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Basement Construction London – What You Need to Know 

Basement Construction London: Adding extra living space to your home can be a great way to increase its value and make it more appealing to potential buyers. But, with space at a premium in London, it’s important to consider all of your options before you start construction. 

Many people in London choose to build basements in their homes, which are useful for a wide range of purposes. 

Underpinning basement construction 

Underpinning basement construction: In many homes today it is common to find a basement that has been designed, either during construction or at a later point by the owners, to function as a fully functional addition to the home. In some cases, the basement is used as a recreation room, while in others it may contain a bedroom or two (especially for teenagers), a bathroom, a kitchenette and one or more closets. 

The most important factor in determining whether your basement requires underpinning is a structural inspection. If you notice cracks in the foundation walls that are wider than a quarter inch, diagonal cracks, or movement of the building from its original position, then it is time to call in an expert. In most cases, underpinning will be necessary to correct faulty or unstable foundations. 

This process involves digging out sections of the existing foundations and filling them with concrete, or using piles driven into the ground to transfer load to deeper supporting soil. It is a highly specialist operation and should only be undertaken by an experienced contractor. 

Another benefit of underpinning is that it creates more headroom, making it possible to install better lighting fixtures. This in turn allows more natural light into the basement. In addition, homeowners are able to access the mechanics of their basement such as plumbing and insulation works, giving them the opportunity to repair any problems. 

Garden Basement Construction 

Creating extra space in your home can be a challenging task. But with the right basement construction contractor, your project can become a reality. Look for contractors that are reputable and have experience in the industry. You should also choose a company that offers competitive pricing. They should provide clear, detailed estimates and timelines to complete your project. Additionally, they should be willing to answer any questions you may have. 

The cost of Garden Basement Construction depends on the size and depth of the basement. To minimize costs, opt for a simple design and avoid constructing basements that will require extensive excavation work. It is also important to select the correct materials for your project. For example, choosing vinyl or laminate flooring will help you save money compared to more expensive options. 

Before beginning the construction of your basement, consult with your local council about their policies on basement extensions. The stance of each council will vary, but some will allow you to build a basement without planning permission, while others may require that you submit a full application. 

If you need to submit a full application, make sure that you follow all of the guidelines carefully. Additionally, it is essential to service a Party Wall Notice before starting construction work to ensure that your neighbours are aware of the work being carried out. 

Basement Construction London 

When it comes to basement construction in London, there are a number of things that need to be considered. For instance, you’ll want to make sure that you hire a contractor with the right experience and expertise. You’ll also want to choose a contractor that has good references and a proven track record. Finally, you’ll want to make sure that the contractor is licensed and insured. 

One of the best ways to get a quote for your basement is to contact a specialist construction company. These companies have the knowledge and expertise to create a basement that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. They can also help you make sure that your basement is in compliance with local codes and regulations. 

Another important step is to consult with a structural engineer. This expert will design the basement shell and core. They will take into account all the survey information available and your project requirements. They will also create a detailed schedule and plan for the construction process. This will ensure that your basement is built to the highest standards. 

Finally, it’s a good idea to consult with your neighbours before starting any basement excavations. This will prevent them from being surprised by diggers and jackhammers on their doorstep. It’s also a good idea to warn them that the work may cause some noise and disruption, and to explain how they can mitigate this. 

Until recently, London’s boroughs had little in the way of regulatory guidance to shape and control residential basement construction. Some had a specific policy in place, but most did not. The result was a wave of excavations. 

It was a trend that made headlines with stories of noise complaints, vibration, and even subsidence caused by retaining wall piling operations and basement excavation. But even as the stories rolled in, the excavations continued. 

There were even reports of entombed JCBs left underneath oligarch’s homes because it was too risky and expensive to lift them out (although we think there might be a metaphor in there somewhere). The media seemed to get in on the action, publishing articles like How to pull off a stunning three-storey basement extension or drooling over Gordon Ramsay’s PS7m renovation. 

But there were also plenty of people who were irked by the disruption and expense. Some complained about their ‘selfish’ neighbours who were digging down below their properties while they worked, causing them to be constantly disturbed by noise and dust. Others blamed the basement works for their own structural problems, such as a subsidence claim by one celebrity. 

But the fact is, there are ways to minimise the impact on your neighbours and still get those amazing extra rooms you want. The key is to do your homework and talk to your neighbours before you start work, as well as to understand how much the addition will add to your property in terms of additional square metres. 

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Common Household Waste Product Can Make Concrete 30 Percent Stronger

The potential here is massive and could make civil construction significantly greener.

The use of fine sand in concrete is expensive and unsustainable, but researchers in Australia have found an ingenious solution that is far greener and most of us have it in our houses.
Image credit: ungvar/Shutterstock. 

Researchers in Australia have used spent coffee grounds to make concrete 30 percent stronger. Simply by replacing a percentage of sand with waste coffee, something common to many households, it is possible to make construction more efficient and greener. 

As a household item, coffee grounds are everywhere. It is currently estimated that around 60 million tons are produced across the world each year, most of which is simply thrown away. That’s a lot of waste, and it contributes to the production of methane gas when it ends up in landfills, which contributes to the ongoing climate crisis. There is therefore a need to develop new recycling solutions that can help address the accumulation of this waste. That’s where the work of the team from RMIT University comes into play. 

“The inspiration for our work was to find an innovative way of using the large amounts of coffee waste in construction projects rather than going to landfills – to give coffee a ‘double shot’ at life,” lead author Dr Rajeev Roychand, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT, said in a statement.

Because spent coffee consists of fine particles, they were proposed as useful resources for civil and commercial applications. To test the idea, the team collected spent coffee grounds from cafes in Melbourne, Australia, and then dried them. The coffee was then heated through a process called “pyrolysis”, which involves heating organic material, such as a biomass, in the absence of oxygen. This turned the coffee grounds into biochar.

The team then designed 12 mixes to compare the effects the grounds had when made into concrete. This consisted of spent grounds that were untreated (raw), and grounds that were heated to 350°C (662°F) or 500°C (932°F), respectively. These different products were then added to Portland cement at different percentages volumes (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 percent volume) as a replacement for sand. 

The concrete is then molded and cured at room temperature for 24 hours before being demolded and cured in water tanks to be tested for its compressive strength (to see how far it can be stressed before it fractures) and performance potential. This mix was then analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). 

The results show that a mix consisting of 15 percent pyrolyzed grounds at 350°C significantly improved the structural properties of concrete – around 29.3 percent improvement in compressive strength. 

More work needs to be done to continue developing and testing this method, but it is already showing promise and gaining interest. 

“Several councils that are battling with the disposal of organic waste have shown interest in our work”, Roychand added.  

“They have already engaged us for their upcoming infrastructure projects incorporating pyrolysed forms of different organic wastes.”

A wakeup call for the construction industry

According to the joint lead author, Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT, the results of this study have significant implications for the construction industry across the world. 

“Inspiration for my research, from an Indigenous perspective, involves Caring for Country, ensuring there’s a sustainable life cycle for all materials and avoiding things going into landfill to minimise the impact on the environment,” Kilmartin-Lynch explained.

“The concrete industry has the potential to contribute significantly to increasing the recycling of organic waste such as used coffee.

“Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill.”

Importantly, the use of biochar in construction projects will relax pressure on the need for fine sand, which is a scares resource across the world. Sand is among the most extracted solid materials on the planet and the second most used resource after water. Moreover, the continued extraction of sand is extremely harmful to the environment.

“The ongoing extraction of natural sand around the world – typically taken from river beds and banks – to meet the rapidly growing demands of the construction industry has a big impact on the environment,” team leader Professor Jie Li explained.

“With a circular-economy approach, we could keep organic waste out of landfill and also better preserve our natural resources like sand.”

The study was published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

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HS2 will bury two Tunnel Boring Machines at Old Oak Common

Two of HS2’s large tunnel boring machines are to be buried into the site at Old Oak Common next year so they can wait there until a decision is taken about how to build Euston station.

The two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are needed to dig the two railway tunnels linking Old Oak Common to Euston, but when construction of Euston station was paused earlier this year, there was also the decision taken to delay the two connecting tunnels as well.

Although there’s no practical reason that delaying the Euston station build would require the two connecting tunnels to be delayed, with Euston station effectively on lockdown at the moment it would require the station site to be partially reopened to allow the tunnel portals to be constructed for the TBMs to arrive.

HS2 has also said that delaying work on the Old Oak Common to Euston station tunnels allows them to focus on the section up to Birmingham. There’s also a vanishingly tiny chance that the tunnel’s alignment could be changed to meet up with a redesigned Euston station.

So the two tunnels are also on hold, but to reduce disruption when the two tunnels do start being built, HS2 will drop the two tunnel boring machines into position at the eastern end of Old Oak Common station in readiness for when they are needed.

The two tunnels were expected to start being constructed next year, and as there’s a long lead time on ordering the TBMs, they will be arriving anyway, and installing them into the underground chamber where they will be needed also reduces the headache of storing them somewhere else and then assembling them later.

Placing the TBMs in situ also avoids disrupting Great Western mainline railway in the future, as it will widened as part of the station build, and happens to be running over the top of where the underground chamber needs to be built.

Although it sounds like a major intervention in the plans, and while it is unusual to put a TBM in the ground and leave it there, it’s not unusual to build empty concrete boxes in the ground years, or even decades before they’re needed.

When the Elizabeth line was being built, it made use of the Moor House shaft which was built in 2004 specifically for Crossrail, even before Crossrail was given approval in 2008. There’s also a space under an office block in Victoria ready for when Crossrail 2 opens, and plenty of other examples of holes in the ground being built long before they are needed. All because it’s considerably easier and cheaper to build them early and leave them empty than build them later*, and if they aren’t needed, then there’s a large empty space that will find a commercial use anyway.

The government has committed to opening the extension to Euston, so the TBMs will be switched on. Eventually.

Meanwhile, work carries on to complete Old Oak Common station, with six platforms for HS2 trains and eight at the surface for mainline and Elizabeth line services. Also, an ex-Crossrail tunnel boring machine is about to start digging a tunnel next to the station so that spoil removal and deliveries can arrive without using the roads. Although always required, the logistics tunnel will have added value when the Euston tunnel works start as they will be able to minimise the disturbance to the fit out of the Old Oak Common station.

When Old Oak Common station opens in 2029-33, as it will be the terminus, it’s expected a large percentage of HS2 customers will switch to the Elizabeth line, and TfL is in discussions with the government to secure orders for additional Elizabeth line trains to cope with the large influx of extra passengers.

The date that a modified Euston station will eventually open is not known, but it’s now not expected to be until 2040 at the earliest.

I could add that building the structure for an 11-platform station at Euston and leaving a third of it empty would be a lot cheaper than building a 7-platform station in full and then trying to bolt on a few extra platforms later.

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