Challenge
A 12-unit block of flats was subsiding. The traditional underpinning solution required a 20-week relocation for all tenants, including many elderly and disabled residents.
Solution
Geobear proposed geopolymer ground improvement, which stabilised the building in just 10 days with zero relocation needed, saving the council £500k.
Total financial savings
Project completion time versus 20 weeks with traditional underpinning
Tenants relocated
Versus traditional underpinning
A block of 12 flats, owned and managed by Harrow Council, was suffering from structural movement due to clay shrinkage beneath the foundations. This resulted in significant cracking and required major underpinning. The tenants, many of whom were elderly or disabled, were facing a 20-week relocation from their homes.
Harrow Council followed its standard procurement process, which resulted in a 20-week, highly disruptive underpinning solution. This traditional approach presented massive challenges:
It required the 20-week relocation of all residents, causing significant disruption and mental/physical well-being risks, especially for elderly and disabled tenants cut off from their support networks.
The project included direct repair costs plus indirect costs for relocating 12-16 households, estimated at £240,000 - £320,000 alone.
20 weeks of heavy machinery, noise, and excavation in a tight residential area.
Geobear approached the council with an innovative alternative: geopolymer ground improvement. This non-intrusive injection technique could stabilise the building in just 10 days and, crucially, would not require tenants to relocate.
Recognising the immense benefits, Simba Manjonjori, Interim Planned Investment Manager, successfully challenged the council's standard procurement process to adopt the superior solution. The Geobear works were all external, with no excavation, minimal noise, and no disruption to residents' access or local green spaces.
The Geobear solution delivered transformative benefits for all stakeholders:
A total financial saving of almost £500,000 was achieved (combining direct and indirect savings). Staff were saved weeks of administrative time arranging relocations.
Tenants remained in their homes, safe and undisrupted. Their well-being was protected, and their support networks were maintained.
Avoided 20 weeks of noise and heavy vehicle disruption. The solution had a 70% lower carbon footprint and did not require the removal of any trees, protecting the local green space.
Save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and protect your tenants from disruptive relocation.
