County Galway · checked 29 October 2026
Underpinning in County Galway
Lough Corrib splits Galway in two: flat limestone and basin peat to the east, rock, bog and wet shale to the west.
Facts on this page checked against each source on 29 October 2026. Each one links to its source. How we check
In Census 2022, 21.0% of the 98,654 households in County Galway lived in homes built before 1971, against 28.5% nationally, and 5.1% in homes built before 1919 (CSO).
Underpinning here works the way it does everywhere: a chartered structural engineer first, then the cause, then the design. This page adds what is particular to County Galway: the age of its houses, its ground, and the schemes that apply.
The age of the housing in County Galway
| Area | Households | Pre-1919 | Pre-1971 | Pre-1991 | 1991 to 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Galway | 98,654 | 5.1% | 21.0% | 43.9% | 46.4% |
| Galway City | 30,872 | 2.3% | 17.0% | 43.4% | 47.5% |
| Galway County | 67,782 | 6.4% | 22.8% | 44.1% | 45.9% |
| Ireland | 1,836,728 | 8.4% | 28.5% | 50.8% | 39.1% |
Source: CSO Census 2022, table SAP2022T6T2CTY, permanent private households by year built. Shares are of all households, including those whose year built wasn't stated.
Why age matters: civil engineer Kieran McCarthy says most Irish suburbs built in the early 1970s or before will likely have clay drains, and that leaking drains cause most of the subsidence he sees (Irish Examiner, 2021). And the national Building Regulations, including requirement A2 that foundations cope with ground movement, apply to buildings from 1 June 1992 on (TGD A). In County Galway, 43.9% of households live in homes built before 1991.
Ground conditions in County Galway
- East of Lough Corrib the landscape is flat limestone glacial till with basin peat and limestone outcrops. Calcareous brown earths dominate between Galway and Tuam (Farmers Journal soil survey of Co. Galway).
- West of the Corrib it is rugged and mountainous, with upland blanket peat near Letterfrack and wet shale soils around Spiddal and Rosmuck (Farmers Journal).
- Limestone can dissolve. Geological Survey Ireland says karstified bedrock can cause subsidence, that karst features should be considered during site assessment, and keeps a karst features database (GSI geohazards).
These notes describe the county's soils and geology in general. They are background for a conversation with an engineer, never a verdict on one house.
Pyrite and defective blocks in County Galway
County Galway isn't one of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme areas as published in 2020 (C&AG; gov.ie). If your house has cracked floors from below, or blocks that are crumbling, read about the difference first.
See pyrite and defective blocks.
Getting a house in County Galway looked at
- Record the cracks.Dated photos, inside and out, with a ruler in the shot. Don't fill them yet.
- Get a chartered structural engineer.The engineer grades the cracks, finds the cause and decides whether underpinning is needed at all. Engineers Ireland awards the CEng MIEI title (Engineers Ireland).
- Check the drains.A CCTV drain survey shows whether old drains are leaking, the usual cause.
- Tell your insurer if you're claiming.As soon as reasonably possible. See the insurance guide.
- Get the design priced.Send your details and one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you to talk it through.
The full order of work is on the underpinning process page, and the methods on underpinning methods.
Nearby counties
County Offaly · County Westmeath · County Limerick · All county pages
Questions people ask
Is karst a risk for my house?
GSI's karst database records the location of known karst features, and GSI says they should be considered during site assessment. It is not a verdict on any house. An engineer can check it as part of a desk study.
How old are Galway's homes?
In Census 2022, 21.0% of the 98,654 households in Galway city and county lived in homes built before 1971. In Galway City it was 17.0%.
Who will ring me?
We pass your request to one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county. Your number isn't sent to a list. They ring you, ask what's happening and about any engineer's report, and price the work from the engineer's design. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
Cracks in a house in County Galway?
Five quick questions and one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you. Or call 087 162 1846 between 8am and 8pm.