QuickBase Applications
- Conservatories
- QuickBase is used by many of the UKs leading conservatory manufacturers to provide high quality engineered foundations, in all site situations.
- Orangeries
- Slender columns of brickwork and high roof loads mean any minor movement of the foundation will cause significant problems with the building. The deep founded piles of the QuickBase system ensure movements associated with tree roots, volumetric changes in clay soils, landfill sites and made ground are eliminated.
- Timber Frame Extensions
- Timber framed buildings are becoming very popular for people wanting an extension which is in harmony with the property and garden. Timber framed building offer a huge variety of uses for the homeowner but it is essential that this major investment is built on adequate foundations.
- Garden Rooms
- QuickBase is being increasingly used as a foundation for bespoke garden buildings. Garden buildings provide householders with a designer living space to meet their needs. QuickBase can be designed to cope with additional loadings of sedum (grass) roofs, where buildings are designed for low visible impact and thermal efficiency.
- Traditional Extensions
- QuickBase Foundations are designed to cope with loadings associated with traditional brick, block and tile roofing. We will calculate loadings of roofs walls and flooring, and provide building regulations calculations, where necessary.
- SIP Panel Extensions
- The use of SIP panels to create affordable, eco-friendly and energy efficient buildings is a growing trend in the UK. An extension constructed using a QuickBase Foundation, with a SIP panel building on top is the fastest way of installing an extension, taking as little as 8 days from start to finish. This method of construction is widely used for social housing and health authority building projects for quick and eco-friendly disability living adaptions. QuickBase Foundations are working with several SIP manufacturers across the UK to install these types of building.
- Modular Construction
- The off-site nature of the construction of modular buildings places different demands on the foundation designer. For the benefits of modular construction to be fully realised it is essential to provide an accurately dimensioned base with flexible fixing points. A traditional foundation significantly slows the delivery of the completed building.
- Other applications
- our engineers can talk through most projects and determine whether QuickBase will be a suitable foundation system, whether we have an alternative system that may be better or whether a traditional concrete strip foundation would be as suitable but more cost effective. Contact us
QuickBase Frequently Asked Questions
- What guarantee can I get?
- Shire are fully backed by our own professional indemnity, design liability and public liability insurance. We can also give additional peace of mind in the form of an insurance backed guarantee. Our installations are carried out by our own highly trained technicians in line with our CHAS and SafeContractor Approval certification.
- Can QuickBase be used in difficult access areas?
- Yes. QuickBase has compact installation equipment that can be carried on a small sack barrow. All the component parts of the system have been designed to meet manual handling regulations and as such can be carried by one person. If a person can gain access to an area, you have enough space to locate installation equipment.
- Can I use QuickBase on a sloping site?
- Yes. QuickBase can be used on sloping sites. Our design team need to have accurate information about the slope of the site. QuickBase radically reduces the need for stepped trenches in these situations.
- What type of floor finish can I put on a QuickBase system?
- The short answer is any. We have supplied QuickBase systems for: Screed floor, suspended timber floors, floating timber floors, ceramic tiles, electric underfloor heating, wet underfloor heating, carpet, laminate.
- Can QuickBase be used on non-standard shapes of building?
- Yes. Each QuickBase system is individually manufactured at our modern manufacturing plant in Burnley, Lancs. We can accommodate, any shape or size of building.
- Can QuickBase be used for traditional buildings?
- Yes. QuickBase can be used for all forms of construction. QuickBase is routinely used for Building Regulations compliant foundations on traditional Single storey brick/block structures with pitched concrete tile roofs.
- Case studies are available on this website.
- How do I get a quotation for a QuickBase Foundation System?
- Call our office on 01527 579933, give us some dimension details and some information about the type of building and site location and we can give you a budget quotation.
- For more detailed costing information, you will need to complete a simple site survey and give us drawings of your project.
- Our design team produce designs and full Building Regulation Calculation Packs when required.
Solid foundations to protect your investment
The entire stability of any building is dependent on its foundations. Every year in the UK, millions of pounds are spent repairing damage to buildings caused by foundation failures. Preventing these problems early is far less expensive than rectifying them afterwards.
The most common factors to consider are rapid changes in soil moisture, soft ground, drainage or lack of design consideration:
- Clay shrinkage
- Fluctuations in moisture content don’t cause significant variations in the volume of sandy soils. However, clay soils expand when they are wet & shrink when they are dry. If a structure is supported on clay that is moving in this way, the building will move with it causing damage. Trees can cause shrinkage down to 4m.
- Clay heave
- As tree roots pull moisture out of the clay, the soil shrinks and ground level drops. If a tree stops extracting moisture, then the clay rehydrates & swells. The forces generated by swelling clay are large enough to lift up any structure. A common cause is when trees are removed from a site. Ground heave can start immediately and continue for months & years afterwards.
- Soft ground
- Some soil types are weaker than others and not strong enough to support building structures. These include river alluvial deposits, peat & man-made soils. When foundations are dug into these soils, the building’s weight can cause movement in the soil’s structure.
What steps can be put in place to prevent foundation problems occurring?
Below are 4 practical steps to consider:
- Don’t accept a ‘one size fits all’ foundation
- Take reasonable precautions to mitigate against the effects of nearby trees and soft soils
- Choose the right kind of foundation for your building
- Consider access requirements & restrictions. Ask for advice if needed
The foundations are one of the most important parts of your building investment. Often more time is spent considering the type of floor tiles than the foundation type. Foundations are often specified as a standard design ‘to be confirmed on site’. This can lead to inappropriate foundations being constructed. It is essential that adequate thought is given to the foundation type and depth before work starts on site.
At Shire we design foundation systems for a wide range of project types. We have developed patented systems like QuickBase giving deep piled foundations that can be taken down to depths below the zone of influence of any tree roots or down to 20m in soft soils to find ‘good ground’. QuickBase has also been designed to be installed in areas where parking & access is restricted. Foundations are installed quickly, often leading to cost reductions in the overall schedule.
Where there are unknown ground conditions, our geotechnical team can investigate and give advice on the appropriate solution.
For more information, including a detailed guide visit shire-uk.com or contact engineers@shire-uk.com