Frequently Asked Questions
32 page booklet re full range of Uretek Ground Engineering services.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFTING & RELEVELLING YOUR HOME
About The Uretek Method
Q. What is the URETEK process?
A. First we drill a series of 16 mm diameter holes (as small as your little finger) or even smaller (just 6mm). Generally we operate from outside the house where possible, using 16 mm holes. Where we must lift from inside we usually drill 6mm holes.
The holes are drilled approximately one and a half metres apart, in the area where the concrete floor needs raising. A special multi-component structural resin is injected through these holes into that region under the slab. The resin expands, filling any voids, raising the affected area back to the required level.
Tile or parquet on the floor?
Q. I have both tiled and parquetry floors. Won’t the holes show?
A. With such floor coverings we would normally use injection tubes of just 6mm diameter! The holes are few and far between. We position them as unobtrusively as we can, for instance right beside or beneath a skirting board where possible. Being tiny, the holes are practically unnoticeable if they are filled with a small wooden plug or drilled through the tile joints.
Control of the lifting?
Q. How do you ensure the slab is raised to an even, level plane?
A. Employing laser devices, and other controls, our technicians use sophisticated procedures throughout the process to carefully monitor and govern the amount of slab lift.
Piers?
Q. Will I also need to have piers installed?
A. No. The URETEK Method is a structural solution and eliminates the need for interior piers.
Stumps?
Q. Can Uretek re-level a house built on stumps?
A. Not unless the outside walls are founded on the ground. Then Uretek can re-level the perimeter footing, which effectively re-levels the house itself, leaving only the stumps to be corrected by a builder or a good handyman.
Carpet?
Q. What about drilling through carpet?
A. Usually the carpet is rolled back in the affected area but often it can just be loosened from the tack strip along the wall. Or 6 mm injection tubes can be inserted through carpet.
Mess?
Q. Can we expect a lot of dirty equipment, mess and dust in the house ?
A. Unlike pier foundation work, which can involve jack-hammering a series of one metre square holes, digging and carting soil and concrete through your house, The URETEK Method is a clean, quiet, dry and odourless procedure. Work is controlled from a fully equipped, self-contained mobile unit parked outside your residence.
To move furniture?
Q. We have built-in furniture where our settlement is the worst. Will we have to remove it?
A. No, you should not have to remove fixtures, furniture or even heavy appliances. This is another advantage of The URETEK Method.
How long?
Q. How long will the work take?
A. Usually from a few hours to one or two days at the outside. You do not need to move out.
How much can Uretek lift it?
Q. Part of our slab has settled over 100 mm. Can this be corrected by The URETEK Method?
A. No problem. The URETEK Method has been used to re-align slabs with as much as 350 mm of settlement.
Wall cracks?
Q. What happens with cracked walls that are sitting on a slab or on strip footings?
A. These walls will lift with the slab / footings (even if they are supporting the roof). Cracks caused by foundation settlement will usually close up again, allowing repair during redecorating.
Q. How long has The URETEK Method been used?
A. The URETEK Method has been used extensively in Europe since 1983, the USA since 1985 and in Australia since 1995, with proven, lasting results.
All kinds of subsidence?
Q. Can The URETEK Method be used for all types of subsidence?
A. Many subsidence problems can be corrected with The URETEK Method. Our Area Project Managers can advise you about the best procedure for your foundation.
Warranty
Q. What sort of warranty will I get?
A. URETEK WARRANTY URETEK materials injected below concrete have been specifically engineered to resist shrinkage or deterioration causing significant settlement, and as such are warranted by URETEK in strict accordance with the product durability requirements of the applicable Local, State or National Building Code.
Cost?
Q. Is it expensive?
A. No. Relative to traditional concrete underpinning, with all its disruption and consequential restoration expenses, The URETEK Method is most cost-effective.
See Comparison of Uretek with Traditional Methods
Industrial and civil applications?
Q. Is The URETEK Method used to correct non-residential subsidence?
A. Yes, The URETEK Method is widely used to correct foundation settlement at commercial and industrial sites. It is also used extensively to correct road subsidence and to effect airport re-levelling etc.
Contact for a quote?
Q. I would like a quotation for my home. Who should I contact?
A. To arrange a quotation, please contact our nearest office, in Australia by dialling 1800 623 312 or the local number; or by email to info@uretek.com.au And in New Zealand North Island by dialling 09 421 0348 or by email to auck@uretek.co.nz. And in the South Island 03 987 3835, chch@uretek.co.nz
Uretek Ground Engineering
Uretek solves many problems by unique and patented systems of resin injection.
Fast, economical, long-lasting, environmental and with minimal disruption.