WHAT CAN GO WRONG? Foundations & footings
Andy Butchers shares his insider knowledge to help you troubleshoot this crucial area and enjoy a successful home building project
One of the most important parts of a project is to ensure you’re dealing with welldesigned, properly-realised foundations. Considering 30% of your build costs will be underground, there is a lot to think about. What’s more, the work will need to be thoroughly mapped out well before you can get underway.
Gathering information
A suitably-qualified professional such as an architect, engineer or surveyor would normally design the foundations (don’t just rely on your builder). A number of factors must be considered, so it’s worth investing time and money at this stage.
I’d strongly recommend having a site investigation to confirm the soil type on your site. This is often forgotten about or rejected as an unnecessary expense – but in my experience, this is not only a false economy but could lead to major issues later on. There’s a common phrase in the construction world: “money is either made or lost in the ground.”