General guidance only — all construction work must be overseen by a supervising engineer This handbook is compiled from standards and laws with every source cited, andis being reviewed for certification by engineers Use it to know what to look at, what to ask and what evidence to request on site It is not an engineering determination and can't replace an engineer · Terms of use · Limitations of the handbook

Piles and foundations

Tests and documents — what you must receive before paying the piling instalment

Page code P02-08 · 19 inspection criteria · 1 illustrations

There are 3 kinds of pile test, with prices differing tenfold, and each proves a different thing. The cheapest can't prove load capacity at all — the standard says so plainly. If you don't know the difference, you'll be handed a report and believe the house is safe when it…

This page contains
How the 3 types of test differ
The rule to know before signing the contract — the default is Static
What a seismic test can't detect
Documents you must receive before paying the piling instalment
Common mistakes

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