Site preparation and footings

Construction work: Ground preparation and footingsThe first stage in the construction of the property is to prepare the ground by removing all the vegetation, tree roots and other organic matter.

Once the site has been cleared, it can be marked out and the footings excavated to a depth of a metre. Concrete is poured into the excavations to form a pad that will bear the weight of the re-enforced concrete columns and ground beams.

The clean topsoil is retained so that it can be replaced once the property has been completed.

Custom property in Cyprus: site preparation and footings

Click on any of the pictures below to view a larger image.

Marked out building plot

Marked out plot

The site has been cleared, the top soil and organic matter removed and the plot has been divided into a grid. The white shapes indicate the positions of the pads that will support the footings of the property.
Completed excavations

Excavations completed

The excavations for the pad holes have now been completed. For this property, the pad holes are approximately 1.5 metres deep but they could be deeper or shallower depending on prevailing ground conditions.
Construction detail of the footings

Construction of the footings

Approximately one metre of concrete has been poured into each of the pad holes. On top of this, a steel reinforcing ‘mesh’ has been placed on bricks. The mesh was custom-made on site for each of the footings and provides the anchors for the reinforced columns and ground beams that form the property's foundations.
Steel reenforcing columns

Column steel

The steel reinforcing for the 39 concrete columns is now in place. The base of each reinforcing is tied into the steel mesh (shown in the previous photo) and held in position by wood and steel bracing rods. About 50cm of concrete is then poured on top to fill the excavated footing.