How much do groundworks or foundations cost in Gloucester?
Need groundworks or foundations? Post the job for free and it goes to local builders who cover your area. Only the builder who takes it on gets your contact details.
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Groundworks
Groundworks cover digging out, foundations, drainage and getting a site ready to build on. It’s the part of a project nobody sees once it’s finished, and the part that’s hardest to put right later.
Ground conditions set the depth and type of foundation. Clay soils shrink and swell, especially near trees, and often need deeper foundations. Made ground, old fill and soft spots can change the plan once digging starts. That’s why builders often need to see the site, and sometimes dig a trial hole, before giving a firm price.
For an extension or new building, foundations need building regulations approval and building control will usually inspect the trench before concrete is poured. If an engineer has designed the foundations, the builder should follow that design.
Drains are the other big unknown. Building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer needs approval from the water company. Moving or connecting drains also comes under building regulations.
Digging close to a neighbour’s building can bring in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which covers excavations within 3 or 6 metres depending on depth. Notice has to be served at least a month before work starts.
Trees protected by a tree preservation order, or in a conservation area, need council consent or notice before work that could harm them. If your house was built before 2000, mention any old outbuildings or pipework being removed, as asbestos may be present.
What to include when you post
Groundworks are hard to price without detail, so share what you have. Include:
- What the groundworks are for: extension, garage, outbuilding, drainage or levelling
- The rough size and depth, if known
- Whether you have drawings or an engineer’s foundation design
- Photos of the site, including slopes, existing paving and any structures
- Any trees nearby, and their rough height
- Where drains, manholes or services run, if you know
- Access for a digger and a skip or muck-away lorry, including gate widths
- Whether building control or an engineer is already involved
- Whether the work is close to a neighbour’s house or boundary
If you’ve had a soil report or trial hole dug, mention what it found.
What to ask
Groundworks quotes often include allowances, so ask what happens if the ground turns out worse than expected. Ask:
- What depth the price is based on, and how extra depth will be charged
- How spoil will be removed, and whether that’s in the price
- Whether they’ll arrange building control inspections at the right stages
- How they’ll locate and protect existing drains, cables and pipes
- Whether they’ll need to dewater the trench or support its sides
- Whether reinstating the garden or paving afterwards is included
Get the quote in writing with any provisional sums clearly marked, so you know which figures could change.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Builder page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
Foundations for an extension or new building are usually inspected by building control before concrete is poured. Make sure someone has booked the inspection.
Trees affect foundation depth, especially on clay. Mention any trees near the work. If a tree is protected, you'll need council consent before doing work that could harm it.
It's often the simplest way to see the ground conditions before committing to a foundation design. Building control or your engineer may ask for one.
Building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer needs approval from the water company. Check the sewer records for your property before the design is finalised.
Yes, if you're excavating within 3 or 6 metres of a neighbour's building, depending on how deep you go. You need to give at least a month's notice before starting.