For homeowners who have never had significant garden work done before, the groundworks phase can be alarming — machinery, noise, mud and disruption. Understanding what is happening and why makes the process much less stressful. Here is what to expect.
What Groundworks Actually Involves
Groundworks covers all the preparation that happens before the finished surfaces are installed. It includes clearance, excavation, levelling, drainage installation, sub-base compaction and setting out. It is the most important phase of any landscaping project.
- Site clearance — removing existing surfaces and vegetation
- Excavation — digging to the required depth for sub-base
- Drainage — installing French drains or land drains if needed
- Sub-base — compacting MOT Type 1 to the required depth
- Setting out — establishing correct levels and falls
How Disruptive Is It?
Groundworks is the most disruptive phase of any project — machinery access, spoil removal and ground disturbance are all part of the process. We plan access routes carefully to minimise damage to areas not being worked on, and clear spoil regularly to keep the site as tidy as possible.
How Long Does It Take?
Groundworks typically takes 30–50% of the total project time. For a medium-sized patio project (30–50m²), groundworks usually takes one to two days. For a full garden redesign with drainage, it can take three to five days before any visible finished work appears.
A&T Landscapes carries out thorough, professional groundworks for all garden projects across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. Call 07735 916029.