Extension

[evanalf12]

Im thinking of building a two storey extension next to my house (not me personally!) and want to do as much of the work myself to keep costs down.

How deep to foundations have to go. Is it 1 metre for 2 floors?

Also, is it easy enough to dig yourself with a decent rental digger, or would it just be easier to get the builder to do it all.

 

[^woody^]

Whether it's one or two storeys, the foundation depth is the same, and there is no set dimension, as the local ground conditions govern the depth. It could be one or two metres, or a raft, or piles.

Digging is easy sitting on a digger, and it's even easier sitting on an armchair watching someone else do it

 

[gangman]

If it's a small extension I always dig by hand. A bit of grafting can be quite enjoyable, but if you haven't done it for a while it can be hard getting back into it.

Using a digger might mean less hard work but rip out one of the services (seen it done a few times) or a drain ( seen that as well) then a bit of work on the shovel doesn't seem so bad. It really depends on how much you have to dig out and how good you are on the shovel. I've taken on a few guys who said they were good diggers but when it comes to it they disappear because they can't hack it.

 

[Richard C]

Whether it's one or two storeys, the foundation depth is the same, and there is no set dimension, as the local ground conditions govern the depth.

If you’ve got any trees within 5 metres, BC may insist you go down deeper, even up to 2 metres! At the risk of upsetting the tree huggers, it's sometimes best to 'loose the tree' before submitting plans; too late once they’ve seen it!

 

[ModernMaterials]

the architect who does the drawings will get paid well enough to expalin this