How deep will the foundations of my project need to be?

You might already be aware of the purpose of foundations, which serve as structural support for load bearing capacities. But have you thought about how deep your foundations will be?

If you’re commencing a building project, whether commercial or domestic you will need to consider the depth of the foundations for the new structure.

The depth of the foundations will be dependent on a number of factors including;

• The ground and soil conditions on which the construction project is being built
• The space available to you
• If there is water present around the site
• The load-bearing requirement

Deep foundations are usually required when there is a large load-bearing capacity, or when the soil is not adequate enough to support heavy loads. Whereas shallow foundations are used where there is relatively low load-bearing capacity.

Foundations which are in close proximity to adjacent buildings may need to be at least the same depth as the neighbouring building’s foundation base.

With shallow foundations, typically strip, trench and raft methods will be used because the ground is usually rocky and therefore will not shrink or mould.

Shrinkable soils such as clay are more likely to expand and contract because they hold more moisture, so the foundations need to be deeper to avoid the effects of potential ground movement.

Piled foundations, that is, foundations which are of a depth of three or more times its breadth, are formed of long slender elements and are usually made from steel or concrete.

Piled foundations are usually used for large load-bearing capacities and are therefore ideal for large structures, or on sites where the soil is weak.

Are you on the search for a reliable piling company to help lay the foundations of your project? Get in touch with BelowGround Ltd today. We’re specialist piling and underpinning contractors serving the whole of the South of England and Wales for both commercial and domestic projects.