Steel Cased Piling for a House Extension in Leeds
Westbuild Piling recently completed a residential piling and foundation project for a house extension in Cookridge, Leeds.
The homeowner required a specialist foundation solution after poor ground was identified beneath the footprint of the proposed extension. Westbuild was recommended to the homeowner by their builder and was asked to design and construct the piled foundation required for the project.
The completed solution incorporated 9no 150mm diameter steel cased piles together with approximately 16 metres of reinforced concrete ground beams, providing the new extension with a foundation designed around the site’s ground conditions.
Why Was Piling Required for the Extension?
Ground conditions can have a major influence on the type of foundations required for a house extension.
Where suitable load-bearing ground cannot be reached economically using conventional strip or trench-fill foundations, a piled foundation can provide an alternative way of supporting the new structure.
For this property in Cookridge, poor ground had been identified beneath the footprint of the proposed extension, meaning a specialist foundation solution was required. P5181 - 700
Westbuild provides residential piling solutions for house extensions, new-build homes and other domestic projects where poor or variable ground conditions make conventional foundations unsuitable.
The Steel Cased Piling Solution
Westbuild designed and installed 9 steel cased piles, each 150mm in diameter, to provide the structural support required for the new extension.
Steel cased piling can provide an effective foundation solution for residential projects where structural loads need to be transferred through unsuitable near-surface ground to more competent bearing strata below.
For house extensions in particular, piled foundations can also be useful where site conditions, existing buildings or access restrictions make traditional excavation more difficult.
The piles on this Leeds project formed the primary support for the reinforced concrete foundation system above.
Reinforced Concrete Ground Beams
The piled foundation incorporated approximately 16 linear metres of reinforced concrete ground beams, measuring 500mm wide by 450mm deep.
RC ground beams span between the piles and transfer the loads from the extension into the piled foundation system.
Combining steel cased piles with reinforced concrete ground beams provided Westbuild with a complete foundation solution designed specifically for the proposed domestic extension and the ground conditions identified on site.
Designed and Constructed by Westbuild Piling
Westbuild was responsible for both the design and construction of the piling and reinforced concrete foundation works.
This allowed the complete foundation solution to be developed around the requirements of the extension rather than Westbuild simply installing piles to somebody else's specification.
For homeowners and builders, having an experienced piling contractor involved in the foundation solution can be particularly useful where poor ground has been discovered and the original foundation proposal needs to change.
Completed in Three Days
The works commenced on 21 September 2026 and were completed on 23 September 2026, meaning the piling and reinforced concrete foundation works were completed within three days. P5181 - 700
Following completion, the homeowner praised the Westbuild team for being professional and friendly and said they would be happy to recommend the company to others. P5181 - 700
That sort of recommendation is particularly valuable on domestic piling projects, where homeowners are often dealing with specialist foundation work for the first time and want confidence that the contractor carrying out the work will be reliable and straightforward to deal with.
Piling for House Extensions and Residential Projects
Needing piling for a house extension can come as an unexpected complication, particularly where poor ground is only identified after a structural engineer, ground investigation or excavation has revealed unsuitable conditions.
Westbuild Piling provides residential piling and foundation solutions for homeowners, builders and structural engineers throughout the UK.
Our services include steel cased piling, mini piling and reinforced concrete ground beams, allowing the foundation system to be matched to the property, structural design and ground conditions.
If you have been advised that your house extension needs piling, or poor ground has been identified beneath a proposed extension, contact Westbuild Piling to discuss the project.