High Water Tables

Trench foundations may be used...

When you have a conservatory built it has to have strong foundations and the type of foundation you have will depend very much on the ground conditions in your area. If you are having a conservatory built then your builder may suggest that you have trench foundations rather than the deep strip foundations if the soil is not suitable of if you are in a high water table area. The water table, sometimes known as the groundwater table refers to the level above the underground surface or soil substrata where the soil or ground is permanently saturated with water.

Foundations for High Water Table

Special precautions need to be taken...

The soggy conditions of ground with a high water table along with its instability means that special precautions need to be taken when erecting a conservatory, in such an area. Depending on how soggy the ground is the builder may recommend trench foundations which are sunk deeper than deep strip foundations and thus need more concrete; or they might recommend piled foundations which would give the foundations added load bearing capacity.

High Water Table Precautions

Far more likely that cracks will appear...

If a building is erected in an area with a high water table without taking such precautions over the foundations then it is far more likely that cracks will appear in the walls as a result of the subsidence that occurs with insecure or inadequate foundations.

• Trench or Piled Foundations.
• Subsidence.
• More Precautions.

The trench fill foundation that is used in areas where there is either a high water table or a large distribution of clay comprises of deep trenches. The trench is filled with concrete which should be at least 500mm in depth to a depth of no less than a hundred and fifty millimetres below ground level. If ground heave might be expected to happen then the trench is further reinforced by lining the sides of the trench with a compressed material which is then held together with a mesh reinforcement.

If you would like a quote for a conservatory on ground with a high water table click here.