Underpinning

Underpinning in Monaghan

In Census 2022, 28.1% of the 22,855 households in Co. Monaghan lived in homes built before 1971, against 28.5% nationally (9th of 26 counties), and 10.0% in homes built before 1919.

Underpinning in Monaghan works the way it does everywhere: a chartered structural engineer first, then the cause, then the design. Tell us what's happening and one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you.

Free, no obligation. One local contractor talks it through, not five.

  • 28.1%of homes in Co. Monaghan built before 1971
  • 10.0%built before 1919
  • 65%of homes detached
  • 22,855households, Census 2022

Housing

How old the houses are in Monaghan

BuiltShare of homes in Co. Monaghan
Before 191910.0%
Before 194616.9%
Before 197128.1%
1971 to 199024.2%
1991 to 201038.2%
2011 on7.6%

Why age matters: houses from the early 1970s and before usually have clay drains with open joints. Leaking drains wash out and soften the ground under the footings, and they're behind most of the subsidence in Irish houses. Newer houses have sealed plastic drains, and were built to the Building Regulations, which include requirement A2 on ground movement.

Ground

The ground in Monaghan

  • Monaghan is drumlin country: small hills of glacial till with lakes and wet ground between them.
  • Footings on the slope of a drumlin and on the soft ground at its foot can behave differently, which an engineer looks for when one end of a house has moved.
  • Geological Survey Ireland keeps a national landslide susceptibility map and a database of karst features. They're broad guides to an area, never a verdict on one house.

These notes describe the county in general. They're background for a conversation with an engineer, never a verdict on one house.

Schemes

Pyrite and defective blocks in Monaghan

Co. Monaghan isn't a Pyrite Remediation Scheme or Defective Concrete Blocks scheme area. If floors are cracking from below, or blocks are crumbling, it's a different problem from subsidence, and underpinning won't fix it.

See pyrite and defective blocks.

Steps

Getting a house in Monaghan looked at

  1. Record the cracks.
    Dated photos, inside and out, with a ruler in the shot. Don't fill them yet.
  2. Get a chartered structural engineer.
    The engineer grades the cracks, finds the cause and decides whether underpinning is needed at all. Look for the CEng MIEI title.
  3. Check the drains.
    A CCTV drain survey shows whether old drains are leaking, the usual cause.
  4. Tell your insurer if you're claiming.
    As soon as reasonably possible. See the insurance guide.
  5. Get the design priced.
    Send your details and one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you to talk it through.

Towns

Towns we cover in Co. Monaghan

Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Clones, Ballybay and Emyvale, and everywhere in between.

TownPeople, Census 2022
Monaghan7,894
Carrickmacross5,745
Castleblayney3,926
Clones1,885
Ballybay1,329
Emyvale638
Smithborough495
Glaslough443

Neighbouring counties: Louth · Meath · Cavan · All 26 counties

FAQ

Monaghan questions

How old are the homes in Monaghan?

In Census 2022, 28.1% of the 22,855 households in Co. Monaghan lived in homes built before 1971, and 10.0% in homes built before 1919.

Do you cover all of Co. Monaghan?

Yes: Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Clones, Ballybay and Emyvale and everywhere in between. Send your details and one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you.

How much does underpinning cost in Monaghan?

Mini-piling under a semi-detached house starts at about €16,000, with a ground investigation at about €3,000 and a drain survey at about €385 before it. The engineer's design sets the rest.

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.

Get a quote

Tell us what's happening in 4 quick taps

It goes to one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county, and they ring you to talk it through. They'll ask about any engineer's report.

What's going on?

Pick the closest one. The contractor talks it through.

By sending, you agree to Underpinning.ie passing your details to one experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county, so they can contact you about the job. Privacy notice

Cracks in the house? Talk it through

Four taps and your number. One experienced groundworks and underpinning contractor who covers your county rings you. Nothing is booked until you say yes.