Geotech-informed
Investigation & design coordination
No credible underpinning proposal precedes its investigation. A geotechnical engineer establishes what the ground is: bore logs, penetration testing, moisture profiles, a site classification in AS 2870 terms, and a structural engineer converts that into a design: method, depths, pin or pile positions, sequence and hold points. That design is the document a quotation should be built on.
Scope
What this covers
Geotechnical investigation scoped to the questions the structure is asking
Structural engineering design and specification for the selected method
Independent review pathways where an existing proposal needs a second opinion
Certification planning so inspections land at the stages that matter
Documentation packages suitable for council, certifier and insurer processes
Timing
When it's needed
Before any underpinning commitment, and especially before signing a proposal produced without site-specific investigation. It is also the right first step where a purchase, an insurance claim or a dispute requires an independent view of whether underpinning is warranted at all.
A structure showing sudden movement (new wide cracking, doors bursting their frames, walls leaning or floors dropping) should be treated as unstable until an engineer says otherwise. Keep clear of the affected section, do not excavate beside distressed footings, and seek immediate structural advice.
Quote variables
What shapes the scope
Number and depth of boreholes the site geometry requires
Complexity of the structure and its load paths
Whether existing reports can be adopted or must be redone
Approval pathway: some underpinning proceeds as exempt or complying work, some does not
Underpinning in NSW sits inside the residential building framework: it requires an appropriately licensed contractor, a structural design from a practising engineer, and geotechnical investigation proportionate to the site. Depending on scale and context it may need approval through a certifier or council. Verify licence, insurance details and the engineer's registration independently before work begins.
Underpinning systems
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