County Wexford · checked 29 October 2026
Underpinning in County Wexford
Free-draining farmland for the most part, but Wexford also has the heavy Macamore clay and reclaimed slob land on the coast.
Facts on this page checked against each source on 29 October 2026. Each one links to its source. How we check
In Census 2022, 24.5% of the 59,081 households in County Wexford lived in homes built before 1971, against 28.5% nationally, and 9.7% 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 Wexford: the age of its houses, its ground, and the schemes that apply.
The age of the housing in County Wexford
| Area | Households | Pre-1919 | Pre-1971 | Pre-1991 | 1991 to 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Wexford | 59,081 | 9.7% | 24.5% | 43.1% | 47.0% |
| 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 Wexford, 43.1% of households live in homes built before 1991.
Ground conditions in County Wexford
- Brown earths make up almost two-thirds of Wexford's soils and drain freely (Farmers Journal soil survey of Co. Wexford).
- The Macamore series, in the south-east and east of Gorey, formed from Irish Sea mud laid down during glaciation. It is a heavy, silty clay (Farmers Journal).
- The Wexford slobs are drained alluvial soils on reclaimed coastal flats, and between Courtown and Wexford there is kame and kettle country, sandy hills with wetter hollows (Farmers Journal).
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 Wexford
County Wexford 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 Wexford 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 Wicklow · County Carlow · County Kilkenny · All county pages
Questions people ask
How old are Wexford's homes?
In Census 2022, 24.5% of Wexford's 59,081 households lived in homes built before 1971, and 9.7% in homes built before 1919.
Is heavy clay a problem?
Clay can shrink as it dries and swell when wet, especially near trees. The Building Regulations require foundations to cope with that, but older homes predate them. An engineer looks at the clay, the trees and the foundation depth together.
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 Wexford?
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.