Underpinning foundations can help in drenched drought conditions
Underpinning foundations could be the solution if this year’s strange weather patterns have left your property standing on less stable ground.
Back in January, we told you about expansive soils – ground that expands or contracts to a large degree due to changes in moisture.
Since then, we have seen an early-spring heatwave that left the country facing drought conditions, followed by heavy rains that have caused disruption for quite the opposite reason.
With many people confused as to why they are subject to a hose-pipe ban when their garden is waterlogged, it’s worth considering what’s happening underground.
That dried-out soil during the highest temperatures of the drought is likely to have contracted in size – with expansive soils shrinking to a particularly large extent.
Now the rains have come, some areas will be swelling back to their fullest, which is likely to cause shifting in the foundations of buildings constructed in expansive soils.
If you suspect your property has weakened as a result of the strange conditions seen so far in 2012, you may want to look into underpinning foundations to help add extra support where it is no longer provided by the surrounding soil.
Precautions help Olympic Park pile foundations to be laid without risk
The pile foundations that will support stadiums on the Olympic Park in London this summer were laid with safety firmly in mind.
A report from the Health and Safety Executive and the Olympic Delivery Authority notes how the pile foundations were subject to safety assessments – in particular, attempts to determine how loud the work would be.
Planners then used a ‘bullseye’ method to create red, amber and green zones around any location where piling rigs would be used.
Those working on the piling rigs were required to wear ear defenders, while those further away had the choice over whether they wanted to wear them.
In the green zone, furthest from the piling rigs, no ear protection was necessary – and quieter work could continue uninterrupted.
The project is a great example of how foundation piling can take place even on a site where other work is being carried out, and how professionals can make sure no workers are put at unnecessary risk by doing so.
With all eyes turning to London this summer, it’s good to know that the Olympic venues are built on firm foundations – and that they were laid with safety in mind.
Underpinning foundations can help ‘naive’ first-time buyers
Underpinning foundations can help to make a property saleable again, if first-time buyers find they have purchased a home that suffers from subsidence.
Research from HSBC indicates that many first-time buyers are “naive” when it comes to buying their first home, and do not ask the most important questions of the vendor.
Just 5% consider subsidence to be something they should ask about – compared with 14% of estate agents who said it is an important question.
Instead, first-time buyers often focus on more general issues like location, garden size and the presence of local amenities – all of which they could find out for themselves, without asking the vendor.
“Buying a home is a serious financial commitment, so it is important that first-time buyers do their homework,” says HSBC’s head of mortgages Peter Dockar.
For those who find their new home is subject to subsidence, but who have already exchanged contracts and keys, underpinning foundations can help to prevent any further slipping of brickwork.
Even in poor ground conditions, we can combine pile foundations with needle beams to offer an extra level of support to a property.
With several types of piling foundations to choose from, contact our pile driving contractors and we can help you to decide which is right for your property.
Concrete piles make use of essential, economy-boosting materials
Concrete piles not only help to support your structure – they can also support the economy, according to a new government publication.
The National Planning Policy Framework has been compiled to address three concerns: sustainable economic growth; environmental protection; and complexity in the planning system.
It sets out plans to ensure quarried materials such as aggregates and concretes remain available for a long time to come, while noting that they are a finite resource.
But it also recognises the contribution towards economic growth that materials such as concrete can make.
Concrete piles have long been among the most frequently used methods of supporting new structures, but this may be the first time many people have become aware of their economic value.
“It is heartening to see recognition of the need for essential minerals as a strategic issue, both nationally and locally, and the great weight that needs to be given to the benefits of mineral extraction, including to the economy,” says Nigel Jackson, chief executive of the Mineral Products Association.
The NPPF calls for local policies to be created to safeguard the future supply of essential minerals, but adds that existing concrete batching facilities should be protected along with existing, planned and potential production sites for other concrete products.
Underpinning foundations may be necessary after eradicating Japanese Knotweed
You may want to look into underpinning foundations if you have suffered an infestation of Japanese Knotweed close to the structure of your property.
The weed is a significant enough threat that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published specific guidance on how to assess the risk it poses to buildings.
The highest threat level – tier four – is reserved for when growth is detected within 7m of conservatories and garages.
In a single season, Japanese Knotweed can spread 7m across the ground, and it can reach a height of 3m in just 10 weeks.
However, its deep roots may present more cause for concern where foundations are involved, as at 3m they can draw water from the ground deeper than many other plants might.
This can leave the underground soil dried out, raising the risk of subsidence – something the new RICS guidance should help surveyors to assess more accurately.
If your surveyor raises concerns during a remortgaging evaluation of your property, you may want to seek advice about underpinning foundations that have been disrupted by Japanese Knotweed, other root systems or simply by soil that has become parched due to excessive drainage and inadequate rainfall.
Concrete piles can support biodiversity
Concrete piles allow biodiversity to be protected at both ends of the construction process.
While environmental impact is a growing concern for many construction projects, it is often assessed purely in terms of the carbon footprint of a particular scheme.
However, concrete piles can extend this, by allowing the direct effects of construction on an area to be taken into account.
Continuous Flight Auger or CFA piles are one type of concrete piles that are well suited to environmentally sensitive sites, as they typically cause less disturbance to the surrounding area than delivering pre-cast piles might.
But with CFA piles and pre-cast concrete piles alike, it is important to think about where the material itself is sourced from.
The Mineral Products Association addressed this issue recently at its second MPA Biodiversity Exchange, an event attended by representatives of organisations including the RSPB, Pond Conservation and the Wildlife Trusts.
Ken Hobden, director of mineral planning, explained: “Biodiversity promotion and monitoring at mineral sites is a key issue for MPA members, who already have a proven legacy of high-quality biodiversity enhancement through site management and restoration.”
For eco-conscious construction companies, this is a further example of how concrete quarriers, processors and suppliers are working to protect the natural environment while providing a valuable resource to continue work in the UK’s built environment.
Underpinning foundations may be covered by home insurance
If you’re worried about the cost of underpinning foundations to prevent subsidence to your property, it may be worth checking your home insurance policy.
The Association of British Insurers says the standard excess for subsidence claims is usually £1,000 on buildings insurance policies.
Any cost above that should be met by your insurer – allowing you to enlist the help of professionals in underpinning foundations on your house or outbuildings before subsidence worsens.
To determine whether you may have a subsidence problem, look out for windows or doors that do not close easily, and cracks wide enough to slot a 10p coin into them.
Weather conditions can lead to subsidence – and with much of the UK currently technically in drought conditions, dried-out soil may shift more easily than it otherwise would.
However, even in areas that receive plenty of rain, trees can cause problems for nearby structures.
This is not due to encroachment from their roots, as many people might think, but is because a large deciduous tree can draw 50,000 litres or more of water out of the ground each year.
In essence, this destabilises the ground in the same way as a period of drought.
Look out for the early warning signs of subsidence, and consider underpinning foundations if you think your property may be at risk.
More work for pile driving contractors as infrastructure projects grow
Continued growth in infrastructure project starts is meaning more work for pile driving contractors throughout the UK.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics put infrastructure growth in double digits, helping the construction industry as a whole to positive growth over the past year.
In the quarter from November 2011 to January 2012, infrastructure project starts were up by 11.1% compared with the previous year, leading to a 0.6% overall growth in construction despite falling activity in public non-housing projects.
For pile driving contractors, this means plenty of demand, as large infrastructure work often needs firm foundations to be put in place before above-ground construction can commence.
The strong performance of the sector is excellent news for the country as a whole as the economy continues to recover from its recent turbulence.
Infrastructure work helps to keep activity levels high in construction – but it also has knock-on benefits for other industries.
New transport links, power stations and other amenities all help communities to develop, putting Britons everywhere in a good position to make the most of new economic activity in the months to come.
Bright prospects for foundation piling as construction activity grows
Foundation piling materials and services could be in particularly high demand in the months to come, with several bright points in the construction industry at present.
The Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index, published on March 2nd, shows a 14th consecutive month of growth in output, with the growth rate itself at its highest for 11 months.
Commercial projects are leading this growth, while the housing market is relatively subdued – however, David Noble, chief executive officer at CIPS, says this could be about to change.
“This week’s Bank of England mortgage lending figures bode well for better housing performance ahead,” he says.
Whether commercial, residential or engineering-related, new construction works are likely to begin with foundation piling of one form or another.
As activity continues to grow throughout the construction industry, our foundation piling contractors are ready to keep projects on track.
Our sheet piling can also put in place the barrier needed to allow above-ground work to commence safely, making it an additional important stage in the construction process in some areas where ground conditions might otherwise be unsafe.
Underpinning foundations safely can help with compliance
Construction refurbishments that involve underpinning foundations could be in the spotlight in the weeks to come as the Health and Safety Executive clamps down on Greater Manchester sites that do not meet the necessary safety standards.
The coming crackdown is focused particularly on sites where refurbishment and repair work is being carried out – such as underpinning foundations to help stabilise older buildings.
Legal requirements state that any work on the structure of a building should be carefully planned in order to avoid unplanned collapse.
As such, underpinning foundations without the right equipment from specialist providers, and without temporary supports in place for the rest of the building, could leave construction firms at risk of breaching their safety obligations.
“The refurbishment sector continues to be the most risky for construction workers, but small changes to working practices can make all the difference,” says HSE principal inspector for construction Neil Jamieson.
Our specialists can offer foundation piling where traditional underpinning is not possible, safely strengthening your foundations through a combination of piling and needle beams in the poorest of ground conditions.