Whatever project you are planning, from homes and housing to commercial architecture or infrastructure, it is vital to consider the site conditions. Crucially, you should look beneath the ground. It’s very useful to get a clear picture of what is going on, including old foundations, various utilities, the water table, and the type of soil. It will then reduce the risk of issues.

The problem

Precision is important with architecture. A lot of work goes into creating precise plans that detail exactly what is being built and where. This can include measurements accurate to the exact millimetre. However, people often fail to look beneath the ground. It can lead to significant problems.

Easily the biggest issue here is you could fail to identify the location of utilities. When the project gets up and running, there is a risk of damaging them during excavations. If that happens it could shutter the whole project. It could also cause significant costs to repair utilities like water or gas pipes.

Keep in mind there are bigger risks with previously developed sites in busy urban areas. For example, there could be extensive networks below the ground on any land that was once home to industrial or commercial architecture. Therefore, it is even more important to check and reduce the risk of issues.

Relying on records

If you do plan to explore what is going on below the ground, make sure you dig deep. Checking old records can be useful, but is rarely enough. You will likely need professional surveys.

The main thing to keep in mind is records are unlikely to be accurate. While they may have been at the time, there could have been movement since. Additionally, there could have been undocumented changes or new installations. There is always a chance the records are wrong or incomplete too.

It’s best to examine the ground conditions as early as possible in the design phase of a project. It can have a massive impact on what you can do. For example, it could limit the ability to excavate, build basement levels, and utilise different types of foundations. Plus, it can provide an idea of how easy it will be to connect to existing utilities.

Talk to us about commercial architecture or other projects

Planning is really important if you want to reduce the risk of problems on a project. It’s wise to get as much information as possible, including about above and below ground. You can then get a much clearer idea of what you can do, or will need to do before you can do anything else.

If you do have a project in mind, including commercial architecture, homes and housing, public buildings, or mixed use developments, you can rely on Coffey Architects. We’ve got a wealth of experience, a passionate team, and the ability to adapt to any requirements. Ultimately, we’ll give you the best support wherever and whenever you need it.

So, get in touch today if you have questions or want to start planning.