I. Overview
Legal Compliance, Lifelong Protection. Building Relocation and I. Overview
Across Indonesia (particularly in coastal megacities like Jakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang, as well as vast lowland areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan), highly compressible alluvial soil (Tanah Aluvial) and peat soil (Tanah Gambut) with high water content are widely distributed. These soils are inherently weak. Without **soil improvement**, construction on such ground will inevitably lead to settlement under Indonesia’s unique conditions of heavy rainfall, earthquakes, and building loads.
II. Six Core Reasons Tailored to Local Conditions
(1) Addressing the “Congenital Anemia” of the Geology
The soft soil layers in cities like Jakarta can sometimes reach 30-40 meters in thickness. This type of soil absorbs water like a “sponge.” Without pre-treatment to drain water and reinforce the soil, the pressure from construction will squeeze out the water like wringing a sponge, causing the foundation to continuously sink over several years (Penurunan/Settlement).
(2) Combating the “Pumping Effect” of Tropical Rainstorms
During the rainy season, extremely heavy rainfall causes rapid recharge of groundwater from surface water, leading to frequent fluctuations in the water table. Untreated soft soil undergoes drastic changes in physical properties when soaked by rainstorms and subjected to groundwater erosion, resulting in sudden loss of bearing capacity and triggering instantaneous uneven settlement of structures.
(3) Preventing “Liquefaction and Seismic Settlement” During Earthquakes
Indonesia lies within a high-seismic zone. Unreinforced soft soil foundations are highly susceptible to sand liquefaction (Likuifaksi) or seismic settlement under earthquake vibrations. Pre-treatment enhances soil density and shear strength, ensuring foundation stability during earthquakes and preventing large-scale foundation failures like those observed in the Central Sulawesi earthquake.
(4) Eliminating “Negative Skin Friction” in Pile Foundations
Even if you use pile foundations, if the surrounding soft soil is not treated, the sinking of the soft soil will generate a downward pull (dragging the pile foundation downward). This can cause displacement or even breakage of originally stable pile foundations. Pre-treatment helps to release this settlement in advance, protecting the safety of the pile foundation.
5. Maintaining Factory Production and Floor Flatness
Industrial parks (such as Cikarang or Karawang) have extremely high requirements for the flatness of factory floors. If soft foundations are not pre-treated, the floors may develop hollows and cracks, causing precision equipment (such as CNC machines and automated production lines) to malfunction or sustain damage due to misalignment. Floor subsidence (Lantai Amblas) is the most frequently reported issue in factory buildings.
6. Extreme Soft Soil: The Unique Challenges of Peat Soil
In Sumatra and Kalimantan, peat soil content is exceptionally high. This type of soil contains a high level of organic matter and exhibits strong rheological properties (continuous deformation over time). Pre-treatment is a mandatory legal and technical prerequisite for any infrastructure development (such as toll roads, plantation roads, or residential projects) in these regions.
III. Typical Consequences of No Pre-treatment
Residential (Perumahan): Walls exhibit step-shaped cracks, ground drainage backflows, and doors/windows fail to close due to frame deformation.
Warehouses and Factories (Gudang/Pabrik): Forklifts cannot operate, shelves tilt or even collapse, underground pipelines (drainage/gas) rupture due to tension.
Mosques and Religious Landmarks: Often feature tall towers or large-span structures. Uneven settlement can lead to dome cracking. As these buildings are mostly cultural heritage (Cagar Budaya), post-construction rectification costs are extremely high.
IV. 2026 Mainstream Preprocessing Techniques (SOP)
To comply with SNI 8460:2017 (Standard for Geotechnical Foundation Design), current mainstream practices include:
PVD (Prefabricated Vertical Drain) + Vacuum Preloading: Suitable for deep silt layers.
Deep mixing method (DSM/Deep Soil Mixing): Mixing cement slurry with soil.
Stone Column: Combines drainage and bearing capacity enhancement functions.
Lightweight Fill Replacement: Uses lightweight materials in specific areas to reduce foundation load.
V. Expert Recommendations
“Focusing on pile foundations while neglecting ground treatment” is a common misconception.
Core Principle: Pile foundations address structural settlement, while pre-treatment ensures the stability of the entire land area. If only piles are installed without ground treatment, the result is “the house doesn’t sink, but the surrounding yard, garage, and pavement do.”
We offer customized Soil Improvement solutions tailored to the IKK (Construction Cost Index) and geological characteristics of different regions. The investment in pre-treatment typically accounts for only 5% – 8% of the total construction cost, yet it can prevent substantial Rectification expenses later on.
Is your project located in the coastal industrial zone of Java Island or in the peatland areas of the outer islands? We have different cost-effective process recommendations for different regions. Elevation is a specialized engineering service regulated by Undang-Undang No. 2 Tahun 2017 (Jasa Konstruksi). We provide a 2-year engineering warranty period (Masa Pemeliharaan), and for the main structural components of the building, we offer structural safety guarantees of 10-20 years in compliance with legal requirements. We take full responsibility for any quality issues arising from construction.
II. Detailed Warranty Period (Masa Garansi)
Our warranty standards strictly adhere to and exceed industry norms:
⑴、Defects Liability Period: 2 years
Calculated from the date of Handover/PHO.
Coverage includes: integrity of leveled ground, crack prevention in new structures, sealing of pipeline interfaces, and smooth operation of doors and windows.
⑵、Main Structure Warranty Period (Struktur Utama): 10 – 20 years
According to the legal definition of “Building Failure (Kegagalan Bangunan),” we provide long-term guarantees for the underpinned beam-column system and new foundation.
If severe tilting or structural failure occurs during the warranty period due to design flaws in the construction plan (excluding natural disasters), the contractor assumes legal liability.
III. Who is responsible for repairs when issues arise? (Tanggung Jawab Perbaikan)
Under contract law and industry practices, liability allocation is clearly defined:
⑴、Free repair by the construction party (Free of Charge):
During the warranty period, any damages caused by improper construction methods (Method Statement), synchronous jacking errors, or material quality issues in the underpinning process.
We will dispatch a specialized engineering team to conduct on-site inspection within 48 hours upon notification and develop a restoration plan.
⑵、Insurance involvement (insurance coverage)
In the event of a major accident during construction or the warranty period, we will activate the CAR (Contractors’ All Risks) insurance, with compensation and repair work jointly undertaken by the insurance company and the construction party.
⑶、Owner’s own responsibility scenario:
Issues caused by the owner’s unauthorized additions, overloading usage, or failure to perform necessary drainage maintenance as recommended.
Natural wear and tear in non-construction areas (such as aging roof tiles or damaged old furniture indoors).
IV. Special Compliance Safeguards Tailored for Indonesia’s Environment
SLF (Functional Feasibility Certificate) Support: After the lifting and shifting process, we will assist the property owner in coordinating with government authorities to conduct safety evaluations, ensuring the building can regain or maintain the Functional Feasibility Certificate (SLF – Sertifikat Laik Fungsi), which is the highest legally recognized residential safety certification in Indonesia.
Localization Service Center: We have a permanent technical office in Jakarta, not a “guerilla” operation. Whether it’s Jakarta, Surabaya, or other regions, we can provide localized after-sales response (Quick Response).
Expert Assessment: If there is a dispute over the cause of damage, civil engineering experts from the Indonesian Engineers Association (PII) or local universities (such as UI/ITB) can be engaged to conduct an impartial evaluation.
V. Summary (Ringkasan)
2 years full maintenance-free: construction defects repaired at no cost.
10-20 years structural guarantee: structural safety coverage within legal framework.
Lifetime technical support: structural health advice available as long as the building stands.
Expert tip (for Indonesian clients):
The contract must clearly specify clauses regarding Masa Pemeliharaan (maintenance period) and Kegagalan Bangunan (construction liability). Property owners should request contractors to provide a “Structural Integrity Report” as an appendix before final acceptance – this document serves as crucial legal evidence for future insurance claims or property secondary mortgage/sales.