PRICE GUIDE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION · 2026–2027
Groundworks cost in the UK
£2,500–£15,000 per project. Typically £8,000.
Groundworks for a home project cost £2,500–£15,000 in the UK, and about £8,000 is typical for an extension's foundations, slab and drains. Ground conditions, how deep the trenches go, drainage connections and getting a digger and muck-away lorry onto the site decide the price.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does groundworks cost in the UK?
| Low end | £2,500 | a single drain connection or small base |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £8,000 | what most people pay |
| High end | £15,000 | extension foundations on clay with new drainage |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the builders and trades near you.
What moves the price
- Ground conditions — clay, made ground or tree roots can mean deeper groundworks and more concrete
- Drainage — new runs, inspection chambers and a sewer connection add to the groundworks package
- Access for plant — a mini-digger and dumper on site are far quicker than hand digging through a narrow side passage
- Spoil removal — muck-away by grab lorry or skip is a large share of every groundworks bill
- Site clearance — established planting, small trees or old concrete have to be cleared before digging starts
- Wet weather — rain floods trenches and stops concrete pours, which can stretch the groundworks
Building and repair prices in the UK are up 6% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Services for maintenance and repair, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical groundworks would have cost about £11360 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7DO →
WHAT YOU GET
What a groundworks booking includes
Takes: A few days for a drain or base, one to three weeks for an extension's groundworks. Not included: Engineer's design, building control fees, a water company sewer connection fee and the walls built on top are usually extra — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common groundworks jobs
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Groundworks near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Get a soil investigation done early so the groundworks design suits the ground from the start
- Clear a route so a mini-digger can reach the site, which saves days of hand digging and labour
- Ask whether clean spoil from the groundworks can stay on site for landscaping instead of being removed
Before you book
- Building over or near a public sewer needs the water company's agreement before groundworks begin
- Foundations and drains need building regulations approval and inspections at set stages
- Ask for underground services to be traced before digging, to avoid striking gas, water or power cables
- Check the groundworker carries the dug-out spoil and waste away through a registered waste carrier
Groundworks cost: questions people ask
£2,500–£15,000 per project, around £8,000 typical for an extension. A single drain connection or small base costs least; deep foundations on clay with new drainage cost the most.
A few days for a drain run or base, and one to three weeks for an extension, with inspections before concrete is poured.
Poor ground, hidden drains, old foundations and tree roots found once digging starts. A contingency in the budget covers most surprises.
If you are building over or within a few metres of a public sewer, or connecting a new drain to it, yes. Ask early, as approvals take time.
The engineer's design, building control fees, the water company's connection charges and everything built above ground level are separate.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, gathered from published UK groundworks and extension cost guides — a national range, not a quote. The ground and access decide your price.