Whilst piling and groundworks do share some similarities across residential and commercial construction, there are also some notable differences that piling companies like us have to take into account before approaching each job.
These differences may seem like small changes, but if they are not heeded, then piling may be deemed unsuitable and even dangerous to be built upon. Understanding the differences is also important for clients so that they can select the right construction specialist for the project they have in mind.
Size Matters In Construction
The most easily recognisable difference between commercial and residential piling work is the equipment involved. The scale of the project is usually widely different; commercial jobs are usually large in scale and require bigger high-powered machinery, specialist equipment and even cranes to transport machinery and materials into place; residential properties require much smaller equipment that can be operated by single individuals and can be moved into place quickly and easily with little disturbance.
Most residential piling takes place on extensions to current buildings, which means access to the property is often limited. Large, cumbersome machinery, the likes of which you find on a commercial project, would be impossible to move into place. In order to be able to move machinery in to place with limited access, residential piling machinery is often constructed under specific guidelines in order to fit easily through tight spaces and is able to be set up with limited room available.
As machinery and equipment becomes bigger it also becomes more dangerous to operate and also requires more extensive training in order to operate. Without specially trained personnel commercial machinery cannot be operated. With residential piling equipment, the training is much less specialised.
The size of a project influences the equipment requirements we have to take into consideration for all piling in Manchester.
