From first call to keys back.

Most underpinning enquiries land with us in a hurry. A crack has appeared, a door has stopped closing, an insurer has asked for a structural opinion. The job from there is to slow down just enough to get the diagnosis right, then move quickly through the work itself.

The total elapsed time from first call to a finished, signed-off job is usually eight to sixteen weeks for a domestic property. Emergencies are prioritised. Larger or more contested cases take longer, especially where insurance is involved.

All timings below are typical ranges, not guarantees. Insurance-backed claims and complex sites take longer.

1. 01

   Usually same or next working day

   Initial call & triage

   We talk through what you are seeing, cracks, sticking doors, recent extensions, nearby trees. If it sounds urgent we prioritise the survey. If it might be cosmetic we will say so.

2. 02

   Typically within 5–10 working days

   Site survey

   A surveyor walks the property inside and out (60–90 minutes on site), measures crack patterns, photographs everything, and checks drainage runs. You get an honest opinion at the door before any quote.

3. 03

   1–3 weeks

   Specialist diagnostics

   If the survey points to it, we arrange the right next steps in-house: drain and CCTV survey to rule out leaking pipes, arborist report where trees are implicated, soil investigation with trial pits or boreholes, and crack monitoring over a few weeks if movement is uncertain.

4. 04

   2–4 weeks

   Structural engineer's design

   A chartered engineer specifies the method, depth, and any monitoring. You get drawings and calculations you can keep on file for insurers and future buyers.

5. 05

   2–6 weeks

   Approvals & paperwork

   Building Control notification, Party Wall Notices where the work is within 3m of a neighbour's foundation, and an insurance liaison if a claim is in the picture.

6. 06

   Varies by method

   Remedial works

   Resin injection often completes in a single day. Mass concrete and beam-and-base typically run two to six weeks on site. Mini and screw piling are often one to three weeks. The engineer is on call throughout.

7. 07

   1–3 weeks

   Reinstatement & sign-off

   Drainage repairs, garden reinstatement, internal redecoration where needed. Final building control sign-off and the engineer's completion certificate.

8. 08

   20 YEARS

   Guarantee & aftercare

   A workmanship guarantee on the underpinning installation, plus the engineer's design certificate. Most properties never need to see us again.