What is Piling and why is it used?
Piling involves installing deep structural supports into the ground to transfer the weight of a building to stronger ground. It is often used when the ground near the surface isn’t strong enough to support traditional foundations.
When might a house extension need piling?
Some examples of when a house extension may need piling are as follows.
- Poor ground conditions – Ground that is made up of things like soft clay or loose soil, or even just unstable ground in general. These conditions cannot support conventional foundations
- Trees nearby – Having large trees nearby to your property can have an impact on soil moisture levels (mostly in clay based soils), which could potentially affect ground stability.
- Previous ground movement – If there has been a history of subsidence or ground instability, specialist foundations may be required to ensure that this does not happen again and the structure is stable.
- Proximity to existing buildings – If your extension is built close to existing structures, carefully designed foundations may be needed to avoid affecting neighbouring foundations.
- Heavy structures – Larger or more complex extensions may need addtional foundation loads.
Are there any alternatives to piling?
Piling may not always be the right solution for your house extension, some alternatives that we may suggest include raft foundations. Raft foundations uses a reinforced concrete slab that distributes the buildings load across a larger area. The most ideal solution depends on many factors, a ground investigation would be needed before making this decision.
Why is mini piling a popular option for house extensions?
Mini piling equpment is designed for projects where space and access are more limited. This works well in build-up residential areas. Where larger machinery may struggle, mini piling includes smaller piling rigs that can easily access tighter sites. Dependent on the design, piling can reduce the need for extensive excavation associated with some deep foundation solutions.
What happens if I don’t have the correct foundations installed?
It is important to choose a specialist groundworks company like us for piling and foundations. Getting the foundations right before construction will save significant time, money and future disruption such as an uneven settlement, structural movement and even damage to the connection between the property and the extension.
If you are looking to fnd out if your property or house extension needs piling, Tri Court Piling and Foundations are here to help. Our team has over 40 years experience and are available to help. We are pleased to offer free quotes, to get yours, click here. Alternatively, you can contact us by phone on 01202 632926 or email us at office@tricourt.co.uk