Engel Construction Ltd draws on its many years of experience in the trade to provide a responsive underpinning service. Located in East Horsley and primarily taking on projects in London, our team has an excellent reputation. We can work as a project manager, a main contractor or even as a subcontractor. This is an important building service that reinforces the strength of foundations after incidents of subsidence.
We are particularly at home completing structural works on properties in desirable areas of Kensington and its surrounding locations.
If you would like our construction company to travel to your property or project to provide a consultation, site survey and quotation, please contact us on 01483 981001. We look forward to your call and to helping you.
In construction, underpinning is a remedial method of repair in which contractors excavate the soil beneath a structure to access the foundations and replace, repair or reinforce them. This service is usually required for one of two reasons: to strengthen foundations when building or reinforcing a basement or to stabilise subsidence in the foundations.
These services are explained in more detail below:
Whenever an increase in load is added to a building, such as a basement construction or the addition of extra storeys, the foundations will need strengthening. By increasing the depth of the existing foundations and setting pins, heavier loads are better supported and stabilised. The gravitational load then spreads out more evenly into the surrounding land.
Over time, a building’s foundations may weaken, especially if poor construction methods were originally used. Environmental changes impact foundations, and so does age if a building is historical or significantly dated. The process is undertaken to repair or replace faulty foundations, stabilise the structure, and ensure a property’s longevity.
Trading as a proud member of ASUC, Engel Construction Ltd is a specialist in all underpinning techniques. The many possibilities available allow the experts at our construction company to address any deficiencies in structural integrity accurately on a case-by-case basis. All projects completed in Kensington and the wider London area comply with the latest version of the UK Building Regulations.
The most common types include:
This traditional yet popular method dates back hundreds of years. We excavate box-shaped cavities to specified depths beneath the structure, filling these cavities with concrete. We repeat the process in a pre-specified order to build a stronger foundation.
This method is a technically advanced version of the traditional mass concrete method. It includes constructing and installing a reinforced concrete beam to redirect the structural load onto a series of concrete bases, which are commonly referred to as slabs.
This is a fast and cost-effective process, one which uses screw piles and brackets. It is an option for our contractors when traditional methods are impractical, or access is restricted. Up to 25 screw piles can be installed in one day, and the job needs less excavation.
The pile and beam technique is used when the entire building needs to be reinforced, if the ground conditions are too hard, or if the existing foundations are dug too deep. It is a complex process that requires a skilled workforce and usually involves removing flooring.
If you are worried that your property might have a subsidence problem or other issues with the foundations, check for the warning signs listed below and do not hesitate to call our construction company with your concerns. A qualified civil engineer will visit you to identify potential issues. We travel to properties in Kensington and throughout London and the surrounding areas for underpinning and other structural works.
Be aware of:
