Piling

Overview

U&M Piling contractors’ aim is to provide you with the very best piling contracting services possible thanks to the skills and knowledge acquired over 40 years. Our company is based near London but our piling contractors deliver services nationwide.

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Even if you’re just thinking about a project that might require piling, our qualified experts are available to give you help and advice on choosing the best solution for you.

Why choose U&M Piling services?

Complete design and build service
We’ll be there from plans and foundations all the way through to the finish
We take on all forms of restricted access and open site piling too.
Even if you think no one can help you, contact us as we may be able to help
All work is undertaken by fully trained and experienced members of our team

We always strive to deliver the highest quality knowledge and piling work to every single one of our customers.

Piling Services

Our comprehensive range of piling services covers all major types of piling such as foundation piling, mini-piling and contiguous piling. Read more about the specific types of piles and piling services we offer including:

Sectional auger mini piles
Grout injected continuous flight auger piles
Steel cased bottom driven piles
Steel case grundomat driven piles
Contiguous piling

Along the piling services, we also offer a complete design and build service. So from plans to foundations all the way through to the finish, U&M Piling will be there for your project every step of the way.

We undertake all forms of restricted access and open site piling, and have a wide range of piling systems and solutions on offer, to deal with all manner of ground conditions.

All of our work is undertaken by fully trained and experienced members of our team and all piling work is covered by a 10-year Defects Insurance guarantee.

Types of Piling

Sectional Auger Mini Piles

150mm to 450mm diameter flight sections.
Has a solid or hollow stem.

Sectional Auger Mini Pile is formed by drilling into the ground with multiple flight sections installed to the designated depth. These rigs are very versatile and they easily allow for installation in restricted access zones.

When using these Sectional Auger Mini Piles, it is most common to bore the pile and then fill with concrete post extraction, however this does depend on the ground conditions.

Grout Injected Continuous Flight Auger

Uses 250mm to 300mm diameter flight sections.

A Grout Injected Continuous Flight Auger is formed by drilling a continuous flight auger into the ground. The sides of the hole are supported at all times by the soil-filled auger, eliminating the need for temporary casing or bentonite slurry. Upon reaching the required depth, grout is then pumped down the hollow stem as the auger is steadily withdrawn.

The advantages to using a Grout Injected Continuous Flight Auger is they can be installed with very little vibrations or noise.

Steel Cased Bottom Driven Piles

Uses 150mm to 300mm diameter flight sections

Unlike conventional driven piles, these piles are bottom driven so that all the energy is delivered directly to the pile toe, rather than in top driven piles that where all the energy dissipates down the shaft of the pile. This makes the system extremely efficient and enables high capacity piles to be installed using relatively small machines. With a selection of hammer weights, Steel Case Bottom Driven Piles piles can be constructed with working loads ranging from 5 tonnes to 85 tonnes.

Steel Cased Grundomat Driven Piles

Uses 105mm to 150mm diameter piles.

This Steel Cased Pile is driven internally with a Grundomat, which is powered by compressed air. These are usually used in restricted access sites where the load bearing is light. Once the compressor is started up, the air tap is gradually opened to allow the hammer action of the Grundomat to drive the casing. One the casing is firm and aligned, the tap is opened for maximum drive, where then it is driven to approximately 300mm above ground level. The next length of casing is the then welded to this ‘starter’ via a spigot and socket joint. More are added as required until the required resistance and depth is achieved.

Steel Cased Grundomat Driven Piles also offer minimal vibration and so are often used for extensions and conservatories in residential areas, as they cause very little disruption.

Contiguous piling

Uses 250mm – 450mm diameter flight section

They can be employed to create retaining walls for earth on projects that require excavation work. These can be permanent or temporary depending on what the problem requires. They are typically used in cellar or basement construction and substructures in close proximity to current structures. This technique also avoids having to require excessive amounts of excavation and helps in the control of ground movement.

If you have a project that requires piling, or you would like help and advice on choosing the best solution for you, then get in touch with a member of our design team to discuss your requirements.

What exactly are piled foundations and when are they used?

Piled foundations have come about as a result of advanced research to overcome the problems associated with poor ground conditions. Traditionally piling had been used for large construction and engineering projects, and although it has been a method used in construction for many years, the method had not been widely used in domestic and smaller residential construction until the mid 1980′s.

Piling is usually used when:

A site investigation has highlighted that the ground is unsuitable and un-useable to a depth of more than 2 metres.
There is a high water table.
Removal costs for the excavation of traditional deep trench foundations are too expensive.
Where there are soils such as clay that are likely to swell or shrink excessively depending on the amount of water content.
Foundation trenches are not stable and health and safety therefore becomes an issue.

Concrete piles are thin columns of reinforced concrete, spaced at regular intervals that are usually positioned at the intersections of walls, depending on the load that they are bearing. They are designed to transmit the weight of the load deeper into the subsoil, past where the weaker or sub-sufficient material is, to where a denser material can be found, to prevent collapse or uplift. Then once they are installed, they are generally linked by either reinforced concrete ground beams, pile-caps or raft slabs.