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Groundwork & Foundations

Foundations and Groundwork

Anonymous user 01/03/2024 - 2.43 PM

Hello Builders! I have a parcel of land next to my property where we have planning permission to build a garage. Dimensions below (the shape is irregular as the land is in the corner) Length 1 (by the house) = 8.4m; Length 2 (side wall of garage) = 5.8m Width1 (garage opening) = 3.6m; Width2 (back wall of garge)= 4.8m; So total digging involved would be 20 meters (not including exisiting side wall of the property). Assuming 600 wide and 900 deep trench we are looking at about 10.8 cu mt of soil to be removed and concrete to be poured. Further - as this is north-west London and there are trees about 10 mts away - I am expecting the gentle BC folk to dig deeper to be anywhere between 1.2 and 2 meters (it feels ridiculous but I know a neighbour who had to dig 2.4 mts). In which case I am wondering if anyone knows if the piling (or micro-piling?) is a better option. Many Thanks for your replies!

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3 Answers

Anonymous user

Hi my advice would be to have a ground engineering report carried out, for a small project like this the cost would be in the region of £300-450 but would give all information required for your chosen ground workers also ask them to leave exposed but safteybarried around the trial holes and arrange a pre construction meeting with the local authority inspector to asses his points but try and find out what type of trees are near to the proposed project before this meeting once you have this you will have all the information to hand you'll be able to ask your ground worker to offer a fixed gmp for a traditional footing ,at the depths you've mentioned which I would say would be on a little cheaper against the cost of piling but as always we are in a completive Market so costs might have come down for pilling contractors hope this helps

Answered1 December 2011

Anonymous user

pileing is definatly an option, with trees that close you will have to dig down to a depth that has no tree roots, unfortunatly untill digging starts you will not know the total depth, get your engineer to redesign a foundation useing piles and get a quote, in not in north london so cant advise on a price

Answered1 December 2011

Anonymous user

Your Architect should have advised you of the options and costs involved. As its a garage and the trees are 10m away you might get away with standard 1m deep footings and clay boards.

Answered1 December 2011