so they didn’t have a record of the repair work either!
We ended up having huge issues getting insurance, hence the expensive movement / monitoring report (but not the certificate you are referring to) required 20+ years after the original work was carried out.

NatriumChloride · 09/10/2021 22:07

I posted on here many moons ago asking about something similar. The overall advice was to run and I’m glad I did. Even though I was totally in love with the house, we couldn’t find home insurance cheaply - it was coming close to £2000 a year.
We passed up on the sale and bought something else instead, even though the estate agent told us “he had no shortage of buyers who would offer above and over the asking price.” I checked the sold price of the property many months later just to see what it had sold for - £40k less than asking and lower than what we had offered.

homebuyer34 · 10/10/2021 09:43

[quote sherl0ck]@homebuyer34 the house didn’t have one of those and the owner decided not to go through their insurance, so they didn’t have a record of the repair work either!
We ended up having huge issues getting insurance, hence the expensive movement / monitoring report (but not the certificate you are referring to) required 20+ years after the original work was carried out.[/quote]
So you finally bought that underpinned house without a record of repair work (Certificate of structural), right?
How did you find getting insurance??

Helpwhatwouldyoudonext · 18/06/2023 13:18

Hi, I know this is an old thread, but has anyone here had resin underpinning? What was it like?