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Foul Drainage Connection

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:01:00 +0000

ATJ Building & Groundworks regually install new drain runs, man holes and been carrying out Drainage Repairs in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire for many years, This particular job was to make nessary drainage alterations to connect the clients property onto the mains sewer rather than a ses pit which wasn't working properly and becoming a hazard. When the village was recently developed and Anglian Water installed spurs from the main sewer to inside the our clients boundary along with every other property on their street.

First and foremost we identified and located  the main services, Water, Gas and Electricity to avoid any accidents which trying to locate the mains sewr spur. Once we located and checked the spur was connected to the mains sewer we could begin excavating for the new manhole and drain runs.

A New plastic inspection chamber was installed at the front of the drive way, so that if there were a blockage the drains were rodable in both directions. The Chamber was bedded on 150mm of wet concrete to give it uniform support and surrounded with 200mm of dry lean concrete to protect it when the ground settles.

The obslete gullys and drain runs where broken out and new gullys and drain runns were then layed  to a minium 1:40 fall bedded on and covered with 100mm of pea gravel. The existing soil and vent pipe was conected on to the end of the drain run, also the floor in the Ground floor W.C was broken outt and a new stub stack installed.

The drive and paths were back filled and reinstated.

Building Regulations approval was required for this work, we also undertake  Design & Planning work of this nature for building regulation approval.

Terry J

Block Paving Forecourt

Mon, 24 May 2010 14:59:00 +0000

ATJBuilding & Groundworks undertake comercial Block Paving contracts in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Kettering Wellingbrough and Corby. This particular job to create a block paved area for Kia Garage to display a new model cars.

The first task was to remove all shubbery and grub the roots out from the proposed area. Next the ground level was reduced aproximatley 300mm below finish floor level, this was deeper than usual but the top soil was deeper than expected.

Most of the area was already curbed but a row of edgings was required to retain the front edge. We set the edgings out square to the existing curbs ensuring it worked full blocks to reduce unnessary cutting. The edging were laid on 200mm or concrete haunched front and back.

Next aproximatly 200mm of type 1 MOT was laid and compacted to the base. Next aproxmaitley sharpe sand was laid and roughly leveled out, after the sharpe sand was well compacted the area was screeded off leaving aproxmaitly 50mm of sand ready for the block pavers to be laid. The pavers were laid by hand to a herringbone pattern.

Once the body of pavers were laid all the cutting in around the perimeter was done with a block splitter. Silver sand was then sweeped in to the joints and the Block Paving was well compacted once again. More silver was sweeped into the joints then area cleaned off ready for use.

Terry J

Comercial Impact Damage

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:09:00 +0000

Impact damage repairs to blockwork are typical of the kind of work dilapidation repairs we undertake. In this instance the blockwork panels were badly damaged along their whole length and varying heights. The panels were approximately 20m high and clad one side which made it difficult to safely repair the whole panel in one go without removing the metal cladding. The repairs had to made in 1.5m sections and supported from one side with Acrow props and Strongboys.

Firstly the panel was cut into a 1.5m section and "Strongboys" and Acrow props installed to support the blockwork above. Next the section of blockwork was broken out and cleared away.

The true line of the blockwork was then determined, re-built, toothed out ready to receive the next section of blocks. The top bed joint between the new and old blockwork was dry packed with slate and the propping removed once the mortar had gone off. Each section was allowed to dry for 2-3 days before the section directly next to it was broken out and repaired.

This process was repeated 4 times for each panel with the end sections being repaired first and the middle sections build to a line as standard practise.

Smaller isolated areas of damage did not require propping and could be broken out and replaced without too much bother.

Terry J

Impact Damage Repairs

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:37:00 +0000

This is one example of an impact damaged job completed recently. A car hit the building at about 70mph causing the brickwork to move across the DPC into a door opening about 600mm leaving the building structurally unsound and in urgent need of attention. We completed the following work.

First of all the roof and the remaining brickwork in the gable had to be supported with acrow props, needles and "strongboys" in a way which enabled access to rebuild the the damaged brickwork. The property was made safe and all damaged fixtures and fitting removed. The damaged brick and stonework was cleared setting aside any re-usable bradstone. Before the brickwork commenced around 15 mortar samples were provided for the client and home owner to choose the best match.

The blockwork was built first to quickly secure the property and take some of the roof and gable load. Due to the age of the property we were unable to find a good match for the"bradstone" so used the amount salvaged to build a panel under the window and re-build the remainder in brickwork.

The client was left with a very good match to the existing brick and stonework and the property was still in keeping with those surrounding it.

Terry J