Three Critical Tips for Building a Structure on Unstable Ground
If you are planning on building a commercial or residential structure, it is important to investigate the ground conditions on your chosen land. In general, this inspection will help you determine the suitability of the land for your planned structure. In most cases, the ground will be stable and reliable, making it an ideal spot for constructing your building without concerns. In other cases, you might find that the soil is loose or the ground has low load-bearing capacity. For instance, lots with sandy soil have low strength for supporting building. If you would like to proceed with the construction, you must be diligent to promote the stability and longevity of the structure. Here are some simple tips to get you plan for a reliable building.
Choose a Good Structural Engineer
You must never neglect the importance of a good structural engineer when building any structure, especially on unstable ground. This expert is essential because they will make sure that your planned building is strong enough to withstand the environment on which it will stand. Under ideal circumstances, the engineer should be involved from the design stage of your building. This way, they will provide your building designers or architects with technical information on promoting structural resilience. It is also advisable to keep your structural engineer around during the actual construction so that they will monitor progress and identify any possible problems.
Prioritise Safety not Price
When building on ground with stability or support issues, you should not prioritise the dollar over safety. Typically, establishing a structure on these types of lots requires more resources. For instance, you might need better building materials and stronger reinforcement to prevent future problems. If you choose to build as if you are on normal ground, your building could fail prematurely. For instance, shifts in the ground could cause cracks to develop and the building to lose its integrity. Therefore, you should follow your engineer's guidelines on designs, choice of materials and building techniques, even the project costs more than expected.
Consider the Foundation Options
Finally, you should evaluate your foundation options with the help of a qualified team of construction experts. The base of a building on unstable ground must be highly resilient to provide support to the load from the completed structure. In numerous cases, tradition excavation and building of a foundation slab is not a good choice for shifting or low-strength lots. If this is your situation, you will need to look into pile foundations which drill deep, beyond the unstable ground.