The New Build: Part 1

Our project gets underway, as we dig out the site and form the shell of the new basement!

On a traditional self build project, there's a fair amount to sort out before you can bring the diggers in to carve out the new home's foundations. One of the biggest (and often the most frustrating) tasks is arranging utility connections: you'll need to figure out both temporary and long-term supplies early on.

Construction work in the ground can carry risks, partly because you don't know exactly what is beneath the surface. You can reduce the risks by: carrying out soil investigations, digging inspection pits to confirm the level of the water table and confirming ground conditions and soil types. Going below ground also means that any service pipes or cables also need to be identified.