At the De Hongerige Wolf holiday park in Stegeren, several properties were found to be subsiding, probably as a result of a change in the groundwater level. When a pilot project involving bored piles failed to resolve the problem – and in fact made it worse – URETEK was called in. Fourteen holiday homes have now been successfully treated using the URETEK DeepInjection® method.
As several holiday home owners at the park were experiencing subsidence, URETEK organised an information session on this method. Following this, fourteen owners decided to have their holiday homes treated: the work was cleverly scheduled over a few consecutive days. Four property owners share their experiences.
“Well worth the investment”
Marnix van Werven: “I had the feeling that my cottage was sinking. I was already considering a new wall or foundation when I heard about URETEK’s method. Based on the proven results of the method and the fact that it’s permitted for use in water extraction areas, I opted for this solution. The environmental aspect is important to me, and this method ticks that box. One corner of my cottage had subsided by about 3.5 cm and, thanks to URETEK, has been raised by 2.5 cm: a noticeable difference! The bathroom door no longer sticks, and a crack that had appeared in a wall hasn’t got any bigger. It was nice to see how the lads carried out the work. They finished quickly and left everything tidy. Since then, the cottage hasn’t subsided any further: I certainly feel reassured about it. If it stays that way, it’s well worth the investment!”
“The URETEK team weren’t satisfied until I was”
Frans Veenstra: “I noticed that the subsidence in my cottage was getting worse. The shed had also subsided. Action was definitely needed, especially after another dry summer. The team at URETEK are experienced and exceptionally customer-friendly. They explained clearly what their method involves and what conditions apply. Very reassuring! That way, I knew exactly what to expect in advance, including the COVID-19 measures URETEK had put in place. My cottage was the first to be stabilised and lifted. This made me feel a bit like a guinea pig, but the lads put my mind at ease. And once they got started, I immediately felt confident in their work. The sliding door was still slightly ajar, but after treatment with an additional injection lance, that problem was sorted. The URETEK team weren’t satisfied until I was. I’m delighted with the result and am confident it will be permanent.”
“I saw results very quickly”
Heleen Werner Bouma: “My little house was starting to lean slightly and cracks were appearing in a side wall. Doors and windows were also starting to stick. When I heard that URETEK could solve the problem, I went to the information session and signed up for the work. I’d already been planning to sell the cottage, but wanted to have this problem sorted out first. As soon as the URETEK team got to work, I saw results very quickly: the doors opened and closed properly again, and the windows no longer jammed. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see what the final result is, but this was an enormous improvement straight away. Once everything has stabilised, all that remains is to fill and finish the cracks in the wall. I’m pleased with the result and was able to sell my cottage with peace of mind.”
“I was lucky to have caught it in time”
Herman Kieft: “My cottage had started to sink on one side and one of the front walls seemed to be tilting. I also discovered vertical cracks in a wall. I wanted to have this sorted out to prevent further problems. I was pleased that URETEK was willing to solve the problem. The work was carried out smoothly and without causing much disruption. It was fascinating to see how the method works. The team clearly have a lot of experience, and everything was done in a very controlled manner using laser equipment. The corner has been raised by about 6 mm. What I had expected – and what I can now see – is that, because the floor has risen again, small cracks have appeared in the bathroom tiles. I’ll wait another six months and then I’ll knock them out to replace them with new ones. Fortunately, I acted in time and I’m pleased with the result.”
