Raft Foundation in Newbury, Berkshire

Reinforced Raft Foundation for a Domestic Garage

Preparing the Site

Before the raft foundation could be installed, the working area needed to be carefully prepared.

The project was located within an existing residential garden, close to the property and surrounding landscaped areas. This meant access, machinery movement and ground protection all had to be managed properly from the start.

Our team used temporary ground protection to help preserve the existing lawn and paved areas while machinery and materials were moved across the site. This allowed the works to progress efficiently while reducing damage to the surrounding garden.

Site Clearance and Excavation

The first stage involved clearing the area and excavating the ground ready for the garage foundation.

Accurate excavation is important on any foundation project. The depth, levels and base preparation all need to be right before the next stages can begin. For this project, the team prepared the ground carefully to create a suitable base for the raft foundation.

The site was then checked and prepared for the installation of the geotextile membrane, sub-base and reinforcement system.

Sub-Base Preparation and Compaction

Once the excavation works were complete, the team installed the required geotextile membrane and prepared the sub-base.

A well prepared sub-base is essential for a raft foundation. It helps provide support beneath the slab and creates a stable platform for the reinforced concrete.

The sub-base was compacted carefully to achieve the required level of stability before the reinforcement works were installed. This stage plays an important role in the long-term strength and performance of the finished foundation.

Reinforcement and Raft Foundation Preparation

After the sub-base had been prepared, the reinforcement system was installed ready for the concrete pour.

A raft foundation uses a reinforced concrete slab to spread the load of the structure across a wider area. For a domestic garage, this can provide a strong and durable base when designed and installed correctly.

On this project, reinforcement was set out across the prepared area, with shuttering installed to form the foundation edges. The team worked accurately to ensure the slab was ready for concrete placement and level finishing.

Concrete Pour and Finishing

The final reinforced concrete raft slab was then poured and levelled.

Concrete works require careful coordination, especially on residential sites where access may be limited. Our team managed the pour efficiently and finished the slab to the required level, ready for the next stage of the garage construction.

As part of the works, manhole adjustments were also carried out to accommodate the new foundation level. This helped ensure the finished area worked correctly with the existing drainage and access points.

Protecting the Existing Garden

One of the key parts of this project was completing the foundation works while protecting the surrounding property.

The existing garden, paved areas and access routes were managed carefully throughout the project. Temporary ground protection helped reduce disruption, while organised site management kept the working area safe and tidy.

This approach was especially important because the foundation was being installed at an existing private home, not on an open construction site.

The Result

Scane & Sons completed the small raft foundation installation for the new garage in Newbury, Berkshire.

The finished reinforced concrete slab provided a strong, level and durable base for the garage. The works were completed to building control standards, with careful attention given to the existing garden, paved areas and surrounding property.

The project was delivered with minimal disruption, leaving the client with a well prepared foundation ready for the next phase of the build.

Raft Foundation and Groundworks in Berkshire

This project is a good example of the care needed when carrying out domestic groundworks at an existing property.

Even smaller foundation projects require proper planning, accurate excavation, suitable sub-base preparation and careful concrete installation. When the work takes place in a landscaped garden, site protection and access management are just as important.

Scane & Sons provides domestic and commercial groundworks across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and surrounding areas.

Our services include:

• Excavation
• Site clearance
• Foundation installation
• Raft foundations
• Sub-base preparation
• Concrete pouring
• Drainage preparation
• Domestic groundworks
• Civil engineering works

Planning a Garage, Extension or Foundation Project?

If you are planning a garage, extension or residential construction project, Scane & Sons can help prepare the ground properly from the start.

Contact Scane & Sons to discuss excavation, foundations, concrete works and domestic groundworks for your property.