Underpinning Adelaide

Some cracks are cosmetic. Not every crack needs underpinning.

Start with the form. When we reply, we'll explain how to share photos. We'll tell you if it looks cosmetic or needs an engineer to take a look.

Photos can't tell us what the footings are doing. An engineer checks the structure.

Read the crack guide

Adelaide's older inner, eastern and north-eastern suburbs sit on highly reactive clay.

In the eastern suburbs, it is known locally as Bay of Biscay soil. It shrinks a lot in dry spells and swells after heavy rain.

Many Adelaide homes are solid stone or brick on dwarf wall footings or raft slabs. Older homes are more affected.

About Adelaide clay soils

If the cracks point to footing movement, yes. An engineer checks the structure and designs the fix.

Industry reports note fault lines under parts of Adelaide, including around Burnside, Hope Valley, Clarendon and Crafers.

We look at your home rather than guessing the cause from its suburb.

We look after that as part of the job, so you deal with one team the whole way.

About engineer assessments

Underpinning may need approval before work starts.

Check with your council or PlanSA. Approvals are checked as a step in our process, before any digging.

It depends on your home, where the work is and what the engineer designs.

We'll talk it through with you before the job starts, so you can plan.

Underpinning deals with the footings. It isn't a promise that every crack will close on its own.

Any crack repairs or making good should be included in the work you agree to.

Trees can dry the soil out near a home.

The engineer will check whether trees are playing a part at your place.

Every policy is different, so check with your insurer.

Our fixed written price sets out the work, which you can share with them.