What is the Purpose of Underpinning Foundations?

September 30, 2011 by Harvey Banks · Comments Off
Filed under: Underpinning 

Underpinning foundations are used when the depth of a building’s foundations need to be increased. Normally, small sections of the ground below the existing foundations of the building will be excavated before they are underpinned. This will usually be done with concrete but when the quality of the ground is so poor that using concrete isn’t possible, piling can be used instead.

This allows for some flexibility in difficult situations as there are different types of piling available that can be used for underpinning. Underpinning foundations can be used for a few different reasons. For instance, if another storey is being added on to the building, the existing foundations might not be able to take the increased load and so underpinning will be required. Also, if a house has suffered from subsidence and the current foundations have been damaged or have moved, underpinning foundations could be used to help rectify the problem.

It’s important that underpinning foundations are put into place in the correct manner, or else they could cause damage to the building. This is why it is so important to always use experienced, professional services when making any alterations to the foundations of a building.

How Pile Driving Contractors Could Help You

September 23, 2011 by Harvey Banks · Comments Off
Filed under: Uncategorized 

If you are dealing with a construction project, you might well be able to make use of the services of professional pile driving contractors. Pile driving can often be a very specialised area of work so it is definitely worth making sure the job is carried out by people who know exactly what they are doing.

For instance, pile driving contractors will be able to look at the job in question and tell you what type of piling would work best in the situation. This can include things such as the material the pile should be made out of for best results, where the piles need to go, how many of them there should be and the specific type that needs to be used.

This is information that it might not be possible to get without pile driving contractors, but it could make all the difference in turning your building project into a success. Whether you are working on a small building project such as a house extension, or something much larger, the services of pile driving contractors will definitely be able to help you and make sure you get exactly the right piling solution for your needs.

What is the Purpose of Foundation Piling?

September 16, 2011 by Harvey Banks · Comments Off
Filed under: Uncategorized 

Everyone knows that before you can construct a building on a site, the foundations have to be laid first. This, however, requires the ground in question to be in a certain condition and ready to take the load of the building on top of it. Sometimes this isn’t the case and so foundation piling provides a solution that readies the ground for building.

Foundation piling is used to provide a firmer base by walling in layers of soil. Commonly this is done by driving down piles into the ground where the building is due to be constructed. The number and type of foundation piling used for each job will differ, so it is definitely worth talking to experienced piling professionals if you ever find yourself in need of piling.

Some foundation piling is made out of wood, but more commonly it tends to be made out of either steel or concrete. There are also different types of foundation piling available for projects where there isn’t much space or the area is hard to access, such as mini piling, which is commonly used for house extensions and smaller property developments.

Different Types of Mini Piling

September 9, 2011 by Harvey Banks · Comments Off
Filed under: Bored Cased Piles, Drop Weight Driven Piles, Grundomat Driven Piles, Mini Piling 

Mini piling is a piling solution that is commonly used where access on a building site is tight but piling is still needed in order to prepare the ground before anything can be built on top of it. There are several different types of mini piling available, each of which is slightly different and so can be used for slightly different purposes.

Drop Weight Mini Piling
This is a type of mini piling that is especially useful on projects where there is only limited headroom and so not a lot of space to work in. For instance, housing developments can often make use of drop weight mini piling.

Bored Case Mini Piling
By contrast, one of the main benefits of this type of mini piling is that it can help to keep vibrations to a minimum, which is more important on some sites than others. If there is sensitive equipment or wildlife nearby that shouldn’t be disturbed, for example, bored case mini piling could be an option.

Grundomat Driven Mini Piling
This is a type of mini piling that is popularly used when access is difficult but there is a need to keep noise and disruption to a minimum, such as for house extensions.

As all building projects are slightly different, the type of mini piling required will also differ; it’s always worth getting professional advice to make sure you get the type of mini piling that’s right for you.

What are Mini Pile Foundations?

September 2, 2011 by Harvey Banks · Comments Off
Filed under: Mini Piling 

Mini pile foundations work on a similar principal to other types of piling except, as the name suggests, they tend to be used on projects where a smaller scale is necessary. The purpose of mini pile foundations is to prepare the ground so that it can support the weight of a building; the mini pile has to be driven down into the ground so that the concrete foundations can then be poured on top of it in the normal fashion.

This type of mini pile foundation is often used on smaller construction sites, such as house extensions. For instance, if you were to get a conservatory that required foundations or were to extend your house outwards, it would be likely that mini pile foundations would be used.

Mini pile foundations can also be used as an alternative in some situations where environmental concerns play a role. Their primary function, though, is to allow an effective piling solution even in situations where access is tight, ensuring that all construction projects can be catered for and leading to safer and more efficient procedures.