Suffering From Piles

As I’ve written in a previous post, the plot of land is a former quarry/tip/cess pit/midden and all-round dumping ground. As part of the planning process there was an extensive geophysical survey to ascertain whether the land would be stable enough for building. The conclusion was positive but that it would require retaining walls and piled foundations.

Now, piling is another dark art but this time amongst groundworkers. Instead of a simple slab that could move if the soil is unstable, piles are driven down to solid rock. They are often augured out and filled with concrete, or put in steel cages too. A ring-beam or raft then sits on top of the piles, spreading the weight of the house.

The above sounds as if I know what I’m talking about but in reality I’ve got another browser window open and I‘m reading about it as I write! https://www.homebuilding.co.uk A great site for all sorts of info.

All I know is that they can be expensive. And a disaster if they go wrong!

Therefore, thank the patron saint of brickies that we have guys like structural engineers who calculate the weight of the building and how the piles and other important bits work together.

My trust has now been placed with Dave Haigh of Marsh Design. I am going to try to use local suppliers and contractors as much as possible and Marsh Design was recommended by Paul, our architect.

Let’s see if we end up suffering as a result of piles!