Bart Lelie of Fanfare St. Cecilia:
Following two dry summers with extremely low (ground) water levels, the Fanfare St. Cecilia building in Millingen aan de Rijn had subsided, by around four centimetres in some places. Doors no longer opened and closed properly, and the building was declared unsafe. To enable the band members to resume rehearsals in a safe building as soon as possible, URETEK was called in.
Bart Lelie is a member of Fanfare St. Cecilia. He explains: “Our building dates from 1964 and has a rather complex foundation. At the time, it was common practice to dig a trench and fill it with concrete. Combined with the clay soil and the proximity to the river, this does not provide a stable foundation in the long term. Years later, extensions were added which do have sound foundations. Consequently, the subsidence of the building was limited to the oldest section.”
Ensuring safety
“Cracks had appeared in the walls, both outside and inside,” continues Bart Lelie. “To ensure the safety of the members, URETEK applied the DeepInjection® method and carried out consolidation work. In one corner, the building was raised by almost three centimetres, meaning the cracks have largely disappeared and the doors – without needing any trimming – open and close properly again.”
Honesty
“Prior to the work, URETEK had clearly stated that a 100 per cent repair was not possible. That was very honest of them, and I really appreciate it. URETEK delivered exactly what had been outlined beforehand. I’m very pleased with the result. Also because the staff left the site tidy: nothing but praise! The building inspector has now declared the building safe, and our brass band is set for another few years.”
