County Kilkenny · checked 29 October 2026
Underpinning in County Kilkenny
Kilkenny has one of the oldest housing stocks of the 14 counties on this site, and three centuries of coal mining on the Castlecomer Plateau.
Facts on this page checked against each source on 29 October 2026. Each one links to its source. How we check
In Census 2022, 28.5% of the 36,685 households in County Kilkenny lived in homes built before 1971, against 28.5% nationally, and 11.3% 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 Kilkenny: the age of its houses, its ground, and the schemes that apply.
The age of the housing in County Kilkenny
| Area | Households | Pre-1919 | Pre-1971 | Pre-1991 | 1991 to 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Kilkenny | 36,685 | 11.3% | 28.5% | 50.8% | 40.7% |
| 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 Kilkenny, 50.8% of households live in homes built before 1991.
Ground conditions in County Kilkenny
- The centre of the county is a plain of limestone glacial till, and the county is generally well drained by the Nore, Barrow and Suir (Farmers Journal soil survey of Co. Kilkenny).
- The Castlecomer Plateau is in the north-east. On the plateaus, glacial till of shale, sandstone and limestone gives luvisols and poorly drained surface-water gleys (Farmers Journal).
- Coal was mined at Castlecomer for about 300 years until the mine closed on 31 January 1969 (RTÉ Archives). If a house is on the plateau, ask the engineer whether old workings are worth checking.
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 Kilkenny
County Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny 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 Carlow · County Laois · County Wexford · All county pages
Questions people ask
How old are Kilkenny's homes?
In Census 2022, 11.3% of Kilkenny's 36,685 households lived in homes built before 1919, and 28.5% in homes built before 1971.
Could old mine workings affect my house?
Only an engineer's desk study and investigation of your site can say. The Castlecomer coalfield was worked for about 300 years, so it is a fair question to raise on the plateau.
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 Kilkenny?
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.