In this weeks property surveying blog post, we are going to be discussing eccentric foundations, or eccentrically loaded foundations and when they are required within a party wall surveying perspective.
If a building owner is planning on building up to the boundary line separating the two owners properties, he will need to ensure that his proposed foundations for the subsequential flank wall are built using eccentric type foundations.
Eccentric foundations or eccentrically loaded foundations ensure that the outer edge of the foundation, lines up with the outer edge of the proposed wall, thereby ensuring that there is no projection onto the adjoining owners land or property.
The importance of this is to ensure that in the future, when the adjoining owner comes to undertake a similar extension, they are not hindered by the subterranean trespass resulting from a non-eccentric foundation that the building owner would have installed.
In most cases this will be a standard construction detail that the architect and design team will take into account, however it is not uncommon for it to be overlooked or missed, we would therefore advise ensuring that this type of foundation is always considered at an early date by the design team as this will ultimately ensure that there is less delay resulting from drawing revisions further down the line.
With historic walls, it isn’t uncommon for the foundations to actually project beyond the boundary line, which can often result in an adjoining owner having to cut back projections at their cost and delay during the course of the works itself.
Under the Party Wall etc Act 1996 and adjoining owner does has the legal right to recover the cost for cutting back any projections, however generally speaking it can be a fairly complicated point to deal with, therefore should you find yourself in this position we would always recommend discussing the matter with your party wall surveyor at the earliest opportunity.
Eccentric foundations are not only simple to design, but also simple for the contractor to implement on site and their installation not only reduces the risk of a future trespass action, but makes it easier for an adjoining owner to build in the future.
Definition of Eccentrically Laid Foundations
Eccentrically loaded foundations are a type of foundation that is designed to support a wall that is not directly aligned with the foundation. This type of foundation is often used when a wall is being built close to a property boundary, as it allows the wall to be built right up to the boundary without encroaching on the adjoining owner’s land.
Benefits of Eccentrically Loaded Foundations
- They allow walls to be built right up to property boundaries without encroaching on adjoining land.
- They can help to reduce the risk of subsidence.
- They can be more cost-effective than other types of foundation.
Cons of Eccentrically Loaded Foundations
- They can be more complex to design and construct than other types of foundation.
- They may not be suitable for all types of soil.
- They may require additional structural support.
If you would like to discuss your proposed construction works with us, or you would like to discuss your neighbours proposed construction works with us, give our team of qualified and experienced party wall surveyors here at Stokemont a call now and we will be more than happy to assist you.
