School Building Foundation for St Andrews CofE Primary School

St Andrews CofE Primary School needed additional classroom space urgently. Like many schools across the UK, they were turning to modular construction partly due to the ongoing RAAC concrete crisis affecting educational buildings nationwide.

The project had to be completed during the summer holidays – a tight six-week window with absolutely no room for delays. Traditional concrete foundations would have eaten up precious weeks with excavation, pouring, and curing time, potentially pushing the project into the new term.

The new building also had specific structural load requirements that had to be met exactly. With children’s safety at stake, there was zero margin for error in the foundation design or installation.

The solution

We started with comprehensive compression load testing across the building footprint to ensure our ground screws would meet the specified load requirements. This testing confirmed the ground conditions and validated our foundation design

Our team then installed 28 x 76mm x 2000mm ground screws, each fitted with expander plates for enhanced load distribution. The uniform screw length created a perfectly level foundation platform, essential for the precision-engineered modular building sections.

Working closely with the Lowrie Brothers and the school, we coordinated our installation to stay well ahead of the building delivery schedule. The entire foundation system was completed and tested within days.

The results

The ground screws provided immediate structural support, allowing the modular building installation to proceed exactly on schedule. The precision foundation points ensured perfect alignment of the building sections – essential for weatherproofing and structural integrity.

Most importantly, St Andrews had their new classroom space ready for the start of term, providing pupils with modern, safe learning facilities. The rapid installation meant the school could focus on preparing for the new academic year rather than managing ongoing construction work.

With the new building ready for September, St Andrews now has the extra classroom space they desperately needed. Our modular solution allowed them to expand quickly without the lengthy disruptions that traditional building methods would have caused.