Meeting

The Structural Engineer asked for a meeting with the Groundworks Contractor to discuss the possible options to move forward with the foundation re-design problem. The meeting took place this morning, and the upshot is that the contractors have now been given the go-ahead to continue.

The meeting was called because there are two viable solutions to the problem and the Structural Engineer wanted to run them both past the contractor to gauge his preference. Jan & I were not strictly required at the meeting (I think they like to deal with these things themselves, without involving the bill-payers !) but we wanted to be there, so rushed back from what was supposed to be a long-weekend away. As I see it the two options are :

1. Sink a concrete pile down to bedrock in the North West corner and construct a reinforced concrete beam across to the solid rock foundation in the North East corner, onto which the North wall and chimney breast are built.
2. Do as for option 1, but sink a second pile under the chimey (approx half way) thus allowing the amount of concrete and steel reinforcement in the beam to be significantly reduced.

The second option has been agreed as the way to go. They are going to use concrete manhole rings as shutters for the two piles. Once these have been delievered to site, work can progress. This has not been officially run past the Buildings Inspector yet, but no problems are envisaged, which is why work is able to continue. These people all have a "good working relationship" apparently ! The drawings will be ammended to show the new design.

Nothing happened on-site today. There is some dry-packing of the second pillar which we thought might get done, but nobody showed. I hope we have not been moved to the back of the list. The momentum of the first week seems to have been lost.