Groundworks

33 articles

• Basement Excavation: Retention Systems & Building Control
• Build Over Agreement: When Required & Application Process
• Building Regs Part H: Drainage Gradients & Inspection Guide
• CDM Regulations 2015: Groundworks & Notifiable Projects
• Concrete Mix Designs for Groundworks: ST, GEN & RC Mixes UK
• Concrete Mix Ratios UK: Foundations, Slabs & Paths Guide
  BS 8500 designations: GEN 1/3, RC25/30, PAV1/2, FND2-4; C20/25 trench fill, C25/30 reinforced; 1:2:4 / 1:3:6 volume mixes; slump S1-S4; FND for sulfate ground DS-1 to DS-5
• Contaminated Land in Groundworks: Site Investigation Guide
• DPM Installation Under Concrete Floors: BS 8102:2022 Guide
  DPM under slab: 1200 gauge polyethylene to BS EN 13967, 150mm lap, tape-sealed joints, lap into wall DPC; sandwich vs underlay; radon BS 8485 gas barrier
• Drainage Channels & Linear Drains: Sizing Guide BS EN 1433
• Drainage Falls & Gradients: BS EN 752 Calculation Guide
• Foundation Depths and Types: Strip, Trench Fill and Pad
  UK domestic foundations: strip, trench fill, raft, pad; min 1m depth (2.5m+ in shrinkable clay near trees per NHBC 4.2 plasticity zones), GEN3 concrete; Part A, BS 8004:2015, NHBC 4.4
• Foundation Types UK: Strip, Trench Fill, Raft & Piled Guide
  Strip vs trench fill vs raft vs pad vs piled selection by load + soil bearing; BS 8004:2015, BS 8103-1:2011, Eurocode 7; standard residential 900-1,000mm deep frost protection; NHBC Chapter 4.2 tree-depth zones to 3m for high-water demand species in clay; sulfate-resistant cement on aggressive ground; BS EN 206 concrete spec
• French Drain Installation
  French drain: 100/150mm perforated land drain in gravel-filled trench, geotextile wrap, min 1:80 fall; 450-1000mm depth depending on purpose; Part H surface water discharge hierarchy
• French Drain vs Soakaway: Which Do You Need?
  French drain (lateral conveyance to an outfall) vs soakaway (percolation storage chamber) decision guide; BRE Digest 365 sizing, Part H, percolation test
• Groundworks Near Trees: Foundation Depths & NHBC 4.2
• Hardcore Sub-Base: Type 1 MOT Compaction Guide for Slabs
• How Do You Keep a Trench Safe Under CDM and HSE Rules?
  CDM 2015 Reg 22, HSG185, 1.2m trigger depth; trench box / hydraulic shoring / close-boarding; spoil 1m back; ladder 1m above edge; inspection start of every shift
• How Do You Prepare the Sub-base for Block Paving?
  BS 7533-3 install: 150-200mm Type 1 sub-base, 30-50mm sharp sand, 1:60 fall, haunched concrete edge restraint, herringbone pattern, SuDS Part H front garden rule
• How Do You Size and Install an Attenuation Tank?
  Attenuation tank sizing/installation guide: SuDS Part H compliance, greenfield/brownfield discharge rate matching, hydrobrake flow control.
• How Do You Survey and Set Out a Site for Construction?
  BS 5606 tolerances ±5/10/15mm; CAT/Genny scan colour codes; 3-4-5 squaring; rotating laser ±1mm at 10m; TBM datum referenced to OS BM; HSG47 service avoidance
• Oversite Concrete Slab: Thickness, DPM & Building Regs UK
• Pile Foundation vs Strip Foundation Compared
  Pile vs strip foundation comparison: ground-condition-driven decision (not cost preference), NHBC 4.2 tree-proximity depth as common piling trigger, BS 8004 design framework, Party Wall Act exposure on deep piling.
• Raft Foundation: When to Use, Design & Building Control UK
• Retaining Wall Design UK: BS EN 1997-1 & BS 8002 Guide
  Retaining walls: BS 8002, EC7 design; 1m PD limit; brick / mass concrete / RC cantilever; weep holes every 800-1000mm, 100mm perforated land drain behind, geotextile separator
• Screw Pile (Helical Pile) Foundations for Garden Rooms and Decking
  Screw pile (helical pile) foundations for garden rooms/decking — sizing, torque-to-capacity method, corrosion protection, and when they beat traditional strip/pad footings
• Soakaway Design & Installation: BS EN 752 Sizing Guide
• Soakaway Design & Installation: Part H Building Regs UK
  Building Regs Part H3, BRE Digest 365 sizing, percolation test f value, 5m clearance from building, plastic crate 95% void ratio, 110mm inlet with rodding access
• Soil Investigation & Trial Pits: Depths & Recording Guide
• Strip Foundation Design: Part A, Depths & Concrete Guide
• Trench Support & Excavation Safety: HSG185 Guide UK
• UK Soil Types & Bearing Capacity: Foundation Design Guide
  BS 5930 ground investigation; SPT N value; bearing 250-400 kPa gravel down to <50 soft clay; shrinkable clay/tree NHBC Ch 4.2; sulfate DS-1 to DS-5 drives FND mix
• Underpinning Methods UK: Mass Concrete, Mini-Pile & Beam Guide
• What Is Biodiversity Net Gain and Does It Apply to Small Sites?
  Biodiversity Net Gain for small sites: mandatory since 2 April 2024 for sites under 10 dwellings/1 hectare under the Environment Act 2021, 10% statutory biodiversity metric uplift, 30-year habitat management commitment via conservation covenant or planning condition.