Question about groundwork for my garden room

[jgodwin]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can help me with this. I'm knocking down my shed and replacing with a small garden-room type building as a replacement. The shed currently sits on a square brick foundation, but I want to extend both the length and the width.

My idea is to keep the original brick foundation, but to extend the surface area using ground piles at the same height as the brick.

Is this feasible if I'm just looking for the least cumbersome/quickest way to do it with minimal demolition/excavation?

Thanks!

 

[Mike13]

you run the risk of slight settlement in the new bits, meaning that after a year floor will be less level. it is unknown to me how much that could happen, it might not be noticeable, but it could end up being terrible. if the ground piles are always adjustable, then you could keep it level as the ground adjusts.

 

[jgodwin]

Hi Mike, thanks for replying - that's a really good observation. I plan to concrete the piles into the ground, do you think settling will be as much of an issue?

 

[Ollyfp]

Hi Mike, thanks for replying - that's a really good observation. I plan to concrete the piles into the ground, do you think settling will be as much of an issue?

Nah, not with a garden building! Just make sure that you make a good solid job of the supports. Maybe use a laser level too!

 

[jgodwin]

Hi Olly. Great - I'm going to dig around 600mm deep, 150-200mm wide, and then completely fill with concrete and have about 1/3 of the rod out the top. Will definitely use a laser!

 

[Ollyfp]

Yep, that'll do! I built this one from scratch a few years back. The main posts were coated with blackjack before being set in concrete. I used C24 timbers and concrete tiles for the roof. We call it the 'shedzebo'. It's basically the lovechild of a shed and a gazebo. Hmm... anyway. Good luck!