Single Storey House Extension, London
Ground screws foundations for a single-storey timber house extension in Edgware, London.
Client
Private – Claudia and Owen
Location
Edgware, North West London
Product Solutions
10 nr. RADIX PRO 76×1550 Ground Screws
5 nr. RADIX PRO 76×1250 Ground Screws
Install Team
No More Digging South East
Challenge
There were a few challenges facing this single-storey extension project in North London, the first being the safe retention of two trees within the garden that sits close to the project area. It was essential these trees were not damaged or harmed during construction, and the new extension would not cause future damage to the trees via poor drainage or restricting the growth of root systems.
Along with protecting the trees on the property, pipework and manhole covers sat within the floor space of the planned extension, restricting the excavation depth for traditional concrete foundations making them an unviable option, even with a quote showing similar costs to ground screws. Additionally, 20m piles specified for the project would take up a third of the total project budget, also ruling them out as an option.
Claudia was the architect for the design and both herself and Owen acted as project manager on the extension project. While operating as close to budget as possible, they were keen to explore different construction techniques and materials that could improve the timeframe for the project completion and be more sustainable and environmentally friendly
Solution
With Claudia and Owen choosing ground screws for their home extension, they overcame all the challenges of their project.
Ground screws only disturb set points within the project area, where concrete requires excavating the whole floor area for foundations. This resulted in tree roots being avoided or bridged with multiple screws where needed, leaving the ground free for water ingress and healthy root growth.
It is also worth noting that ground screws only required our portable turning machines to install, unlike piles and concrete pads that would require the cost and inconvenience of heavy machinery for installation. As this was a residential street, piling could have caused extensive noise pollution and physical disruption to neighbours while they were being hammered in.
Overall, the project was made possible with ground screws where concrete foundations were not an option and the more financially viable option over traditional piles.
Once the ground screws were in, construction work began for the extension. Now completed, Claudia and Owen are very happy with the project and so impressed with ground screws they will be looking to use them on any other construction projects they plan.
No More Digging represented the best solution, not only enabling us to reach our precise aims but also giving us a very positive customer experience. From the first call with them to the day of installation everyone was so very helpful and extremely professional.
