Savvy in Surrey: Structural works for developers

A significant source of Stockbridge’s work are developers looking for contractors to deliver part or all of their development projects. We recently completed two such schemes, both on prestigious private estates in leafy surburb around the south London-Surrey border.

Stockbridge Design & Build delivered the shell-and-core work for large basements – which were to accommodate varying spaces, including bathrooms, a sauna and a movie room – along with the concrete pre-cast work for stairways, and rear extensions to provide additional general living space, as well as swimming pools and a gymnasium.

As these projectss were constructed on soft chalk, rather than London’s typical clay landscape, Stockbridge provided all the underpinning and other temporary works to protect the existing buildings that were to be retained. This included putting all the above-ground steelwork and floors in place, and bracing the structures before the basements were excavated.

Stockbridge provided all the underpinning and other temporary works to protect the existing buildings to be retained

Above: An artist’s impression of how the refurbished and extended property might look after completion. Below: An architect’s drawing of the same project’s front elevation.

“If you’re creating an open excavation, it’s a comparatively easy procedure,” says Stockbridge director of construction Adeel Bhatti. “But if you’re excavating and doing lots of work below the existing building structure, it has to be correctly supported.

“All of this must be designed and thought through very carefully. And, depending on the nature of the support required, temporary elements can sometimes become a permanent feature of the completed development.”

In both cases, Stockbridge provided a shell-and-core finish in readiness for the principal contractor to deliver the internal fit-outs.

Constructed on soft chalk, rather than London’s typical clay landscape, Stockbridge delivered the shell-and-core, including the concrete pre-cast work for the stairway