38 CFA piles and a 116m² reinforced concrete raft slab for a residential rear extension in Chichester, West Sussex. Extremely hard flint-laden ground wore down drilling equipment and collapsed bores, but our team adapted on site to deliver the foundation on budget.
Our team delivered the piled foundation for a substantial rear extension to a residential property on The Avenue in Chichester, West Sussex. The extension required a steel-framed structure with a piled raft slab, and with 20 protected trees close to the works, Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piling was chosen as the most efficient method for the ground conditions.
The pile design was based on British Geological Survey data, which indicated Made Ground overlying sand and gravel with chalk at approximately 4–6m depth. On site in Chichester, the ground proved far more challenging than expected — extremely hard flint deposits wore down two lead augers and all follower augers, requiring tooling repairs twice during the programme.
We installed 38 CFA piles at 300mm diameter, with actual depths ranging from 3m to 7m. Several bores initially collapsed in the upper strata, but by drilling an additional metre into competent chalk, the bores lined themselves and held. This technique was adopted on 11 production piles. Six piles were drilled to practical refusal in the dense flint, and additional piles were installed to compensate for reduced depths. Every pile underwent sonic integrity testing before the slab pour.
The 116m² reinforced concrete raft slab was cast at 200mm thickness using C32/40 grade concrete, with 225mm Cellcore void formers beneath to protect against clay heave. Despite the challenging ground, the complete piling and foundations package was delivered in approximately five weeks.
Complete technical breakdown of the piling and foundation works delivered at Chichester, West Sussex.
60kN per pile
Made Ground over Sand, Gravel & Flint over Chalk
116m²
200mm RC with A393 mesh
225mm Cellcore HX-S
C32/40
5 weeks
We assess your site and ground conditions, then recommend the most suitable piling method - not just the one we happen to have available.
The cost-effective solution for extensions and new builds. Our 750mm wide rigs access tight spaces while delivering high load capacity (up to 400kN) for residential and commercial projects.
High-capacity continuous flight auger piling for commercial developments. Fast installation (10-20 piles/day) with minimal noise and vibration. Ideal for urban sites requiring loads up to 2,500kN.
The specialist solution for low headroom and internal works. Operates in just 2.4m height—perfect for basements, underpinning, and working inside existing buildings without compromising capacity.
Steel cased driven piles for contaminated, wet, or unstable ground. The displacement method creates zero spoil, eliminating hazardous waste disposal costs while ensuring a dry, sealed casing for concrete.
Rapid, dry installation with immediate load capacity. No concrete, no curing time, and minimal ground disturbance. Ideal for eco-friendly builds, temporary structures, and working near trees.
Complete reinforced concrete packages including ground beams, pile caps, and rafts. We handle the piling and the concrete works together, delivering a finished base ready for your builder.
Three offices across the region means we're genuinely local to your project - not a distant company sending rigs across the country.
Extensions, new builds, basements, underpinning, and commercial foundations across London and Southern England.
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Real feedback from homeowners, contractors, and structural engineers across London and the South.
4.9Google Reviews"What can I say, the team were a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. My wife and I did a fair amount of due diligence... Our experience was that they seemed to go the extra mile. A shout out to Barrie the project manager but of course not forgetting Lenny and Baz who worked tirelessly throughout. And a special thank you to Ben Crabb - right from our first conversation, you proposed options and were so helpful and informative."
"A really nice family business that we couldn't recommend more highly. We had a 14m x 11m foundation concrete slab with mini piles completed within their estimation of 4 weeks... The building inspector said he wished all his clients were up to their standards! From my many phone calls with Ben from the outset through to Ricky, Barrie and Shane (3 brothers) they are all so friendly and helpful."
"What a breath of fresh air to deal with a company that exceeds all of your expectations. From my first contact with Barrie in the office to the two hardworking men, Dan and Lenny who carried out the job, I have been so impressed with their professionalism, capability and friendliness. Thank you for a job 'very well done'."
"We chose them for our extension. The sales person Ben was extremely helpful with his comments and always available to discuss matters and never missed a call back. Ricky the project manager explained what was happening throughout the procedure with phone calls and I must mention Rachel for any issues we had. Overall very good job done."
"What can I say, the team were a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. My wife and I did a fair amount of due diligence... Our experience was that they seemed to go the extra mile. A shout out to Barrie the project manager but of course not forgetting Lenny and Baz who worked tirelessly throughout. And a special thank you to Ben Crabb - right from our first conversation, you proposed options and were so helpful and informative."
"A really nice family business that we couldn't recommend more highly. We had a 14m x 11m foundation concrete slab with mini piles completed within their estimation of 4 weeks... The building inspector said he wished all his clients were up to their standards! From my many phone calls with Ben from the outset through to Ricky, Barrie and Shane (3 brothers) they are all so friendly and helpful."
"What a breath of fresh air to deal with a company that exceeds all of your expectations. From my first contact with Barrie in the office to the two hardworking men, Dan and Lenny who carried out the job, I have been so impressed with their professionalism, capability and friendliness. Thank you for a job 'very well done'."
"We chose them for our extension. The sales person Ben was extremely helpful with his comments and always available to discuss matters and never missed a call back. Ricky the project manager explained what was happening throughout the procedure with phone calls and I must mention Rachel for any issues we had. Overall very good job done."
"What can I say, the team were a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. My wife and I did a fair amount of due diligence... Our experience was that they seemed to go the extra mile. A shout out to Barrie the project manager but of course not forgetting Lenny and Baz who worked tirelessly throughout. And a special thank you to Ben Crabb - right from our first conversation, you proposed options and were so helpful and informative."
"A really nice family business that we couldn't recommend more highly. We had a 14m x 11m foundation concrete slab with mini piles completed within their estimation of 4 weeks... The building inspector said he wished all his clients were up to their standards! From my many phone calls with Ben from the outset through to Ricky, Barrie and Shane (3 brothers) they are all so friendly and helpful."
"What a breath of fresh air to deal with a company that exceeds all of your expectations. From my first contact with Barrie in the office to the two hardworking men, Dan and Lenny who carried out the job, I have been so impressed with their professionalism, capability and friendliness. Thank you for a job 'very well done'."
"We chose them for our extension. The sales person Ben was extremely helpful with his comments and always available to discuss matters and never missed a call back. Ricky the project manager explained what was happening throughout the procedure with phone calls and I must mention Rachel for any issues we had. Overall very good job done."
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