What are the foundation materials?

When undertaking a building project it is imperative to assess the ground conditions at an early stage as the design of the foundations must suit the conditions and may affect the way the rest of the building can be designed. The foundation conditions will vary widely depending on the area that you are in, and will range from loess and rock on the Port Hills, to sand, silt, gravel, and in many areas on the flat Canterbury plains, peat.

A standard house will require the ground to have a safe bearing capacity of 100 kpa and to be stable and unlikely to settle under the weight of the building. In many cases piles and/or retaining walls will be required to resist the loads imposed by the building. Davis Ogilvie & Partners can carry out the necessary testing to confirm the requirements for foundations, and can design, supervise, and certify the work to meet Council standards.

Please contact Russell Benge for further information.