Subsidence, foundation mini piling contractors

Branlows foundation mini-piling contractors specialise in providing solutions to foundation subsidence problems : piling, drilling, grouting, piled foundations and ground anchors.  Our foundation subsidence mini piling expertise helps overcome difficult operational conditions including restricted access, limited headroom, environmental restrictions and difficult ground.  Over the years, we have been involved with many national and international companies in providing expertise and practical knowledge.

Foundation subsidence problems.

Branlows lived up to their nickname of ‘Foundation Troubleshooters’ earlier this year when we were called into solve the problem of a house that had foundation problems and had subsided 15ft in five weeks.  The family of Astley Moss, Manchester, moved into their dream home, Rose Farm, last year —only to find that within weeks, strange things were happening floors which made the family walk uphill and downhill’, walls which creaked and groaned, cracks in the wall and falling plaster Certainly not what they had planned for their purpose-built home on a two acre plot!  Engineers from the Brian Clancy Partnership were appointed by the householder’s insurance company to monitor foundation movement.  They then called Branlows in to provide a practical and effective mini piling solution to the subsidence for an identical replacement house to be built immediately in front of the existing one which is to be demolished.  

Subsidence, we where amazed at the extent of the problem

The original foundations, installed by others, comprised 150mm square x 15m long precast mini piles top driven into the ground.  We are utilising a 273mm diameter permanently cased bottom driven mini pile with each joint having a continuous fillet welded rigid connection.  The ground conditions were challenging, with 9m of peat overlying very soft clay to depths of 13 - 14m.   A total of 18 mini piles have been installed to depths of 16- 17m in the dense underlying sands. Allowance has been made in the pile design for negative skin friction from overlying peats.  The family are looking forward to summer in their new home, having had to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation on-site. They expect costs of the demolition and rebuilding works to be around £2000,000.

Subsidence, mini piling specialists

Where there is difficult access, restricted headroom or problem ground, then the use of our techniques is often the only viable way of providing a solution.  Branlows' piled and foundation solutions are often employed on buildings still in use, such as hotels, hospitals, sports centres, petrochemical plants and fuel stations. There are usually stringent working conditions to adhere to on projects such as these including, health and safety, environmental, noise and vibration.  Difficult operational conditions include restricted access and limited headroom piling, piling under environmental restrictions and difficult ground piling.  Branlows, was formed in 1981 and for the past two decades has been involved with many national and international organisations in providing expertise and knowledge to find answers to a multitude of foundation problems using a variety of techniques including auger bored, drilled and bottom driven piling and piled foundations.