Costs by method
Underpinning is priced per linear metre of footing, per pile, or per treated zone depending on method:
- Mass concrete — roughly $2,000–$5,000 per metre of underpinned footing. A settled corner is often 3–6 metres; extensive runs add up fast. Most disruptive (excavation), most proven.
- Screw piles / pier systems — commonly $3,000–$7,000 per pile installed and connected. A corner might need 2–4 piles. Best where stable soil is deep and clay movement is severe.
- Resin injection — often quoted per square metre of slab or per zone; whole-of-problem prices commonly land between $8,000 and $25,000. Fastest and cleanest, but soil-dependent — a provider who doesn't test the soil first is a red flag.
Add to any method: a structural engineer's assessment and design ($600–$2,500 depending on scope), soil testing if not already done ($400–$1,000), and permit costs where required (state rules).
What affects your price
Extent of movement — one corner versus a whole elevation is the biggest single variable. Soil — reactive clay depth determines pile length and method suitability. Access — machinery access to the affected side changes labour dramatically. The building — double brick weighs far more than brick veneer and needs more support points. The cause — if a leaking pipe or drainage fault started the movement, fixing that comes first and adds cost (but skipping it guarantees a repeat).
Getting comparable quotes
Get the engineer's report before the quotes, and give every contractor the same report to price against — otherwise you'll receive three different diagnoses instead of three comparable prices. Insist quotes state: method, extent (metres, piles or zones), depth to bearing, what happens to the cracks afterwards, warranty terms, and who obtains permits. Treat any quote produced in the driveway without soil information as marketing.
Get real numbers for your house
Up to three itemised underpinning quotes from licensed local firms. Free, no obligation.
Common questions
Why do quotes for the same house vary so much?
Usually because each contractor is quoting their own method and their own diagnosis of extent. An independent engineer's report pins down both, and the quotes converge remarkably.
Is resin injection as good as traditional underpinning?
On the right soil, it performs well and the disruption saving is real. On the wrong soil, it's an expensive interim measure. This is exactly the call an independent engineer — not the resin company — should make. Resin injection explained.
Will insurance pay for underpinning?
Generally not for gradual settlement, which policies exclude as maintenance. Sudden identifiable causes — a burst pipe washing out soil — can be covered. The insurance guide covers how claims actually get assessed.
Can I just monitor instead?
Often, yes — engineers regularly recommend six to twelve months of crack monitoring before committing to work, especially after unusual weather. Slow, stable movement changes the calculus entirely.