A North London homeowner has rescued his four-storey townhouse in Hamilton Park, Islington, from severe structural issues caused by clay soil shrinkage. The townhouse was suffering from subsidence, and a visible gap was appearing between it and its neighbours.
The owner, Lipa Friedman, from London, hired specialist ground engineering firm Geobear to fix the structural damage and they did it seven times more quickly than traditional methods, without the residents needing to vacate.
The 1960’s townhouse, on Hamilton Park Street, set to be converted into four new apartments, stands on a narrow pedestrian street surrounded by homes, businesses and community life. With such limited access and a real desire to avoid long-term disruption to Islington residents, finding a repair method that was fast and reliable became essential.
Homes across North London, particularly those built on soft clay soils, are increasingly affected by subsidence. In this case, a site investigation found that the clay beneath the building had dried out and shrunk as deep as five metres below the basement. This, combined with poor drainage in the area, had weakened the ground and reduced its ability to support the property.
Craig Dean, residential director at Geobear, said, “The damage, resulting from prolonged ground movement, included visible rotation, significant subsidence and separation from the neighbouring property. Traditional underpinning with concrete would have required project permission delays, heavy excavation, noisy equipment and weeks of curing,”
“Instead, a non-invasive ground stabilisation method was chosen using our geopolymer resin injection system. The team improved the soil beneath the foundations and carefully lifted the building back into position. The entire process was completed in just nine days, a dramatic improvement over the nine to eleven weeks expected for underpinning.”
That speed meant conversion to apartments could start straight away, compared to the estimated nine to eleven weeks of traditional underpinning. The work also reduced the project’s carbon footprint by over 1,400 kilograms of CO₂, helping meet borough council local goals for lower-impact building.
“After experiencing structural issues at our Hamilton Park property, we were concerned about safety, access, and the disruption traditional repairs would cause,” said Friedman. “Geobear’s treatment was remarkable, it stabilised our ground and achieved a 47 mm lift in just nine days.”
“The non-invasive approach meant minimal disruption to our property. The speed and precision of the work was impressive, and we’re delighted with the results. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Geobear to anyone facing similar foundation challenges.”
Dean continued, “Clay ground movement affects thousands of properties across London, but with the right approach and identifying the danger early, it doesn’t have to mean major disruption. Our goal is always the same, to make homes safe again, quickly and without forcing people out of their neighbourhoods.
“In Islington, we were able to do just that, helping ensure that new housing could move forward with minimal disruption to the community,” concluded Dean.
Are you experiencing structural issues in your home? Reach out to our ground engineering team — we’re here to help.
