About this site
Who to contact about subsidence in Hampshire
A crack in a wall or a sticking door can mean several things. This page sets out how enquiries are handled, what the specialist firms do once they arrive, and what you receive at the end.
What happens when you describe a problem with your home
You notice something wrong. A crack has opened above a window frame, a door that used to close freely now drags on the carpet, or a floor feels uneven underfoot. You do not know if it is serious, and you do not need to.
Describing what you have seen is enough. The details go to a specialist firm working in Hampshire that deals with ground movement and failing foundations. They read the description and decide whether a visit is needed. Some marks on plaster are seasonal. Others point to soil moving beneath the footings. The specialist makes that distinction.
Nothing is assumed from a photograph alone. Ground conditions vary across the county, from chalk downland near Andover to soft coastal silts around Gosport. A firm familiar with the local geology reads the signs against what lies beneath the house.
The specialist firms and the work they carry out
Separate firms handle the physical work. Each one operates independently and brings its own equipment and methods to the site.
Some jobs require underpinning, where the existing foundations are deepened to reach stable ground. Others use resin injection, pumping expanding material into voids below the slab to lift and stabilise it without excavation. Screw piling drives steel piles through made ground or fill until they grip firm strata below. Concrete cracking in floors, driveways and patios is repaired by specialists who understand how slabs behave when the soil underneath shifts.
Older homes in Hampshire present their own problems. Flint walls, cob construction and chalk block buildings move differently from modern brick. A specialist who works with lime mortar and traditional materials knows how to address cracks in those structures without causing further damage. Garages, porches and garden walls sit on shallower foundations than the main house and often show movement first.
Why local ground conditions matter so much
Hampshire sits on varied geology. Clay soils shrink during dry summers and swell when rain returns, pulling foundations down and pushing them up in turn. Homes built on valley floors may rest on peat or soft silt that compresses over time. Areas of reclaimed land near the coast, or sites where old wells and cellars were filled in decades ago, can settle unpredictably.
Trees compound the problem. Roots extract moisture from clay, accelerating shrinkage. Removing a mature tree causes the opposite effect: the soil rehydrates and heaves upward, lifting floors and opening new cracks. A specialist surveyor considers all of these factors before recommending any repair.
The same visible crack can have entirely different causes depending on whether the house stands on Basingstoke chalk, Fareham clay beds or the gravel terraces of Romsey. That is why the enquiry goes to a firm that knows the specific area rather than a general builder applying a single method everywhere.
From first contact to finished repair
The path starts with a description of the problem and ends with a documented assessment. Between those points, the specialist firm handles the technical decisions.
They determine whether monitoring is needed over several months to track movement, or whether the evidence already points to a clear cause. They choose the repair method based on soil type, building construction and the extent of the damage. Resin injection suits some situations; screw piling suits others. Underpinning remains necessary where foundations must be taken deeper.
Throughout this process, the role of this site is limited to passing your enquiry to the right firm. The specialist takes responsibility for the diagnosis and the work. You deal directly with them from the point they arrange a visit, and they remain accountable for the outcome.
Who does what during a subsidence enquiry
Your part is brief. You describe what you have noticed, and the specialist firm handles the investigation, the diagnosis and any repair work that follows.
What a specialist does
- Read the initial description and assess whether a site visit is needed
- Examine the building fabric, measure cracks and check drainage runs
- Investigate the soil type and look for trees or drains affecting moisture
- Determine the cause of movement and recommend a repair method
- Carry out the agreed work, from resin injection to full underpinning
- Monitor the repair and confirm the movement has stopped
What you do
- Describe the cracks, sticking doors or uneven floors you have noticed
- Provide your address so the right local firm picks up the enquiry
- Let the specialist in to examine the house and the ground around it
What you receive after the investigation
The specialist firm bases its conclusions on measurements taken at your home. Those findings are recorded so you have a clear account of the problem and the proposed solution.
Site survey report
A written record of the inspection, noting crack widths, wall alignment and any visible drainage defects around the home.
Ground assessment
Details of the soil type beneath the foundations and any factors, such as trees or old fill, contributing to movement.
Repair specification
The recommended method, whether resin injection, underpinning or another approach, with reasons for choosing it.
Send details of the problem you have noticed
The information you provide goes to a specialist firm covering your part of Hampshire. Sending an enquiry does not commit you to any work or cost.
- No obligation to proceed
- Handled by local firms
- Direct response to you