Can I build in this weather?

[hyphagon]

Hi,

I am about to have a conservatory built by a local company and they are due to start next week but I am concerned over the weather and the amount of rain and lack of current drainage on the site where it is to be built.

Current situation:

I live in Mudeford, Christchurch, Dorset, UK about 5 mins walk from the sea (but 8m above sea level). I believe the soil is slightly sandy. Garden is south facing and the ground is sloping down to the back house wall. Going to have to dig out for the conservatory and put a retaining wall. The next door neighbors have a conservatory right on the fence line with a down pipe but we don't know where that goes.

Proposed build:

16' x 12' conservatory, two sides with dwarf walls and one side with a gable wall. All footings to be 600mm deep. I've been asked to prepare the ground to 260mm below the existing dpc (i know we are having 100mm insulation but don't know the thickness of concrete, hardcore etc..) Drainage from the roof will be a soak away but again I don't know how far away from the house they propose to put it.

So I started digging out and took the top grass layer off and now with the rain have had a constant puddle that has not gone away for 2 weeks. Attached are some pictures. The first two are this morning but the last one is now (1pm). The builder seams keen to get going but I feel like I need some other opinions. Is there any information I should be asking them or getting them to do differently to a dry build?

Thank you taking time to read this and any advice is greatly appreciated.

Untitled

• hyphagon
• 4 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• hyphagon
• 4 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• hyphagon
• 4 Jan 2014
• 1

 

[r896neo]

It needs to be drained obviously but that is no major problem just dig a sump and pump it out. The only thing that will really affect the build will be the sub base.

You can't install a sub base on ground that is totally saturated as when you try and compact it with a vibrating plate you will have a swamp.

It seems strange if you have sandy soil that your drainage is so bad.

There is nothing to stop them doing the footings and walls first and let the ground dry up.

I don't see any problems apart from the sub base mentioned above and even that shouldn't be a major one if the ground drains a bit once the standing water is pumped off.

 

[Blagard]

As posted by r896neo you will need to pump out the water, but if you find a sump hole just refilling quickly there is the possibility that the water table is currently very high and you will not be able to do what you want at the present time.

I would also question the suitability of the ground to have a soak away if the water is often like that in your garden.

 

[hyphagon]

Thanks for the replies. I will bear them in mind when the builder comes tomorrow. As for the soak away, the rest of the garden has no problems, and neither did that area till i took the lop layer of grass, but I've only been here a year so not had that much rain.