Your subsidence questions, answered.
When you’re facing a problem with your home’s foundations, you’re bound to have questions. It’s a stressful and uncertain time. We believe in crushing complexity by giving you clear, straightforward answers. Here are the most common questions we hear from homeowners just like you.
About the Geobear process
Our goal is to make things as simple and stress-free as possible. It starts with an initial consultation to assess your property. If needed, we’ll recommend a detailed site investigation to diagnose the problem accurately. From there, we design a bespoke treatment plan for your home. Our non-disruptive solution is then carried out by our expert technicians, often in just a day or two, with minimal mess and without you needing to move out.
Our material works incredibly fast. It begins to cure within seconds of being injected into the ground and reaches 90% of its full strength in just 15 minutes. By the time our team leaves your property, the ground is already stable and supporting your home. The material typically achieves its final, full strength within 24 hours.
Yes. We have successfully designed and delivered thousands of projects based on virtual site visits. They allow our experts to see the issues and gather the information they need to recommend the right next step. It's a faster, more convenient process for most customers.
Yes, we can perform an in-person site visit. We offer both virtual and in-person options to suit your needs. We find that many customers prefer the speed and convenience of a virtual inspection, but we are happy to arrange an on-site visit with one of our engineers when required.
Our lead times are typically 3-4 weeks but vary depending on the time of year. We have many teams, and if your project is urgent, we can usually accommodate a shorter lead time.
This is a key advantage of our solution. Unlike concrete, which is rigid and can break down under shock loadings, our material has some natural elasticity. While our primary goal is to stabilise the ground beneath your home, this resilience can be a positive benefit in areas with high vibration.
Costs & quotes
Yes. By using our online quoting tool, many homeowners are able to answer a few simple questions about their property and qualify for an instant quote.
It’s important to make sure you’re comparing like-for-like solutions. Does the competitor offer the same scope, especially in terms of depth and number of locations? Do they have an insurance-backed guarantee from a top-rated insurer? Are their systems backed by third-party credentials like a BBA certificate? Our clients choose us for our superior engineering, our 40-year proven track record, and the peace of mind that comes with the industry's most trusted and validated solution.
Technical & environmental questions
Our geopolymer improves the bearing capacity and settlement characteristics of the soil. As the liquid geopolymer expands, it compacts loose granular soils. In soft clay soils, it creates a network of hard, interlocking fractures that dramatically improve the soil's strength. We know the ground has been sufficiently improved when our laser monitors detect a slight lift, confirming the ground can now support the structure.
Yes. Independent testing has proven that our solutions can reduce the carbon footprint of a project by up to 70% compared to traditional solutions. Our geopolymers are non-toxic, will not contaminate groundwater, and do not emit hazardous substances.
Yes. Our geopolymer material is inert and non-toxic. If any work needs to be done in the future, it can be excavated and disposed of as normal waste in a landfill. It is not classified as a special or hazardous material.
The design life of our geopolymer material exceeds 60 years, a fact which is also stated on our BBA certificate.
The risk of our material entering your drains is rare, and we take steps to mitigate it. Where we are working near drains, we always recommend a CCTV drain survey during the injection process. This allows us to monitor the drain and stop immediately if any material enters, so we can flush it out. It's also a condition of our guarantee that any significant drain defects near the treatment area are repaired.
Our process is extremely controllable. Our technicians are highly skilled and use real-time laser levels that can detect movements as small as 0.5mm. The injection process can be stopped immediately to prevent over-lifting.
Yes. Our process and materials are designed to be effective in any weather conditions, allowing us to carry out work all year round.
This isn't an issue. If you need to excavate the treated ground in the future, it can be done with normal excavators and even hand tools. Our material does not require any special procedures to remove.
Yes, we can often treat properties that have existing piles. Our engineering department assesses these projects on a case-by-case basis to design a solution that is right for your home's specific history and needs.
No, and this is a major benefit of the Geobear solution. Our material is extremely lightweight, typically weighing less than 15% of the soil it replaces. This means we solve the problem without adding significant new weight and stress onto the already weak ground, which is what happens with traditional concrete underpinning.
Guarantees & insurance
Our 10-year guarantee covers the material itself. Our workmanship and design are covered by law for 6 years. If further significant movement occurs within our treatment area due to an issue with our material, workmanship, or design, we will retreat the area at no additional cost. The guarantee is also fully transferable to future owners and can be backed by a separate insurance policy for added peace of mind.
The main benefit of coming directly to us is speed. An insurance claim for subsidence can often take 1-2 years to resolve, whereas we can solve the issue in a few weeks. Notifying your insurer about potential subsidence will be stored on an insurance database and can impact future premiums. Working directly with us is often the faster and less stressful path.
A Certificate of Structural Adequacy, or CSA, is a formal document issued by an independent structural engineer. It certifies that any necessary repairs to the building itself (the superstructure), such as fixing cracks in the brickwork, have been completed correctly after we have stabilised the ground.
While Geobear’s work and guarantee cover the ground stabilisation, the CSA confirms that the building is now structurally sound. This certificate is often required by mortgage lenders and is essential for providing proof to future buyers that the entire subsidence issue has been professionally resolved.
READY FOR A CLEAR SOLUTION?
Find out exactly where you stand
Every home is different, and the best way to understand your specific situation is to talk to an expert. We can assess your property, answer any further questions you have, and provide a clear, no-obligation plan to move forwards.
