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

Footing excavations, existing soil and sand bedding

Page code P03 · 71 inspection criteria · 9 illustrations

The bottom of the pit is the first thing to be covered up: sand goes over it, lean concrete over that, then the footing over that again. Within two or three days nobody will ever see it again for the life of the house — and soft or waterlogged soil at the bottom of the pit is the most common and most overlooked cause of settlement…

This page contains
The sequence for this phase — ten steps, and which ones you can't get wrong
How deep to dig — what to add to what
The soil at the bottom of the pit — a decision point, not just an inspection point
Water in the pit — the easiest point to check and the most often skipped
Cutting pile heads — the sequence matters more than the tools
Sand bedding and the width of each layer
Soil termite treatment — the first moment of termite work, and it's today
Side forms for the lean concrete, and measuring the thickness twice
Marking the pile centres — making eccentricity visible
Backfilling after the footings are cast
Documents and photos for this phase
Pits and trenches under 2 metres deep — overseas criteria you can ask for as extras

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