--- title: "Groundworks in Reading & Berkshire | Foundations & Drainage | Philbert Construction" description: "Foundations, drainage and site prep across Reading, Newbury & Basingstoke. Engineer-spec, Building Control signed off. Free quote in 48hrs." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "GeneralContractor", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "alternateName": "Philbert Construction", "url": "/", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "priceRange": "££", "currenciesAccepted": "GBP", "paymentAccepted": "Cash, BACS, Bank Transfer", "taxID": "11797167", "foundingDate": "2008", "slogan": "Built right. 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Get groundworks wrong and you're paying to fix cracks, sloping floors and damp for the next 30 years. We dig, drain and pour to engineer's specification — every time.", "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "url": "/contact" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much do groundworks cost for an extension in Reading?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Costs vary depending on size, materials, access and site conditions — no two projects are the same. We provide free, no-obligation written quotes after a site visit so you can see exactly what's included before committing." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long do extension groundworks take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Typical single-storey extension foundations and slab: 7–12 working days. Mini-piled foundations add 3–5 days. Drainage connections vary depending on distance to mains." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need an engineer's design for foundations?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For anything beyond a small shed, yes — Building Control require evidence of structural design for foundations under habitable extensions. We can either work to your engineer's drawings or arrange one of our regular structural engineers in the Reading area." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What guarantee do you offer on groundworks?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We don't issue formal written guarantees, but we stand behind every job. If something we did isn't right, get in touch and we'll come back to look at it. We're fully insured and your statutory rights are unaffected." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long do groundworks last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Properly designed and constructed foundations last as long as the building above them — 100+ years. Drainage lasts 40–60 years before any joint or pipe might need re-bedding. Our job is to make sure you never think about them again." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you handle drainage problems and flooding?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — flood and standing water issues are usually fixable by re-doing surface drainage, installing or enlarging soakaways, or correcting falls. We CCTV-survey existing drains where the cause is unclear and quote remedial work straight after." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you offer emergency response for collapsed drains or flooding?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — for serious issues (collapsed drain, sewage overflow, persistent flooding) we respond within 24 hours across Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. We'll make it safe and quote the permanent fix separately so insurance is straightforward." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are you Building Control approved?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — all of our groundworks are signed off by Building Control at each inspection stage (excavation, reinforcement, pour). We coordinate the inspections directly with the BCO." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you remove existing concrete and old slabs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we have breakers, mini excavators and grab lorries. Concrete and rubble go to licensed recycling centres with waste transfer notes provided." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you install soakaways and septic tanks?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Soakaways are sized from a percolation test (BRE Digest 365 method) and installed minimum 5m from foundations. Septic tanks and treatment plants are installed to current Environment Agency General Binding Rules." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Groundworks", "item": "/services/groundworks" } ] } ] --- [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) Tadley, RG26 4LU Mon–Sat 8:00–17:30 · Sun 8:00–16:00 [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) [![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Services](/services) [Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [Contact](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887)[Request Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Groundworks ![Reinforced concrete foundations and blockwork walls on a UK groundworks site — Philbert Construction groundworks project in Reading & Berkshire](/assets/hero-groundworks-DN9MfN3R.jpg) Groundworks · Reading & Berkshire # Foundations, Drainage & Site Preparation — Done Right the First Time Everything above ground depends on what you can't see. Get groundworks wrong and you're paying to fix cracks, sloping floors and damp for the next 30 years. We dig, drain and pour to engineer's specification — every time. [Get a Free Written Quote](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) 5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire 18 years Building across Berkshire Fully insured Cover on every project Written quotes Itemised within 48 hours Free quotes No-obligation, in writing Same-day Response on enquiries Recent work ## A look at projects across Berkshire. [View all](/our-work) ![Block paving driveway with front wall](/__l5e/assets-v1/72e7228c-b78f-43b8-850f-2304bcf536fe/480080872_1086022363324893_8599073537129495081_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway of a large house](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb4ab9c9-51e5-4a6b-a445-d0e9026edb7e/480105703_1085140566746406_9031678587810065028_n.jpg) driveways ![Block paving driveway with curved lawn](/__l5e/assets-v1/0f5e5563-edd0-49d5-b89a-abba5e6dc846/480238940_1086022796658183_436938064635199783_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway in front of brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/8f388a53-600c-4737-b1d9-0ec2e6801c7b/480393816_1086022319991564_2781699704335370881_n.jpg) driveways ![New house extension with modern bifold doors](/__l5e/assets-v1/1fd646cb-8a90-4dcb-886d-cdc311c87b4e/480854993_3895339790780895_7526137736934487079_n.jpg) extensions ![Completed brick house extension with large windows](/__l5e/assets-v1/206467b5-e6d8-4393-a30a-fe0bb44c25e1/481151972_1094648239128972_1070400166830768780_n.jpg) extensions ![Gravel driveway in front of large red brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/f5c5e444-8c94-474c-8e60-42c03a0a6b65/481240993_3895339984114209_3698667434209698521_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house with gravel driveway and wooden porch](/__l5e/assets-v1/f97318c3-8249-4dbd-ba70-8dbe4b48bcf1/481267970_3895340080780866_8552531333452770995_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house showing lawn, gravel driveway, and fences](/__l5e/assets-v1/8821b9d2-48dc-4d22-8d5a-7393c51f9ff0/482268556_3904298196551721_2009600277385838606_n.jpg) landscaping ![tarmac driveway with brick and flint wall and gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/b9a2f0c2-c584-49f7-a0bd-8bd510af5749/483876245_1105897564670706_4172320846332780299_n.jpg) driveways ![tarmac driveway with brick pillars and wooden gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/65ee1340-caae-443b-8e0d-ce52e2fb62bb/484586705_1105897558004040_8849210585312474729_n.jpg) driveways ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) brickwork ![new build house under construction](/__l5e/assets-v1/e096a49c-7b10-4bac-a465-0b4abc022643/484648283_1106418277951968_5046185084479331938_n.jpg) extensions ![Newly built house, modern rendering.](/__l5e/assets-v1/ebdb8edb-a9ea-4d64-8675-aa11efc4b1cd/484698262_3912002745781266_8739382140586069315_n.jpg) extensions [View all work](/our-work) What we do ## Groundworks done properly — the first time. What it is Full groundworks packages: excavation, foundation digging and pouring (strip, trench-fill, raft or mini-piled), drainage runs, soakaways, ducting for services, hardcore sub-bases, and concrete slabs for extensions, garages and outbuildings. Who it's for Homeowners starting an extension, self-builders breaking ground on a new home, anyone with a serious drainage problem (flooding, blocked runs, failed septic), and other contractors who need a reliable groundworks crew. When you need it Before any extension, garage or outbuilding superstructure can start; when surface water is pooling against the house; when drains are repeatedly blocking; or when a structural survey flags inadequate or shallow existing foundations. Why a specialist matters Groundworks are the one stage where shortcuts are completely invisible until something fails. Skimpy concrete cover on reinforcement, wrong foundation depth in clay, a single missed drain coupling — none of it shows until cracks appear or the basement floods. We work to engineer's drawings and Building Control inspects every step. The cost of waiting ## Bad groundworks don't show up until you can't afford to fix them. ### What happens if it's ignored - Foundations dug to the wrong depth in clay subsoil (most of north Reading) — within 24 months you'll see step-cracking through brickwork that you can't repoint away. - Soakaways too close to foundations dissolve the bearing soil and cause subsidence — irreversible without underpinning. - Surface water drainage missed at sub-base stage means lifting a finished patio or driveway to retrofit channels. - Inadequate ducting for future services (electric car charger, garden lighting, outbuilding power) means digging up new paving inside five years. ### Mistakes we fix every month - Trench-fill foundations dug deeper than necessary 'to be safe' — wasting thousands in concrete with no structural benefit. - Cheaper crews skipping the engineer's calcs and guessing depth and reinforcement — risking Building Control rejection mid-pour. - Soakaways sized for the roof, not roof plus driveway — almost certain flooding in heavy rain within two years. - Backfilling foundations with site spoil instead of clean fill — settlement cracks across the whole slab within a winter. Our process ## A clear five-step system from first call to final handover. 1. Step 1 ### Site Survey & Soil Check We dig trial holes, check the subsoil, water table and any tree roots, and confirm the right foundation type before quoting. 2. Step 2 ### Engineer's Drawings & Calcs Where required, we coordinate the structural engineer's foundation and drainage design so Building Control approves before excavation. 3. Step 3 ### Excavation & Setting Out Site stripped, set out from datum, dug to spec — strip, trench-fill, raft or mini-piled. Spoil away the same day. 4. Step 4 ### Foundations & Drainage Concrete poured to inspected depth, drainage runs laid with proper falls and gravel surround, soakaways crated and tested. 5. Step 5 ### Sub-Base & Handover Compacted Type 1 sub-base for whatever sits on top — slab, driveway or extension. Photo record of every below-ground stage handed to you. What you get ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### Engineer-spec foundations Every pour to structural engineer's drawings, inspected by Building Control before the next stage begins. ### No future subsidence Correct depth, correct concrete grade, correct reinforcement — the structure above can move for a hundred years without cracking. ### Right-sized, not over-spec We dig what the engineer says, not what panics the cheapest crew. Saves thousands on concrete without sacrificing safety. ### Full photo record Every below-ground stage photographed and handed over with the invoice — for your records, for your insurer, for any future buyer's surveyor. ### Drainage that works Soakaways sized for actual roof and hard surfacing area, gullies positioned to take the runoff, falls correct first time. ### Quick to next stage Most extension groundworks finish in 7–10 days so the bricklayer can start on schedule, not three weeks late. The detail ## Materials, methods and variations for groundworks in Reading. Berkshire subsoils vary enormously — chalk in the south Downs around Goring, heavy clay around Tadley and north Reading, gravel terraces along the Thames in Caversham and Pangbourne. Each needs a different foundation strategy. Trial holes and a soil assessment before any quote are non-negotiable for us. ### Materials we work with Concrete C25/30 design mix from local batching plants (Hanson, Tarmac, Cemex). RC30 for reinforced foundations, GEN3 for blinding. Always pumped or barrowed direct — never shovelled from a dumper into anything load-bearing. Reinforcement steel B500B rebar to engineer's bar bending schedule, sized and fixed before pour. A393 fabric mesh in slabs. Plastic spacers to ensure 50mm minimum cover. Drainage 110mm UPVC underground drainage to BS EN 1401, jointed with rubber rings (never solvent), bedded and surrounded with 10mm pea gravel. Soakaway crates Polystorm or Aquavoid modular crates wrapped in geotextile, sized to roof + hard surfacing area + percolation test, placed minimum 5m from foundations. Sub-base material Type 1 MOT primary aggregate, compacted in 100mm max layers with a heavy vibrating plate or roller depending on area. ### Methods & techniques Strip foundations Standard for most domestic extensions on stable ground. 600mm wide × 250mm deep concrete in a 1m+ deep trench, depending on depth to suitable bearing. Trench-fill foundations Faster on smaller jobs — concrete poured to within 150mm of finished ground level, bricks built straight off the top. Slightly more concrete, much less brickwork below DPC. Mini-piled foundations Where trees, made-up ground, or proximity to existing structures make strip impractical — augered piles 150–300mm diameter taken down to load-bearing stratum, capped with reinforced ring beam. Raft foundations Reinforced slab covering full footprint, used on poor or variable ground where strip would risk differential settlement. Underpinning Sequential mass-concrete or mini-piled underpinning where existing foundations need deepening to support new loads (extensions over inadequate foundations, basements). ### Common variations & situations - Extension foundations and oversite slabs - New-build house foundations on virgin land - Garage and outbuilding bases - Surface and foul drainage installation - Soakaway design, installation and percolation testing - Septic tank and treatment plant installation - Underpinning of existing structures - Retaining-wall foundations and reinforced bases - Driveway preparation including ducting and edging - Site clearance, demolition and muck-away ### Residential vs commercial Domestic groundworks (single extensions, single house plots) use standard foundation types and are typically straightforward. Commercial and small developer groundworks (multi-plot, larger spans, attenuation tanks) need different equipment and design — we take on small commercial groundworks in the Reading and Basingstoke area but turn down anything beyond our core capability. Common questions ## What homeowners in Reading ask before booking. ### How much do groundworks cost for an extension in Reading? ### How long do extension groundworks take? ### Do I need an engineer's design for foundations? ### What guarantee do you offer on groundworks? ### How long do groundworks last? ### Can you handle drainage problems and flooding? ### Do you offer emergency response for collapsed drains or flooding? ### Are you Building Control approved? ### Can you remove existing concrete and old slabs? ### Do you install soakaways and septic tanks? Related services ### Often booked alongside groundworks - [Extensions — Single & double-storey extensions designed and built end-to-end. ](/services/extensions) - [Driveways — Block paving, resin and tarmac driveways with proper sub-bases. ](/services/driveways) - [Patios — Hard-wearing patios that frame your garden for the next twenty years. ](/services/patios) [See all services](/services) Areas we cover for groundworks ### Local groundworks crews near you - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) [All service areas](/service-areas) Recent work ## Recent groundworks projects across Reading & Berkshire. ![Freshly laid concrete floor setting in groundworks — Philbert Construction groundworks project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/f236c3b8-9ca6-47cc-bd90-3e6742f1b6db/480946410_1092456909348105_7697527251048977737_n.jpg) ![New build houses under construction — Philbert Construction groundworks project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/a7ee2d15-a2b2-4f49-9c47-1e348c29f196/482024148_1101666801760449_842761653655786062_n.jpg) ![Foundations for house extension, drainage, blockwork — Philbert Construction groundworks project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/738590ef-b057-428b-a72f-0b4aa4a23a6e/484869340_1107665024493960_1271651465619906805_n.jpg) ![house under construction / renovation — Philbert Construction groundworks project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/d3c5024c-ba36-42f8-8f79-376db3c2696f/485827452_1110823337511462_1503529697847616598_n.jpg) Ready when you are ## Get a fixed written quote for your groundworks — within 48 hours. No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years. [Request Free Estimate](/contact) [Call 07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours Or [return home](/) · [see recent work](/our-work) · [read reviews](/reviews) ![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png) A family-run construction company based in Tadley. 18 years of brickwork, extensions, roofing and groundworks across Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) #### Services - [Brickwork](/services/brickwork) - [Extensions](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations](/services/structural-alterations) - [Patios](/services/patios) - [Groundworks](/services/groundworks) - [Driveways](/services/driveways) - [Roofing](/services/roofing) #### Areas - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Bucklebury](/service-areas/bucklebury) - [Goring](/service-areas/goring) - [Oxford](/service-areas/oxford) #### Get in Touch - [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) - [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) - 14 Willow Road, Tadley, England, RG26 4LU Opening Hours Mon–Sat · 08:00–17:30 Sunday · 08:00–16:00 © 2026 Philbert Construction Ltd. 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