At JPD Developments, our piling contractors specialise in groundworks services to optimise the stability of buildings across Surrey and the surrounding areas. From deep and shallow foundation installations, sheet, concrete and driven piling methods to CFA piling, drainage installation and comprehensive concrete underpinning processes, we have an option for everyone. With years of industry experience, we deliver tailored solutions to ensure the best results for every customer.
Here, we cover everything you need to know about raft foundations.
CLICK TO CALL GET A QUOTERaft foundations are comprised of large, solid, reinforced concrete slabs that cover the entire base of a building to spread the building's total load over a wide area. They are ideal for sites with unstable or poor soil conditions because they distribute weight more evenly than other options, preventing differential settlement.
There are three core principles of raft foundation installations:
As a complete, single, rigid unit, the concrete slab can spread the weight of a building over a much larger area of the ground.
By increasing the area, the pressure on the soil is reduced, helping prevent differential settlement, which is when foundations sink unevenly into the ground.
Our groundwork piling contractors can incorporate a steel grid into the concrete for extra strength and to prevent the slab from breaking under heavy loads.
We offer a complete range of foundation and groundwork solutions and will advise on the best solution for each project in Surrey and the surrounding areas. Whether it be concrete underpinning, CFA piling or strip foundations, we have an option for everyone.
Raft foundations are ideal for sites with unstable soils, such as soft clay or compressible fills, where traditional foundations would not provide enough support.
If sites are at risk of differential settlement, raft foundations can support the entire building with a large concrete slab, rather than employing individual footings, which could sink at different rates.
Sometimes, raft foundations can require less deep excavation than other foundations. This often makes them a more cost-effective and practical option for specific sites.
In addition to raft foundations, our piling contractors offer a comprehensive range of groundworks services. The popular work we undertake in Surrey and the surrounding areas includes:
