1. Background
2. Directory of services
3. Case study – Underpinning
4. Case study – New foundations
5. Basement Force
6. More than just foundations
7. Health and Safety
8. Recruitment and equal opportunities
   

1. Background

FORCE was formed in November 1994 and over the years the company has earned its reputation as being at the top of its field, producing consistently high quality work in the most challenging circumstances.

As a small company, with many clients being homeowners, building contractors and developers, FORCE offers a more direct and personal approach which a larger organisation may struggle to achieve.

FORCE undertakes work all over London and the South East of England ranging from small structural repair contracts to large basement construction and sophisticated piled underpinning and refurbishment projects. Where possible, FORCE offers a total package incorporating all aspects of the foundation and superstructure work. Contracts are undertaken on a 'Design-and-Build' basis where no engineer has been retained by the client.

Since its birth, the Company has adopted a policy of measured expansion resulting in financial security and a committed work force in the office and on site. The Directors have a hands-on approach to all projects. Mark Cogan is a Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer and Jeremy Dunn has a Ph.D. in foundation engineering. Ian Cull is our Regional Manager and oversees a small team of qualified engineers who in turn run the projects from the point when the first spade hits the ground to the last coat of paint. FORCE's work on site is undertaken by skilled and experienced operatives, the majority of whom have been known personally by the Directors or Regional Manager for many years.

FORCE offers a free 10 year materials and workmanship guarantee on all underpinning and foundations. As a select member of the Association of Specialist Underpinning Contractors (ASUC) we are also able to provide their 12 year insurance backed guarantee.

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2. Directory of services

• Underpinning
  Traditional and piled systems including all ancillary building, repair and redecoration.
• Minipiling and piling
  Both augered and driven piles, often in low headroom and restricted access situations.
• Basement construction
  Specialist reinforced concrete works either for opensite basements or those constructed underneath existing buildings (see also www.basementforce.co.uk ). Associated building works and waterproofing are also undertaken.
• New foundations
  Reinforced concrete elements including ground beams, slabs and retaining walls. All types of traditional and piled foundations.
• Structural repairs
  Remedial building work and redecoration, brickwork and concrete repairs, and resin bonding.

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3. Case study – Underpinning

The cause for most of the subsidence in the South East remains the drying out of clay soils. When FORCE was called to inspect the imposing Villa Dei Cesari restaurant overlooking the River Thames in Pimlico, London SW1, a different soil problem was suspected. The front of the restaurant was suffering from subsidence with external and internal walls showing cracking and distortion, and the floors were suffering from severe movement. Following a day's exploratory work it was revealed that the front section of the building was built upon a layer of fill material, and settlement of this material was occurring.

FORCE tendered successfully for the work which comprised an extensive package of underpinning and groundwork, building repairs and redecoration. But it was FORCE's attention to detail and programming of the contract that most impressed the consulting engineers administering the project.

The owner insisted that the £86,000 contract be completed as soon as possible to mitigate lost revenue. FORCE's contract included very severe financial penalties should the project not be completed on time. Given the status of the restaurant it was also vital that the site remained visually attractive whilst the works were ongoing.

Shortly after signing the contract, FORCE erected a hoarding to the front of the building and commenced dismantling the kitchen and protecting the unaffected sections of the building. Groundworkers then broke up the existing concrete slabs with a mini-excavator in the entrance foyer in order to expedite matters.

The foundation scheme consisted of a mixture of different types of underpinning including mass concrete and a system involving driven mini-piles and reinforced concrete beams and slabs. The fill material continued to around 4m below ground level and an unexpected complex network of deep drains required a redesign of the scheme by FORCE's Project Engineer.

With difficult ground having delayed FORCE's programme it was important to make up for lost time in the final stages. With only a small area within which to work FORCE successfully coordinated carpenters, tilers, screeders, electricians, plumbers, plasterers, brick layers, drainage specialists and decorators to restore the restaurant to its former glory. The fine finishes demanded a very high quality of workmanship to be executed under considerable time pressure.

FORCE's work at The Villa has proven our ability to manage and coordinate the most demanding of multi-disciplinary underpinning works.

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4. Case study – New foundations

In clay soils the presence of deep tree roots often dictates the type and depth of foundations to be used. Certain trees, such as Willows, take a lot of moisture from the ground, and in the case of clays, this can cause the ground to dry out. New foundations must be well below the depth of roots to ensure that the building will not be affected. If traditional foundations become too deep, then other alternatives using piles and reinforced concrete become cheaper.

At The Heights, in Beckenham, Kent, an end-of-terrace house had suffered from subsidence and irreparable damage. It was decided that the existing house would need to be demolished and a new one constructed in its place on new foundations. Fine tree roots were known to be present to 2.5m below the ground and so a combination of piles and a reinforced concrete slab was selected as being the most appropriate foundation scheme.

A series of mini-piles were drilled into the ground using a small tracked unit prior to the construction of a reinforced concrete slab. Different teams were coordinated and supervised by FORCE including groundworkers, steel fixers, carpenters and finally a concreting gang. The whole process was completed safely, tidily and within only three weeks.

The project at The Heights is typical of the work FORCE undertakes for homeowners and main contractors and illustrates FORCE's capacity to successfully undertake specialist foundation works which most general building companies would avoid.

FORCE utilises specialist equipment with the ability to accommodate all access and headroom situations, and all ground conditions. We are often asked to construct the foundations for house extensions, in many cases mobilising on site at very short notice.

In-house foundation engineers supervise the work closely and undertake all design work where an engineer has not been retained by the client.

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5. Basement Force

FORCE has been building basements since 1995 for both new developments and underneath existing buildings. Both Force Foundations and Basement Force operate from the same offices with the same personal, insurances, quality control etc.. A dedicated and separate website has been established at www.basementforce.co.uk.

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6. More than just foundations

Much of Force's work is undertaken on behalf of insurers as part of subsidence claims. In cases where underpinning is not required we are frequently invited to tender for alternative remedial works. This may encompass structural repairs, building works and decorations.

FORCE have a number of dedicated building, structural repair and decorating teams. Most of these gangs have worked for the Company for over 3 years. Each gang has one or two specialisations, so resin bonding, plumbing, brickwork and carpentry can be undertaken in-house without the need to use peripheral subcontractors with whom we have no track record.

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7. Health and Safety

When appointing a contractor for a particular project many issues are considered, including quality of work, track record, office back-up and of course price. But what about safety performance? In our experience only a few organisations devote significant time to this essential activity. Construction remains one of the most hazardous environments and it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that each project is undertaken as safely as possible. If an accident were to occur, everyone in the project cycle is accountable.

The No.1 priority for every construction company should be Health & Safety. Our Health & Safety record over the years is very good, and far better than the national average. FORCE has a comprehensive H&S Policy but we go further to reduce the risk to our workforce. One of our benefits lies in the size of our operation.

Companies take very different approaches to Health & Safety. Small companies may lack a formal policy or an adequate system for Health & Safety management, supervision and reporting. By contrast, large companies remain at the mercy of layers of bureaucracy that dilute the effectiveness of Health & Safety.

We believe the solution lies in taking responsibility and being accountable. FORCE's size means that the chain of command from Regional Manager through to the operative on site is quick and efficient and therefore control is of the highest order.

Our Health & Saftey Policy has been developed over the years as a template for Health & Safety standards in the Company. The Policy is a living document that is reviewed annually, and upon the publication of any new legislation. If an accident or 'near miss' were to occur, the policy is revisited to establish if the risk may be reduced in the future. Like many policies the document is lengthy and not always appropriate as a reference on the actual building site. We therefore publish shortened on-site policies with key points for the use by the foreman and operatives.

Experienced, qualified engineers manage all of FORCE's sites. During each site inspection a Health and Safety checklist is followed in order to identify, and if necessary improve, any Health & Safety related issues. A programme of 'tool-box' talks is continually implemented on site with various aspects of the construction process discussed between the engineer and the gang. The FORCE engineer is also responsible for the reporting of any accidents.

Every Tuesday afternoon the office staff meet to discuss relevant safety issues. These include a debriefing on the 'tool-box' talks held that week together with any specific Health & Safety matters that have arisen on our sites or in the office.

As a member of the Association of Specialist Underpinning Contractors (ASUC), FORCE is part of a body that champions high standards of safety. The Association continually monitors the safety performance of its members by employing independent Safety Consultants

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8. Recruitment and equal opportunities

As part of our planned programme of expansion FORCE is always interested in receiving enquiries from individuals wishing to develop their career within this exciting and rewarding environment. You should ideally have experience within the specialist foundations market though this is not essential. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

FORCE is an equal opportunities employer.

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