Our foundation and geotechnical investigations provide specialist assessment of non-traditional properties, including Airey, Wimpey No-Fines, Cornish, Tarran, BISF and other PRC and system-built homes. These property types often rely on lightweight or shallow foundation solutions that can be vulnerable to ground movement, material degradation and long-term settlement.
We support councils, housing associations and landlords by delivering robust, evidence-based investigations to identify foundation performance, ground conditions and associated risks, enabling informed decisions on repair, remediation or future investment.
Why Foundation and Geotechnical Investigations Are Critical
Non-traditional housing is often more sensitive to sub-soil conditions and foundation behaviour than traditional masonry construction. Over time, changes in ground conditions or deterioration of foundation elements can lead to:
- Differential settlement and structural movement
- Cracking to walls, panels and structural frames
- Reduced load-bearing capacity
- Increased risk from clay shrinkage, heave or erosion
- Challenges when planning structural repairs or refurbishment
Foundation and geotechnical investigations provide clarity on whether observed defects are ground-related, construction-related or progressive, ensuring the correct remedial strategy is adopted.
What Our Service Includes
Our investigations follow a structured, proportionate approach tailored to non-traditional construction:
Desktop Review and Risk Assessment
Review of existing ground information, historic records, previous investigations and structural surveys to understand known risks and site conditions.
Intrusive Ground Investigation
Targeted trial pits, boreholes or foundation exposure to confirm foundation type, depth and condition, alongside soil sampling and testing where required.
Geotechnical Assessment
Evaluation of soil characteristics, bearing capacity, groundwater conditions and potential for movement or instability.
Structural Interface Review
Assessment of how foundation performance interacts with the non-traditional superstructure, including PRC frames, panels and connections.
Reporting and Recommendations
Our foundation and geotechnical reports provide clear, actionable outputs, including:
- Confirmation of foundation type and construction
- Assessment of ground conditions and geotechnical risks
- Identification of causes of movement or instability
- Recommendations for remediation, monitoring or further investigation
- Advice to support structural repair design or options appraisals
Reports are written in plain English, supported by technical evidence, and suitable for use by asset managers, boards, regulators and funding bodies.
Supporting Non-Traditional Housing Asset Decisions
Foundation and geotechnical investigations support:
- Structural surveys and defect investigations
- PRC and NTHAS assessments and repair schemes
- Options appraisals for refurbishment, redevelopment or disposal
- Long-term asset management and investment planning
- Risk management for ageing non-traditional housing stock
By understanding ground and foundation performance, landlords can make defensible, long-term decisions about the future of non-traditional properties.
Why Work With Us?
We have extensive experience investigating foundations and ground conditions beneath non-traditional housing, combining geotechnical expertise with a deep understanding of system-built and PRC construction. Our advice is independent, proportionate and aligned with the realities of social housing management.
We help landlords identify root causes, reduce risk and plan effective interventions, ensuring non-traditional homes remain safe, compliant and sustainable wherever possible.