As a Sussex Groundworks Company, we have over thirty years of industry experience, working on commercial developments and residential projects. And as experts in our field, we often work alongside other professionals. This week is officially Engineer’s Week. So, we thought we’d write a post highlighting how some projects require collaboration with either Structural or Civil Engineers.
How a Sussex Groundworks Company works with Engineers:
As a Sussex groundworks company, we work mainly with Civil Engineers and Structural Engineers.
Civil Engineers:
Civil engineers are involved in the application of planning. A civil engineer’s services aid the design, construction, maintenance and operation of infrastructure. Their work serves to protect both public and environmental health. Their services are also important when existing infrastructure, such as drainage, requires an upgrade.
Structural Engineers:
Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering. These professionals design the bones and muscles that create the form and shape of man-made structures. At Timberley Projects, we work with structural engineers more often than we work with civil engineers. This is because when we begin work, a project has often gone past the planning stage.
Commercial & Residential Projects:
There are many projects when our Sussex groundworks company collaborates with engineers, and these might be either commercial or residential. The projects that most frequently involve us working alongside an engineer are those that involve drainage or foundations. Engineers also design and calculate retaining walls for some projects.
Some more recent projects that have required engineering input are:
A school development close to Newbury:
A large block and beam floor involved an engineer who designed precast concrete (block and beam) floor. The engineer has designed the floor to accept load-bearing walls. Submission of the floor beam layout to building control is essential for the success of the project. On the same job, the engineer designed a retaining wall capable of holding back the earth to a height of 2m. The construction of this wall will include steel posts and sleepers. Once again, designs and calculations will be given to building control for sign off.
An award-winning hospitality business close to Arundel:
This project required a sewage treatment plant. Our engineer calculated the flow and loads usage at the hotel to size the correct treatment plant before purchasing. This needs to be determined to size the tank correctly. An undersized tank will operate poorly or not at all.
On any project, collaboration and communication are key. There are vast amounts of complex information and procedures that we need to work together on. So, a good relationship is vital. That’s why we often delve into our little black book of third-party professionals. Because we’ve been in the business so long, we are happy to recommend engineers to our clients. That said, on many commercial projects, clients will often have engineers they use regularly. On these occasions, we are always delighted to make new acquaintances!
