How do you make a great home even better. Build another one in the back garden! kPa were appointed by the client to provide a full engineering design service for this challenging build undertaken by Greens Carpentry.
Undulating bedrock was identified by window sample ground investigation, varying between 3m to 15m. A piled raft foundation was designed to prevent long term differential settlement issues.
There was no access drive to the site, so a new driveway was excavated alongside the house with a new reinforced concrete retaining walls. The structure is a timber frame, constructed on site, with metal web roof joists and composite timber wall studs. Steel beams have been used to create the open spans.
Early investigations showed poor infiltration in the upper ground and the building filled a significant proportion of the site. With no other traditional option to remove surface water from the site sustainably, a vertical borehole soakaway was proposed. Based on local knowledge a borehole was sunk into the limestone bedrock using a large drill rig to circa 30m. This was tested, opened out and lined and tested again over a 2 day period. The infiltration portion of the well is circa 25m below ground level. This was an innovative yet sustainable approach, with no use of electric pumps, or having to carry out new drainage across neighbours gardens.
The addition of a sleek steel frame car port completes this home.
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