# Subsidence Survey Dublin | Engineer's Report for Insurance > Subsidence survey in Dublin by a Chartered Engineer: investigation, level monitoring, cause report for your insurer and underpinning design if needed. URL: https://structuralengineer.ie/subsidence-survey/ # Subsidence Survey in Dublin Is the ground actually moving, why, and is it still moving? Those three answers decide whether it's an insurance claim, a drain repair or a watching brief. [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764) [Get a fixed fee](#quote) _Image: Corner of a pebbledash Dublin house beside a mature tree, the setting where clay shrinkage subsidence is investigated_ - BRE Digest 251 damage categories - I.S. EN 1997-1 Geotechnical design - I.S. EN 1992-1-1 Concrete design - TGD A Structure Last updated: 14 October 2026 · Reviewed by Joachim Louw, CEng MIEI [StructuralEngineer.ie](https://structuralengineer.ie/) carries out subsidence surveys for homeowners across Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. A Chartered Engineer, Joachim Louw (CEng MIEI), investigates the cracking and the ground, finds the cause (clay shrinkage, trees, leaking drains, soft ground or heave), monitors movement where needed, and writes a report you can put in front of your insurer. Where repair is needed, he designs it, from drain repairs to underpinning. Irish guides put an initial subsidence investigation and report at about €600–€1,200, with level monitoring and site investigation on top where the cause isn't clear. Your fee is fixed in writing before the visit. ## What happens on the first visit The first visit establishes whether the damage pattern fits subsidence at all. Subsidence is downward movement of the ground under the foundations, and it leaves a recognisable pattern: tapering, stepped cracks, often at corners and openings, opening in dry weather. Many reported 'subsidence' cases turn out to be something else. - Map and measure all cracking inside and out, and note any taper - Check floor levels and door frames for tilt - Record trees and large shrubs, with species, height and distance from the house - Look at drains, gullies and downpipes near the cracked area for leaks - Ask about timing: when the cracks appeared, and whether they change with the seasons - Recommend trial pits, CCTV drain surveys or level monitoring where needed ## What causes subsidence in the Dublin area Clay shrinkage is the most common cause. Much of County Dublin, Meath and Kildare sits on clay-rich glacial till. In long dry spells, and where tree roots draw moisture out, the clay shrinks and the foundations above it drop. Damage shows in late summer and partly closes in winter. Leaking drains wash fine material out of the ground or soften it, so the foundation over the leak drops. Repairing the drain is often most of the cure. Heave is the opposite problem: ground swelling after a large tree near the house is felled, or pyrite in hardcore under the floor expanding. It is easily mistaken for subsidence and repaired the wrong way. ## Monitoring, site investigation and underpinning If the cause isn't clear from the first visit, level monitoring points are fixed to the walls and read over several months, typically through a summer and winter, to show whether the house is moving and in which direction. Trial pits expose the foundation and the soil, and samples can be tested for plasticity. CCTV drain surveys find leaks. Most subsidence is cured by removing the cause: repairing drains, or managing trees with arboricultural advice, never felling on clay without considering heave. Underpinning, which deepens or replaces foundations with mass concrete or mini-piles, is for cases where the movement will continue otherwise. It is designed to I.S. EN 1997-1. ## Subsidence insurance claims Most Irish home policies cover subsidence, heave and landslip, usually with a higher subsidence excess, often €1,000–€2,500. Tell the insurer early. Their engineer will investigate and the claim typically runs report, then monitoring, then repair, with the excess deducted from the settlement. Claims are often disputed over definitions. Policies usually exclude 'settlement' of new structures and damage from defective workmanship. An independent engineer's report that records the pattern, the timing and the cause gives you an evidence base. If a dispute isn't resolved, the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman publishes decisions on subsidence cases. ## What's included - Inspection by a Chartered Engineer - Crack mapping and damage categorisation - Tree, drain and ground assessment - Trial pit and drain survey recommendations - Level monitoring programme where needed - Written cause report for your insurer - Liaison with the insurer's engineer - Repair or underpinning design if needed Typical market range: **€600–€1,200** (subsidence investigation; monitoring and trial pits extra). Source: Banrach subsidence cost guide, 2026. Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. ## Insurer's engineer only, a builder's opinion or your own engineer The insurer's engineer works for the insurer. Here is what each route leaves you with. | Check | Builder's opinion | Insurer's engineer only | Your own Chartered Engineer | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Cause investigated with evidence | No | Yes | Yes | | Works for you, not the insurer | Yes | No | Yes | | Monitoring and trial pits specified | No | Yes | Yes | | Independent report to compare findings | No | No | Yes | | Repair designed for the cause | sometimes | Yes | Yes | Sources - [Banrach: subsidence costs in Ireland](https://banrach.ie/subsidence-cost-ireland/) - [Zurich Ireland: subsidence, cracking and movement claims](https://www.zurich.ie/-/media/project/zurichie/zurichmainsite/files/zurich-home-claims---my-home-has-subsidence-cracking-movement.pdf) - [FSPO decision 2020-0354 (subsidence claim)](https://fspo.ie/complaint-outcomes/decisions/documents/2020-0354.pdf) - [Geoengineer.org: Ireland's climate risk is becoming a ground risk](https://geoengineer.org/news/irelands-climate-risk-is-becoming-a-ground-risk) Talk to the engineer 01 270 9764 Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00. Callback the same working day. [Call now](tel:+35312709764) Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. Standards we design to - BRE Digest 251 damage categories - I.S. EN 1997-1 Geotechnical design - I.S. EN 1992-1-1 Concrete design - TGD A Structure Before you book: costs and rules - [Subsidence Insurance Claim in Ireland: How It Works](https://structuralengineer.ie/guide/subsidence-insurance-claim-ireland/) - [Subsidence Repair Cost in Ireland (2026)](https://structuralengineer.ie/guide/subsidence-repair-cost-ireland/) - [Are Cracks in Walls Serious? How to Tell](https://structuralengineer.ie/guide/when-are-cracks-in-walls-serious/) How the job runs ## How a subsidence survey works - 01 ### Call and fixed quote Describe the cracking and when it appeared. You get a fixed fee in writing. - 02 ### Investigation Cracks, trees, drains and ground are assessed, and tests are specified if needed. - 03 ### Monitoring Level or crack monitoring through the seasons where the cause is unclear. - 04 ### Report and repair A cause report for the insurer, then repair or underpinning design if needed. Think it's subsidence? Get the cause established before the insurer's engineer arrives. Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764) [Request a fixed fee](#quote) Questions ## Subsidence: common questions **How do I know if my house has subsidence?** Typical signs are stepped or diagonal cracks that are wider at one end, often around windows, doors and corners. Doors and windows start to stick, cracks open in dry summers, and new cracks appear where an extension meets the house. Only an investigation confirms it, because heave, settlement and pyrite produce similar-looking damage. **Does home insurance cover subsidence in Ireland?** Most buildings policies cover subsidence, heave and landslip, usually with a higher subsidence excess, commonly €1,000–€2,500. Settlement of new work, defective workmanship and some coastal erosion are typically excluded. Read your policy wording and notify the insurer early. Late notification can complicate a claim. **Should I cut down the tree near my house?** Not without advice. On clay, a large mature tree may have dried the ground for years, and felling it can let the clay swell back and cause heave, which damages the house the other way. The usual approach is engineering and arboricultural advice first, then management such as crown reduction or root barriers. **Does subsidence always need underpinning?** No. Most cases are cured by removing the cause, such as repairing a leaking drain or managing a tree, then monitoring until movement stops and repairing the cracks. Underpinning is reserved for ongoing movement that can't be stopped at source, or very poor ground. **What areas do you cover?** Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area (Kildare, Meath and Wicklow). Site visits are booked from the Blackrock office. Site visit usually within 5 working days. ## Related services [### Crack Inspections Diagnosis of cracks by category and cause: thermal, settlement, subsidence or heave.](https://structuralengineer.ie/structural-crack-inspection/) [### Pyrite Assessment Building condition assessment to I.S. 398-1 for homes built on suspect hardcore.](https://structuralengineer.ie/pyrite-assessment/) [### Structural Surveys Pre-purchase structural survey with clear limits and a written report before you sign.](https://structuralengineer.ie/structural-survey/) Next step Get a fixed fee for a subsidence survey Call [01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764), or send the details and we'll call you back. Request a fixed engineering fee Prefer to talk? [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764). A live person answers during office hours.