Fugro QuickScan foundation assessment

Foundation issues often develop gradually. Cracking, building lean, subsidence, foundation damage, or façade deformation can indicate reduced foundation performance. However, a full foundation investigation is not always immediately necessary.

A QuickScan provides a practical first step by offering rapid insight into potential foundation risks, helping determine whether additional investigation may be required.

According to KCAF, a QuickScan delivers valuable information for estate agents, valuers, and property owners. It can be used during property transactions, to support property valuations, and to assess whether a comprehensive foundation investigation is necessary. The method provides an indicative risk assessment without the need for intrusive or destructive testing.

With the introduction of the revised Residential Property Valuation Report model on 1 April 2026, foundation information will play a greater role in purchasing, financing, and valuation processes. Where available foundation information suggests an elevated risk rating, a KCAF QuickScan can provide additional supporting evidence. The QuickScan report offers stakeholders greater insight into potential foundation risks and helps determine appropriate next steps.

Our promise is simple: fast insight, expert execution, and practical value in the valuation, purchasing, and sales process.

No unnecessary delays. No invasive investigation unless it is genuinely needed. Instead, a well-founded first assessment that enables informed decision-making.

At Fugro, we make the process straightforward. At a fully comprehensive, competitive price, you receive a clear evaluation that helps you understand the potential risks. Measurements are carried out from public space, meaning no appointment with occupants is required, and a report is delivered within five working days. No access to the property is necessary, making the service particularly suitable for property purchase and sale timelines.

Fugro stands out through its combination of speed, nationwide coverage, and specialist foundation expertise. While many providers focus solely on QuickScans, Fugro annually performs approximately:

• 150 foundation pit inspections

• 5,000 superstructure inspections

• 9,000 deformation measurements

We are also co-authors of both the KCAF Guideline for Foundations Under Buildings and the QuickScan Foundation Risk Addendum. This ensures we fully understand the required activities and quality standards.

As a result, you receive an assessment that is not only delivered quickly but is also based on current professional knowledge and many years of practical experience.

This expertise makes a difference. While a QuickScan may appear to be a relatively simple assessment, its quality depends on skilled observation, accurate measurements, and correct interpretation of warning signs. Fugro combines practical fieldwork with in-depth knowledge of shallow foundations, timber pile foundations, measurement techniques, settlement behaviour, archive information, and follow-up investigations.

The Fugro QuickScan is supported by a broader knowledge base. In addition to QuickScans, we conduct comprehensive foundation investigations, deformation monitoring, superstructure inspections, and foundation inspections for housing associations, government organisations, and professional real estate clients.

The Fugro QuickScan is designed as an accessible first assessment of a property's foundation risk.

The assessment is performed according to the principles of the KCAF QuickScan Foundation Risk Guideline and combines available building information with measurements taken on the exterior façade.

The QuickScan is a standardised method that uses publicly available data and physical building measurements to produce a rapid, focused initial assessment of potential foundation issues without requiring intrusive or destructive investigation.

The assessment is indicative only. It does not provide a definitive statement on foundation condition or remaining service life but helps determine whether further investigation may be required.

The QuickScan includes:

• Archive and data source review

  Available information about the property, construction year, foundation type, soil conditions, groundwater conditions, and surrounding environment is incorporated into the risk assessment.

• Visual inspection from public space

  Visible indicators such as cracks, leaning, deformation, and façade damage are assessed. The inspection is intended to identify signs of defects including misalignment, cracking, and other damage.

• Mortar joint levelling survey

  This measurement provides a direct indication of differential settlement within a façade or between adjoining walls.

• Plumb-line / verticality measurements

  Used to assess whether the façade is leaning or deformed forwards or backwards.

• Building settlement data (where available)

  Relevant information regarding settlement history or settlement rates may be included in the assessment.

Following completion of the assessment, you will receive a concise and easy-to-understand QuickScan report.

The report combines measurements, observations, and available information into a substantiated risk indication. It clearly states whether the assessed risk level is low, medium, or high, and whether further investigation is advisable or necessary.

The assessment methodology provides a standardised risk indication designed to offer an indicative understanding of the foundation's current condition and associated risks at the time of inspection.

It is important to note that a QuickScan is not a complete foundation investigation. The report does not provide certainty regarding the actual condition or remaining lifespan of the foundation. If risks are identified, additional investigation may be required.

Foundation investigations are an effective way to assess the condition of existing foundations.

Climate change is making existing foundations increasingly vulnerable due to drought, flooding, and ground subsidence. In the Netherlands, approximately 3.8 million homes are founded on timber piles or shallow foundations, both of which may be affected by these factors.

Foundation investigations are relevant not only for residential buildings but also for other structures and critical infrastructure such as quay walls and bridges.

Foundation defects typically manifest themselves through settlement and differential settlement, often accompanied by cracking in façades. Repairing subsided foundations is usually extensive and costly. The best approach is therefore to investigate and monitor potential settlement behaviour at an early stage to prevent major remedial work.

Through careful investigation of building settlement behaviour and foundation construction quality, an informed assessment of foundation condition can be made.

All foundation investigations are carried out in accordance with the 2022 KCAF Guideline ’Foundations Under Buildings’, co-authored byFugro . These investigations are conducted for housing associations, private owners, government bodies, and investors, including as part of due diligence processes.

The KCAF guideline is based on a pragmatic methodology aimed at demonstrating the proven performance of a foundation and is generally divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2 investigations.

Phase 1 includes:

• Archive research

• Building inclination measurements

• Visual inspection

• Assessment of groundwater coverage for timber foundations

• Geotechnical bearing capacity assessment

• Reporting with an initial conclusion regarding foundation quality

Phase 2 includes:

• Physical on-site foundation inspection

• Deformation monitoring using installed survey bolts where applicable

The investigations result in a report presenting the findings, including an estimate of the foundation's remaining service life.