The Ultimate Guide to FOUNDATIONS
The cost of constructing foundations is one of the biggest variables in a self-build or extension project, so anyone who wants to keep control of their budget and schedule needs to work out the most appropriate foundation system to use as early as possible.
Identifying the most cost-effective solution will depend largely on the ground conditions on site, including the type of soil, aggregate or rock and its key constituents. The best way to achieve this prior to starting work on site is to instruct a geotechnical study (see box, below) which involves digging or boring trial holes around the site of a proposed new building, principally to establish the load bearing capacity of the soil at differing depths. Samples are collected and tested for plasticity (shrinkability), pH levels, sulphates, moisture contact (seasonal water table) and other factors that will allow the foundation solution best suited to the site to be determined.
What Soil Types Might I Find on my Plot?
A geotechnical study will reveal the type of ground on your site and will most likely be one of, or a mixture of the following:
Limestone, granite, sandstone, shale and hard solid chalk are all rocks that have a high bearing capacity.
