Advice re foundations

[Sdfuk]

Hi

I'm looking to build a garden office this year and whilst most garden office suppliers provide their own foundations I don't think they will be adequate as we have clay soil.

A soil investigation showed that: "there is initially soft to firm silty clay over stiff to very stiff clay at a depth of 4.8m and live roots to a depth of 3m. Vegetation had dried to a depth over 4m and it's considered that dryness extends to a depth approaching 5m. Clay subsoils dessicated to 5m."

I know it's a bit overkill to pile but there will be plumbing (toilet/shower/sink) in the office so I don't want any movement.

Would piles be the way to go? and what's the approximate cost for an area of 7m x 5m?

I've also been looking at Quick Base foundations which can go down to that depth.

Thanks for any advice
Sean

 

[^woody^]

If you have had a proper soil test done, then you should also have someone suitable intrepret the results in the context of what you are building on it.

That ground make up is nothing special, and would not be anything to stop normal foundations.

A timber shed garden office, would need different foundations to a masonry one, and the council's building inspector will have the last word.

 

[Sdfuk]

Hi,
Thanks for that. So first thing to do is ask the building inspector to come out? Just being cautious as the house we bought had underpinning (prior to our purchase).
Cheers