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Craig got in touch quickly, gave me a rough estimate over the phone and answered all my questions. Surveyor arrived on time, gave instant quote. Price was good. Michael and (another) Craig turned up to do the job on the day, time given. Good, tidy job. Can't fault anything, from start to finish!! Would recommend!
Mary
George and his team are experienced builders, replaced my front door with a custom frame/sidelights and raising the floor level in the hallway quite quickly - in fact, they were the only who came next day, gave a quote straightaway and were ready to start in just couple of days. They also had all the necessary tools and materials, were ready to buy something additional quickly on the day - if further adjustments were required to fit everything as I asked. Thanks a lot for your help, guys!
Dmitry
Highly recommend. These guys did a fantastic job of constructing our pergola and decking. Very hardworking and reliable. The job was completed in the time frame agreed and to a very high standard. We would 100% use them again.
Holly
Foundations, underpinning and piling are complex, technical services that require the know-how of specialist groundworkers and engineers. More than any other part of your home, it pays to invest in solid foundations, so find a professional you can trust today.
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Underpinning, piling and foundation construction – Rated People
When it comes to foundations and underpinning, the name tells you everything you need to know about their importance to your home. This specialist groundwork quite literally provides the base your home is built on. And that’s why it’s absolutely vital the professionals you use are experienced experts who know what they’re doing.
The complexity of foundations (and underpinning or piling, if required) depends on the structure you’re building, and the state of the ground your home or plot sits on. Basic foundations involve filling trenches (dug precisely according to plans) with a layer of solid concrete and then building blockwork up to ground level. Alternatively, an entire trench can be filled with concrete to just below ground level before adding damp proof coursing.
Piling is becoming an increasing popular alternative to standard footings or foundations. It involves driving piles into the ground, which are made from steel, concrete or even wood. A ground beam then sits atop the foundation, which your structure can be built on.
Underpinning is required when existing foundations have become defective, and to counter issues like subsidence. The appropriate method will be recommended by an experienced groundwork specialist and potentially a structural engineer too. The standard approach to underpinning involves excavating specific sections below the footing and reinforcing them with concrete. Piling techniques provide an alternative to traditional underpinning and can be used in situations where there’s restricted access. Not only is piling faster than standard underpinning, but it has a higher load capability and less disruption. Those benefits come at a cost though, and you’ll find piling is significantly pricier than standard concrete underpinning.
Cost of foundations, underpinning and piling
It pays to invest in foundations, but quite how much you’ll need to invest depends on the type of foundations you require. Basic foundation laying involves the following steps (excluding site clearance and the setting out of footings):
- Excavation: £7-£10 per sqm
- Laying foundations (concrete and blockwork): £40-£60 per sqm
Piling costs are typically significantly higher than standard foundations – anywhere from 2-3 times more expensive than the concrete and blockwork method.
Similarly, underpinning costs vary according to the issue that needs to be resolved, and the method selected. For mass concrete underpinning you can expect to pay between £1,000-£2,000 per linear metre.
How to build a foundation
Basic foundations follow a fairly simple process. After you’ve consulted a structural engineer and have all the necessary plans approved, the first step is to dig out trenches. Your groundwork professional may recommend a ground survey before any digging begins. This process involves creating trial holes to ensure the foundation method you plan to use is appropriate. With (or without) that survey complete, footings can then be dug to the agreed level.
The next phase involves laying concrete into the base of the trench to at least 250mm in depth. Blockwork is then built up to floor level. This method is called a strip foundation. Alternatively, a technique known as “trenchfill” involves (unsurprisingly) filling the trench with concrete to just below ground level. Both methods are completed with the application of a damp-proof course onto which the ground floor can be installed.
How does piling work
There are three main piling techniques: screw piling, pile and beam, and piled raft.
Screw piling is the simplest piling technique to execute. A small crew of ground-workers can install screw piles and brackets by hand or with the assistance of a small excavator. This method is well-suited to walls and larger structures, when used with supporting brackets. Screw piling offers a number of benefits, including ease of installation, lower costs and reduced environmental impact.
The pile and beam method involves installing mini-piles either side of a wall. Brickwork can then be removed below the affected wall, and a reinforced concrete needle beam inserted to connect the piles. The pile and beam technique is well-suited to homes on smaller plots, or with restricted access. It’s also faster and less messy than traditional mass concrete underpinning and is capable of bearing high loads.
Finally, there’s the piled raft approach. Piled raft foundations are required when an entire building needs to be underpinned, when foundations can’t be accessed or where soil conditions aren’t suitable for any other method. Piles are placed into the ground and needle beams are installed to help bear the load. A ring beam links the needles together and the structure is then filled with concrete.
When does a house need underpinning?
Cracked walls, ceilings or flooring are the tell-tale signs that you may need to have all or part of your home underpinned. Diagonal cracks, or those that reach a quarter of an inch or larger, are classic symptoms of faulty foundations, or problematic ground conditions. More severe warning signs are walls beginning to buckle. Underpinning, either using the mass concrete method or any of the piling techniques outlined above, can help to remedy these problems.
While underpinning is usually associated with foundation problems, it can also be required if you’re planning to add another floor to a building, or if it needs to stand up to increased load-bearing requirements.
The qualifications your foundation, piling or underpinning professional needs
Foundations and piling or underpinning will almost always require the expertise of a structural engineer. They will be able to advise on load bearing considerations, as well as the most appropriate technique to use (taking ground and soil conditions into account). Choose an experienced professional who holds chartered status from the Institution of Structural Engineers.
The groundworkers carrying out your excavation work should also be experienced, though they won’t need formal accreditation. A diploma, City and Guilds qualification or evidence of completing an apprenticeship is always helpful, but ultimately you should look for a proven track record of delivering groundwork services to a high standard and complete customer satisfaction.
Planning permission for foundation, piling or underpinning work
How and where you lay foundations will be determined by the planning permission you’ve been granted. This will be decided by your local planning authority, and unless an unforeseen issue crops up you’ll need to stick closely to what you’ve been given permission for.
When it comes to underpinning, you won’t require planning permission to remedy a fault with your foundations. The only exception here is a listed building, which may have certain limitations.
Insurance for foundation, piling or underpinning work
It’s crucial that your professional holds public liability insurance, to cover your property against damage. Such is the importance of this work, most structural engineers will also hold professional indemnity insurance, protecting them in case anything goes wrong with the services they’ve provided.
Questions you should ask your foundation, piling or underpinning professional
- For standard foundations, which method would they use (and why)?
- Will they be using a strip or trenchfill foundation?
- For underpinning, which technique would they advise on (and why)?
- For piling, what is the most cost-effective option available?
- Can they provide a warranty (or do they have professional indemnity insurance) to cover their work?
C & N Constructions is a well-established company offering construction and landscaping services for both residential and commercial clients. Our faith: We believe in open and honest communication and shared goals which will generate greater continuity in workload and thereby provide sustained improvements in quality, efficiency & delivery. Our mission: To safely deliver any project, any time, in any environment for the benefit of our customers, shareholders, employees and the communities we serve. Company vision: C&N Constructions is committed to building long-term relationships based on integrity, performance, value, and client satisfaction. We will continue to meet the changing needs of our clients with our quality services delivered by the most qualified people. Get in touch and we can start asap! We offer free and no obligation project estimate.
The job was to cut back a severely overgrown patch of garden. Chris & his team, Adrian & Cosmin, gave me a competitive quote, after coming to visit the site to assess what needed to be done. They started next day and completed the job quickly and to my complete satisfaction. The site was cleaned up & all waste taken away. I will definitely use them again and strongly recommend them.
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A&K CONTRACTOR ARE SPECIALISTS IN ALL TYPES OF BATHROOMS AND HOUSE REFURBISHMENTS. IT GIVES CUSTOMERS PEACE OF MIND TO KNOW THEY CAN DEAL WITH A COMPANY WHO CAN RELAYED FROM THE START TO FINISH THEIR PROJECT! OUR ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON DELIVERING A FRIENDLY SERVICE WITH HIGH QUALITY WORK FOR EVERY CUSTOMER ,WHILE AT THE SAME TIME OFFERING GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY. OUR ETHOS IS; -PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION -MAINTAINING AND CLEAN AND TIDY ENVIROMENT -HIGH STANDARD FINISH -POLITE AND PUNCTUAL -REALIABILITY -GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY.
Fast, efficient job properly done. Will hire this company in the future
All plumbing tasks under taken. From dripping taps, out side tap installs, tanks overflowing, toilets not flushing. Fast reliable service guaranteed. 7days a week
Very helpful and knowledgeable. Definitely would use again.
I’ve been in the building trade for over 20 years and would like to think I’ve gained knowledge and experience in most aspects of domestic building i always like a challenge and try to make people’s concepts a reality I will always try my best to give a fair price and always adhere to time scales my main background is general building work .but I have a host of sub contractors working with me so we can take on more or less Any work you may require
Ziyad Construction with over 15 years of experience in the Construction industry, We carry out all aspects of Domestic/Commercial building works to the highest standards. Services include plumbing, carpentry, brickwork, loft conversions, extensions, house renovations, painting/decorating, plastering and all other general building works.
Pump installation for a lack luster shower. Sorted well. Now have a powerful shower. Thankyou.
Welcome to this site. The client is the most important visitor on our premises. They are not dependent on us, we are dependent on them. They are not an interruption to our work, they are the purpose of it.
Fitted some lintels for me. Michael was friendly, knowledgeable and easy to work with. Turned up when agreed and did an excellent job. Would highly recommend this Company.
We Do all trades From your Roof to your Drains . Have Built 7 Houses. But Will do all Small Jobs As well as the Larger Ones .
Hi we are a two band company me and my son plus contractor when we need them we do all aspects of the building game as specified in are categories from bricklaying to decorating we aim to keep all are customers happy from start to finish thanks
ES Building Services is a family run business with a team of highly skilled, well experienced and passionate professionals who puts your needs at the forefront of what we do. All our work is completed to the highest industry standards and compliance with current regulations is always met. We focus on providing a high end finish on all of our projects regardless of budget. We will make sure you are involved and understood at every step of the process, from design to completion. Whether it’s a simple maintenance job or a full internal refurbishment, we aim to provide a level of service that exceeds your expectations. Our predominant active contacts consist of bathroom and kitchen refurbishment work. We work alongside multiple industry leaders and have an excellent track record in providing high quality installations across London. With a skilled and mature team of professionals we have an abundance of experience in all areas of building services. We specialise in full internal refurbishments covering all aspects of the build: strip out, plastering, kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, electrics and everything in between. With over 300+ 5* reviews accross all platforms, rest assured your property is in safe hands with ES Building Services. Kitchens Bathrooms Refurbishments Electrical installation + Everything in between NICEIC Aproved Contractor. GasSafe Registered Engineers. SafeContractor Approved.
We hired ES Electrical to fit our new Kitchen and also added a toilet and shower unit downstairs. From the begening we found Harry and his Team to be very professional but also had have a very friendly approach. They listerned to our concearns during the process of the instillation and also gave us some good advice and ideas. We found them to be very tidy with their work and respected our property. Overhall we are very happy with the outcome of our new Kitchen and Bathroom,hence we have giving this rating.
Chameleon Refurbs have over 25 years experience in all types of Building Refurbishments so choose Chameleon Refurbs with confidence
I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS AND HAVE BUILT UP A GOOD REPUTATION IN ABERDEEN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.I PRIDE MYSELF ON VALUE FOR MONEY,RELIABILITY AND EXCELLENT SERVICE.I CARRY OUT ALL ASPECTS OF BUILDING WORK AND ROOFING SERVICES.I SPECIALISE IN PATIOS AND LANDSCAPING.I ALSO UNDERTAKE MOST ASPECTS OF PLUMBING.
Job completed quickly to a very good standard
We are family business doing roofing and building work for over 40years we always on time and look leave our customers happy for repeat business we have long list happy customers and always looking for more
R&D CONSTRUCTION IS A PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND BUILDING COMPANY SPECIALISING IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, ALSO A WIDE RANGE OF CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENTS AND REFURBISHMENTS. We Carry out all type of construction and to us no job is a small job and by that we mean we would be happy to take your various jobs in our hands. We provide the following list of the building services: New Build Property Refurbishment Loft Conversion House Extensions Flat Conversion Driveway & Patio Bricklaying & Re-pointing Kitchen & Bathroom Roofing & Guttering Plastering & Tiling Carpentry & Joinery Painting & Decorating Plumbing & Electrical Central Heating & Under Floor Heating Design We believe a great design is simple and not only how it feels or looks but also how it works. We provide Architectural and Interior Design and Engineering Services: Initial Concept Design Basic Drawings for Planning Application & Application Management Existing & Proposed Floor Plans, Elevations and Sections Site Plans and Block Plans (OS map/ Location Plan) Detailed Architectural Design 3D Concept and Visualisation Design Interior Furnishing, Materials & Fabrics Lighting Design Bills of Quantities (BOQ) 3D Interior Visualisation Design 3D Interior Visualisation Design Building Control package Drawings & Application Management
Great guy,he knew exactly what the problem was, completed the whole job in one visit.
With 30 years experience in Groundworks, Building, Construction and Landscaping, I have the skills, knowledge and experience to ensure any job is completed to a very high standard.
Free quotes. Free Advice. Public Liability Insurance. Clean & Tidy Worker. Over 25yrs Experience in the building trade. We are a friendly family run business. We cover All roofing work undertaken, repairs to complete Re-Roof. Flat Roof. Chimney repairs. Fascia. Soffits. Guttering. Pointing. Also Landscaping. Patios. Blockpaving. Driveways. Fencing. External & Internal Painting. Brickwork. Extensions. Small jobs are welcome.
A really good job. Very happy with the finished product. Waiting on a quote for something else now.
A & L Ever Ready Cleaning & Building Maintenance LTD
Underpinning / Piling / Foundations
I've been working in the maintenance Industry for the past 19 years and i've worked for 6 different councils in London, I've been trading since 2012 with this company.
Sebastian provided a first-class service. He cleared my house completely, removing a van full of rubbish that had been left behind in house and garden. Not only did he take everything away, but Ayisha swept up afterwards. Reliable, efficient, and very professional — I wouldn’t hesitate to use his services again and highly recommend him.
We are a family owned business ,specialising in roofing and roofing repairs along with general maintenance and building.With over 80 years experience combined.We always strive to carry out your work requirements noto a especially high standard and take pride in our 5 star ratings and trusted trader quality.
Job well done by a tradesman that takes pride in their work. Would be pleased to use Matty again on future jobs.
My Customers - My Responsibility. Building company - Renovation and Restoration , Handyman's work , Domestic work , Professional Quality, Terms Guarantees . Thanks everyone my customers for 160 and more positive (5 stars) feedback .
Carried out my job quickly and efficiently, no fuss at all. Also did a quick repair on something else whilst he was there. Would highly recommend.
Building, groundworks,fencing and paving,landscaping,turf,and artificial grass,Decking,
Very quick to respond and complete the work. Would definitely recommend. Thank you so much
Our team of building professionals offers a solution for all of your building related needs. Whether its kitchen or bathroom installation or even something much smaller, we have the experience & personnel to provide the highest quality work.
Stanley & his team originally came on board to build us a new rear extension which would house our kitchen as well as fit a new bathroom but as the project developed it ended up being near enough an entire house renovation and we're thrilled with the results. We still have work we would like to do to the outside of the house as well as a loft conversion and when we have enough money to take on those projects, we would definitely re-hire Stanley and his team. Highly recommend Stanley & his team.
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