Blog - Builders, Bishops Stortford
Dewatering Techniques & Solutions for Construction projects. - Rainy Days are here!
Dewatering and Construction Dewatering.
Its raining… its raining a lot! Thats why we thought we’d put a little more clarity and information out there, what happens to a your construction site when it pours with rain like this?
If you are having a home extension thats currently in the early stages of construction, the chances are that you are currently looking into the garden to see a very wet looking picture!
But how do you resolve the situation? Concrete foundations need to be poured in relatively dry conditions after all.
Why?
Dewatering & Construction dewatering are terms that are used to describe the action or removing groundwater or surface water from a construction site. Normally the dewatering process is done by pumping or evaporation with the aim to lower the water table and make construction as easy as possible.
Construction dewatering is used on most construction sites due to the accumulation of water in trenches and excavations or in places with an inadequate slope or high water table. In construction projects, this water needs to be removed to keep the site safe and maintain the working schedule.
Dewatering Precautions.
To avoid erosion of the surrounding soil, dewatering activities must be completed properly. Choosing the best location for discharge is also really important, even when you are far away from streams, lakes or other bodies of water that could be effected by construction sediment. There are lots of dewatering products that can be used to remove sediment, such as dewatering bags. When choosing discharge areas from a dewatering process, its important to remember:
Never discharge water that has been contaminated with oil or other chemical products. In this case an oil separator may be requited.
Its important to pay attention to the area as dewatering takes place, discontinue if signs of instability or erosion persist.
Water should not be pumped directly onto slopes.
Dewatering activities should be directed to a wooded area if available.
Its important to understand the water table conditions in the area.
How to use Dewatering Bags.
Made from geo-textile fabrics, dewatering bags work to separate / filter out sediment from discharging water. These filtration products are used in many different areas, such as dredging, construction sites or places with a high water table. These bags should be sized accordingly and based upon the pump flow rate and level of sediment in the water.
Dewatering Methods.
Dewatering from open excavations and trenches can be done by several methods. The most simple and often most effective method is the gravity drain, however in tight areas this is often not feasible.
Other methods include water pumping, siphoning or using large construction machinery to scoop and dump water into the discharge point.
4 Reasons to have an Extension
The 4 Main Reasons to have an Extension on your home.
The time has come, your house no longer serves its purpose as the safe haven for your growing family, you simply don’t have enough room anymore. At this stage you are faced with two feasible options, move house or extend your home to meet your needs.
Why is an extension a better for you?
Moving is stressful.
Finding a property that suits you and your family, that’s within your price range and close to schools/work is no easy undertaking. In the event that you find a property that ticks all the boxes, moving is one of the most stressful experiences that we willingly undertake… is it worth it?
You will add value to your home.
Going down the extension route can really boost the value of your property, if you decide to move at a later date, you may be able to maximise your buying power by investing now!
You can design your extension to suit you.
Another major upside of extending is that you are in full control! You really can design and tailor your home to your exact requirements. If you need a room with an easily accessible on-suit, you can do it, want modern windows to flood the room with natural light, no problem!
It uses up available or wasted space.
If you’ve always felt that your garden is a little oversized or that perhaps the conservatory is just wasted space, an extension can really utilise the space. Take unwanted and unused space, transform it into something that ads value, benefits your family and suits your needs - all without the stress of moving!
The 3 Stages of Building Work
So you’ve decided that 2021 is the year you want to make major changes to your home! You may already be aware that there are many things to take into account before, during and after the main project has come to and end. Luckily for you, C2 Design & Build have always provided all the building services you could possibly need, which means after you discuss your plans with our team of experts, you can sit back and wait for your dream designs to come into life.
From start to finish, it’s vital for all the necessary components to come into play so that workmanship is completed correctly and in a manner that ensures a prosperous lifespan. Even the smallest of details can make a real difference behind a design that looks bereft of life, and something that oozes class. If you are looking into some modifications around your home, you may benefit from reading on as we take a look at the main stages behind most building work.
Architectural Planning
The first port of call would be the get in touch with an architect and talk through the basic ideas you have for your new-look building. They will then be able to calculate and then draw accurate interpretations to show you how thing should be laid out and the sort of elements which will be required to ensure you get a quality result. This will be your opportunity to really fine-tune the foundations of the project so that you are happy with how your budget is being spent and that you are getting something that matches your specific requirements. Should any issues be identified by your architect, you can work together to find suitable solutions to get around the problem the most effectively.
Implementation
After the plans have been put into place, you will need to call upon the right tradesmen that will be necessary for the sort of work that needs to be completed. That means plumbers for any water-based work, and then carpenters to help get structural frames installed. It’s also worth having labourers around since they can help tradesmen get their respective works completed more quickly and with assistance where necessary. A project manager will be the ones to contact if you have any issues since they will overseeing the work to ensure all the materials are ordered correctly, and that workers are aware of when they are needed.
Aftercare
Final checks needs to be made to the structural integrity of any work so that issues are less likely to come about after tradesmen have completed their aspect of the project. You should also think about cleaning up around areas that have been exposed to intense amounts of dust and other debris so that this isn’t able to damage anything brand new recently installed. Once you have swept away the rubbish and cleansed away the grime, you should be able to gaze upon something that reflects your initial vision.
Conclusion
As a company that is centred around all the planning, designing and building services you could possibly require, we are always ready to take on brand new challenges. To receive a free quote for any work, get in contact with us today on 01279 771 133.
Safety on Building Sites
The number of people and materials called upon to complete building projects makes them a place where major problems could be a huge concern without the right precautions implemented. Whether we are dealing with large-scale home extensions or conducting some small refurbishment work, our team will always aim to bring in safety measures that ensure all tradesmen are protected correctly no matter what type of work they are aiming to get done.
If you are thinking about entering the building trade or want to know how you can keep your building suitably kitted for upcoming work, we believe having even a basic understanding could prove to be a real deal breaker behind preventing unwanted accidents. So, take a look below as we break down some of the most common equipment and procedures used to protect people when they are undertaking any form of construction.
Clothing
Making sure people have their body protected is among the most important things to think about. Since many materials are hard on your hands, and heavy materials could fall from high above, you will need to take a close look at how you can ensure no major damage incurs if the worst were to happen. Some of the most important items would be gloves to help ease the strain on your hands and then hard hats, especially if any roofing work is part of the overall project.
Planning and Preparation
If people are aware of how they are meant to conduct themselves and when, you will find the project should run more smoothly and with a reduced risk of pitfalls ever coming about. There are lots of building firms that have project management in place so that organisation is implemented all the time by someone who is well versed with all aspects of the building trade. Before work begins, you should take a look out for any snags that could escalate, and then look at how they can be rectified immediately. It’s all about thinking ahead and anticipating what could go wrong before any disasters unfold.
Structural Works
Any work such as home extensions will need to take a look at how the structural work will dictate the manner in which the project should be undertaken. With this in mind, be careful with the installation process so that the structural frame is robust and comes with the capacity to withstand the heavy nature of most building structures. We are slowly developing a broad range of structural services so that no matter what we are tasked with, we will find the right frames that help inject an abundance of solidity for a quality finish.
Conclusion
With the right safety measures in place, you should find projects are completed without anything causing issue over the overall timeframe. It’s vital that everyone working at a building site is aware of how important safety is, since just one loose canon could let things fall apart rather quickly. For more information about how we encourage safety with our work, get in contact with us today on 01279 771 133.