Overview 

Mainmark Ground Engineering (UK) was contracted for a ground stabilisation project in a prestigious suburb of London. Overtime, the 180-year-old Victorian home had shifted due to building methods of the era. This necessitated the use of modern stabilisation technology to secure the property.  

Given the tight, winding nature of the streets combined with the need to ensure the owners could remain in the home, Mainmark deployed the Teretek® resin injection system to secure the foundations for the end-terraced Victorian property.  

The problem 

The 180-year-old Victorian end terrace had started to show signs of movement. Doors were jamming and windows were sticking, indicating a shift in the foundations. Jason Butler, Director of Maiax Glazing and Construction was contracted by the homeowners to investigate the issue and installed crack monitoring gauges to help keep track of the movement over time.  

What Jason and the team had noticed was a distinct shift, resulting in a bowed outer wall. London’s clay rich soil had exacerbated the issue. Further inspections revealed brick ties hadn’t been used as part of the original construction. While securing the wall would solve the immediate problem, ground stabilisation was necessary to guarantee the long-term safety of the building. 

The central location and homeowners request to stay in the property meant a series of stabilisation challenges were presented.  

The Solution 

Following on-site surveys, meetings with Jason to understand the clients’ requirements, and reviewing the local area, Mainmark UK proposed to use Teretek® resin injection. This methodology would provide the necessary stabilisation long term as well as providing the required lift to help support the exterior structure. 

Traditional underpinning was considered by MaiaxGlazing and Construction, however this would have increased the timeline for the works considerably. The tight streets around the property also meant the heavy machinery and skips needed would be more costly, and ultimately impractical. 

The Teretek® resin injection method would be deployed via a single Mainmark truck with a small, agile engineering team. This meant minimal disruption to both street residents and those living in the property. Speed was also a key consideration, taking only days versus weeks with traditional underpinning. 

Key steps included: 

1. Preparation: after initial scans and surveys, the necessary areas were exposed and pilot holes were drilled through the foundation in preparation for stabilisation.  

2. Pre-work tests: dynamic cone penetration tests were conducted at key sections throughout the structure to determine depths and soil sub-strata’s. This included investigations of the pipe and sewerage systems under the house.  

3. Resin injection: working in sequence, ground engineers injected the resin into the foundations of the building, measuring lift and ensuring future stability. Once filled, each injection point is cut off and ready for the floor to be re-installed, leaving no trace of the work.  

Challenges 

The property’s location and the homeowners’ requirements introduced several unique challenges: 

• Limited access: parking permits, one-way streets, and tight spaces meant heavy machine was simply impractical for the project, further elevating the case for Mainmark’s single truck solution. 

• Homeowners on site: their preference to not move out meant any solution had to work with them on site. Traditional concrete underpinning would have taken weeks and been too disruptive. Mainmark’s Teretek® only required minimal excavation work and could be completed within days – not weeks. 

The result: 

Within a matter of days, the ground stabilisation works were completed with minimal disruption to the residents or the wider neighbourhood. With the brick wall already secured from earlier remedial works, the resin injections ensured that the foundations beneath the building would support the home for years to come. 

Client testimonial: 

“Our usual approach to this type of project would be to use concrete underpinning. We consulted with our engineer who initially recommended looking into the solutions from Mainmark. I reviewed the solutions, was impressed, and made contact. Since that point, I’ve been really impressed not just by the solutions on offer but also their holistic approach. 

The resin injection was the ideal answer to the challenges this site presented; it was fast, efficient, and minimally disruptive. On top of that, the team have been professional and have provided a quality service which has enabled us to keep the project on time and to the client’s satisfaction.” 

Jason Butler, Director, Maiax Glazing and Construction. 

Conclusion 

No matter the location, Mainmark can scale a ground stabilisation solution to fit the end client’s needs. Working closely with the main contractor, the team were able to quickly understand the nuances of the project and deliver an outcome which ticked the box for all parties. Maiax Glazing and Construction would have relied on traditional concrete underpinning but the quality and benefits of the Mainmark solution meant it was an obvious switch. 

Services used: 

• Teretek® Resin Injection 

• Ground Stabilisation 

For more information on how Mainmark can help stabilise and improve ground conditions for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch.