Cardiff
Foundation repair in Cardiff for cracked, sinking walls
Send the details of what you have noticed at home. A specialist will review the signs and advise whether foundation repair in Cardiff is needed, without any charge or obligation to proceed.
What foundation problems look like at home
Older houses in Cardiff often sit on shallow footings or made ground that shifts over decades. Foundation problems in an old house show up as visible changes in walls, floors and door frames rather than hidden damage below ground.
- 1
Bay window pulling away
A gap opens between the bay front and the main wall. Paint cracks along the join, suggesting the bay has settled independently of the house.
- 2
Cracks where an extension meets the house
Diagonal cracks appear inside or out at the junction. The extension may have dropped relative to the original structure, leaving a visible step.
- 3
Sloping kitchen floor
The floor dips near external walls or sinks toward one corner. Tiles crack or grout lines widen as the concrete slab beneath them moves.
- 4
Doors sticking in their frames
Internal doors catch on the frame or no longer latch. This can mean the surrounding wall has shifted enough to distort the opening.
Repair options for a moving foundation
Different causes need different fixes. The right method depends on the soil, the depth of existing footings and how far movement has gone.
Scope of work
- Targeted repair
- Covers one issue such as a bay window dropping or a sunken extension in Cardiff.
- Full underpinning
- Replaces or deepens the footing along a full wall or the entire perimeter.
Ground treatment
- Targeted repair
- May use resin injection to stabilise soil beneath a sinking floor slab repair.
- Full underpinning
- Excavates below the existing base to pour new mass concrete foundations.
Disruption inside
- Targeted repair
- Work often stays outside or under one room, keeping the rest of the home usable.
- Full underpinning
- Requires clearing rooms along the affected walls while trenches are dug.
Typical cause addressed
- Targeted repair
- Localised issues like a leaking drain washing out soil under one corner.
- Full underpinning
- Widespread shrinkage of clay soil affecting the whole building footprint.
A structural survey determines which approach suits the ground conditions and the extent of movement.
Questions about foundation repairs
These cover the most common worries. For anything else, send the details directly. Ask something else.
- The bay window at the front is pulling away, can that be fixed?
- Often yes, without touching the main wall. A wall movement specialist in Cardiff will check whether the bay has its own footing and if it has settled independently. Targeted work, such as resin injection beneath just the bay, can halt the drop and close the gap over time.
- My Victorian footings are very shallow, does that always mean trouble?
- Shallow Victorian foundations are common across Cardiff and do not always cause problems. Trouble starts when the ground beneath them changes, because of tree roots, leaking drains or prolonged dry weather shrinking the clay. A subsidence survey establishes whether movement is active.
- The back extension has dropped at the join with the house, what is the repair?
- Extensions often settle differently from the main house because they were built later on separate footings. The repair might involve mini piled underpinning driven deep enough to reach stable ground, or crack repair combined with monitoring to confirm the movement has stopped.
- How do I know whether this movement has stopped or is ongoing?
- You cannot tell by looking once. A specialist fits crack monitors and returns after several months to read them. Structural monitoring tracks whether a gap widens through winter and closes in summer, or keeps growing in one direction regardless of the season.
- What are the options between doing nothing and full underpinning?
- Several methods sit between those extremes. Resin injection compacts loose ground without excavation. Crack repair stitches masonry back together once movement is confirmed as historic. Monitoring alone costs little and proves whether intervention is even necessary before any digging begins.
- How much does foundation repair cost and is it priced per metre?
- Pricing depends on access, depth and method rather than a simple per-metre rate. Mass concrete underpinning costs more per metre than resin injection but covers different ground conditions. A written quote follows the survey so you see exactly what drives the figure.
- Will the concrete slab in the kitchen need breaking out?
- Not always. If the slab has sunk because the ground beneath it compacted, resin injection can lift and stabilise it through small drilled holes. Breaking out the concrete is usually reserved for cases where the slab itself is fractured beyond repair.
- How soon can someone look at it and what do I get in writing?
- Enquiries are typically answered within a few working days to arrange a site visit. After inspecting the home, the specialist provides a written report detailing the cause, the recommended method and a fixed quote for the agreed scope of work.
Areas covered around Cardiff
Enquiries are taken from homeowners anywhere in Cardiff and the surrounding towns. The specialist firms carrying out the repairs travel across the region daily, covering everything from terrace streets to suburban plots.
If your street is not listed, send an enquiry anyway. Most locations in south Wales fall within range.
Tell us what you have noticed
Send a description of the cracks, gaps or slopes you see at home. The details go straight to a specialist who will advise on next steps. Nothing you write here commits you to booking any work.
- No obligation
- Free initial advice
- Local specialists