Foundations.

Foundations, What a word.  If you have an elemental grasp of the English language, You will understand the word.

foun·da·tion

noun

1.

the basis or groundwork of anything: the moral foundation of both society and religion.

2.

the natural or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests.

3.

the lowest division of a building, wall, or the like, usually of masonry and partly or wholly below the surface of the ground.

4.

the act of founding,  setting up, establishing, etc.: a policy in effect since the foundation.

5.

the state of being founded. 

 

So Ignore 1,4,and 5 there you go. 

In building, there are several ways to build your foundations.

1. Dig a trench or two, throw in some steel, bit of concrete, VOILA!

2. Dig another hole, throw in a pile or two, bit of concrete, VOILA!

3. Drive some bloody big piles into the ground, Timber or steel, VOILA

4. Dump cubic metres of sand, knock up some boxing, level, Compact, steel, mesh, Concrete, VOILA!

 

1. When digging trenches you have to be able to use a spade in close proximity to a string line. Failure to dig the trench straight and true costs money, (more concrete) also cutting the string line with the spade costs as well.

 A dozen each time you do it. ( And trust me, you will only do it once, because the boss will be swearing at you)

Digging is an art, it really is, do it wrong and its hard back braking work, Let the spade do the work and its easy.

I love watching people who cant dig. Its great. I'm just disappointed they somehow keep all ten toes.

A nicely dug footing is a work of art, (But this could just be a builder thing) easy to place steel into. Easy to pour.

 

Same as a pile hole. 2. The easiest way is to use an auger on the end of a digger or bobcat, Does all the work for a perfect hole. Then you just drop in your timber pile and away you go!

Try digging a 1500mm deep 400mm square Anchor pile. Go on try it!  Getting the last part of dirt out the bottom is like landing a 747 on the deck of an aircraft carrier goddamn impossible.

That's why 3. is always an option. Especially on Peat. No not Pete your mate, Peat. ugly soft soil that actually over time moves.

Driving piles into peat and difficult ground is expensive, but the monkey does all the work. Seriously. 

A monkey is the nick name we give to the hammer which drops onto the cap over the pile to drive it into the ground. It weighs roughly 500kg, Don't let it hit your head!

One drawback.

Loud. VERY FUCKEN LOUD! Although an old man once fell asleep not more than 3m from where I was driving 4.5m Piles, I kid you not.

4. My favourite, Why? Because its the easiest.

Basically you set out your house with boxing. 

Fill it full of sand

Level it to the desired height, usually 100mm below the top of the boxing

Spend a ccoouuppllee ooff ddaayyss oonn aa ccoommppaaccttoorr.

Then dig out the footing. EASY!!

So foundations. The start of it all. People hardly ever see them. And don't realise how much work actually goes into them.

So spare a thought for your apprentice builder next time he says he has been digging footings,  He might have cut the string line several times. His ear's are sore.

And is on his way to the local liqueur shop to get the Beer.....

Builder.