Assisting you with Subsidence Damage and Repairs
What is subsidence?
Subsidence damage claims can be difficult to deal with on your own. Subsidence is the downward movement in the supporting structure of the property, its walls and foundations. Even slight sagging underneath the property can cause small warning signs to appear above ground. The earth underneath the property may have slightly given way because of the makeup of the soil or it could be due to underground water activity from drains or streams or leaking water pipes.
Additionally, trees with roots too close to the foundation may be leeching moisture from clay soils around the foundation, causing the earth to shrink and become unstable. The most obvious indicators of subsidence are usually the following:
- Cracks in the brickwork more than 3mm wide
- Discreet cracks to plaster walls inside the property 1mm wide or more that may get wider over time
- Doors, cabinets or windows sticking for no obvious reason
- Floors lifting or popping off
Subsidence claims can be notoriously difficult to negotiate and deal with and require a skilled professional in order to succeed. In order to determine if you have a legitimate claim under your policy, it will be necessary to show the cause and source of any damage. This requires specialist knowledge and investigation and it is often prudent and necessary to obtain an Engineer report to prove if there is in fact a claim to be made. An engineer will also be required to specify any remedial works which could involve some underpinning of the foundations.
Helping you with subsidence claims
Proving a subsidence claim can be a slow and arduous process. Your insurers will usually want to appoint their own engineer to investigate and possibly challenge the assertion that there has been subsidence in order to possibly avoid any liability that they may have. Hence, it is prudent to have someone working on your behalf who will fight your corner and prove that you do in fact have a subsidence damage claim.
N.J. Carroll & Associates can offer you the professional advice that you need and ensure that you receive a fair and adequate settlement. Do not hesitate to contact us and one of our experienced Loss Assessors and claims handlers will discuss any issues you have regarding your subsidence damage claim.
N.J. Carroll & Associates Ltd are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our Financial Regulator Certificate number is C41330. Niall Carroll is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. We are also a member of the Irish Claims Consultants Association.