ABSTRACT
The foundations of the house are probably the most important part of the property (every part is important) because without an adequate base the property will quickly become unstable.
There are several types of foundation for domestic construction which are:
1. Traditional strip 2. Deep strip 3. Tied footing or raft 4. Piled (very unlikely to be used)
Traditional strip
A typical traditional strip footing is indicated on Fig 1. Study the sketch carefully because you will have to use similar details on your drawings. The width of the concrete base must comply with the Table E1 of Approved Document ‘A’ (page 22). As it is unusual for a client to allow trial holes to be dug (pits about 3’ 0” square and 3’ 0Z deep dug in the garden to test soil conditions), I normally indicate on my plans that trial holes have not been taken and that the Builder is to test as necessary. A minimum width is then indicated as 600mm on the plans as this is a convenient size for a bricklayer to work off and it allows for most ground conditions.
