Groundworks Surrey
Apps Outdoor Services provide professional groundworks across Surrey for domestic, commercial and outdoor construction projects.
From excavation and site preparation to drainage, foundations, ground levelling and landscaping preparation, we provide practical groundwork solutions tailored to the individual site and project.
Groundwork Contractors Across Surrey
Good ground preparation is what gives the next stage of an outdoor or construction project the right starting point.
Whether you are preparing a garden for landscaping, excavating for foundations, installing drainage or removing existing ground before a new surface is created, the groundwork needs to be planned around the individual site.
Apps Outdoor Services undertake groundwork projects from our base near Horley, working throughout Surrey and surrounding areas.
Our experience with excavation machinery also means we can combine the physical groundwork with operated mini digger hire where machinery is required.
Tell us what you are planning and we can discuss the preparation and excavation needed before the next stage begins.
Our Groundworks Services
Different projects require different types of preparation. We can help with a range of excavation, drainage and ground preparation work.
Excavation
Removing and reducing ground for landscaping, construction and outdoor improvement projects.
Site Preparation
Preparing outdoor areas before construction, landscaping or installation work begins.
Foundations & Footings
Excavating trenches and areas required for suitable foundations, footings and structural preparation.
Drainage
Ground excavation and preparation for selected garden and property drainage projects.
Ground Levelling
Reducing, moving and reshaping ground before lawns, landscaping and other outdoor improvements.
Driveway & Parking Preparation
Excavation and preparation for selected driveways, parking areas and hard landscaping projects.
Excavation & Site Preparation
Many projects begin by removing what is already there.
Existing soil may need reducing, uneven ground may need reshaping or an area may need excavating to create the required depth for the next stage.
Using suitable excavation equipment allows substantial amounts of material to be removed far more efficiently than attempting larger groundwork projects manually.
Our mini digger and operator service can be incorporated where compact excavation machinery is suitable for the site.
We also provide dumper hire where excavated soil and suitable materials need moving around the working area.
Foundation & Footing Excavation
Foundations and footings begin below ground, making accurate excavation an important first stage of the project.
Where plans or specifications establish the required excavation, ground can be removed to prepare the area for the next stage of construction.
The exact dimensions and depth depend on the project, ground conditions and the applicable design or building requirements.
For this reason, any relevant plans, specifications or requirements should be established before excavation begins.
Send them with your enquiry together with photographs of the site and access route. This helps us understand the excavation involved.
Groundworks for Drainage Projects
Poorly draining gardens and outdoor areas can remain wet for long periods, particularly where water has nowhere suitable to travel.
Depending on the problem and proposed solution, drainage work may require trenches to be excavated and ground prepared before drainage components are installed.
The correct solution depends on the individual site, including levels, existing drainage, ground conditions and where water can appropriately be directed.
We can carry out the excavation and ground preparation required for suitable drainage projects.
Groundworks for Landscaping & Garden Projects
A major garden transformation often requires much more preparation than is visible once the finished landscaping is complete.
Old areas may need excavating, levels may need changing and soil may need moving before a new lawn, patio, pathway, fencing or other landscaping can be installed.
Apps Outdoor Services can combine groundwork with garden clearance , turfing and fencing where these form part of the wider project.
This means we can look at how the garden needs to be prepared rather than only focusing on the finished surface.
Ground Levelling & Grading
Uneven or badly shaped ground can make the next stage of a project much more difficult.
Ground levelling may involve removing high areas, redistributing suitable soil or changing the shape of the site to create a more practical working surface.
This is particularly useful before new lawns, landscaping, paths and other garden improvements.
The objective isn't always to make every part of a garden perfectly flat. The required levels should suit the finished project and take account of appropriate falls and drainage.
Driveway & Parking Area Preparation
A driveway, parking area or hard-landscaped space relies heavily on the preparation carried out before the finished surface is created.
Existing material may need removing, garden areas may need clearing and the ground may need excavating or reshaping before the appropriate surface can be introduced.
Not every customer wants the cost of a completely new decorative driveway. For suitable projects, there may be more practical ways to create additional usable parking space.
We recently completed a road planings driveway and additional parking project in Horley where the homeowner wanted to create considerably more off-road parking without paying for a completely new driveway.
The existing garden areas and low brickwork were removed where required, the space was opened up and prepared, and road planings were used to create the new parking surface.
Creating More Parking With Road Planings in Horley
The homeowner wanted more usable off-road parking, but a completely new driveway wasn't within the budget they wanted to spend.
Rather than treating the existing front garden as fixed space, we looked at how more of the frontage could be opened up and used for vehicles.
The project involved removing areas of the existing garden and sections of low brickwork, clearing and preparing the newly available ground and then using road planings — reclaimed chipped asphalt/tarmac material — to form the parking surface.
The finished project demonstrates how groundworks can sometimes solve the underlying problem without the customer having to commit to a completely new decorative driveway.
You can see all of the before and after photographs and read about the work on our Road Planings Driveway Horley case study .
Our Groundworks Process
Every site is different, but most groundwork projects follow the same basic principle: understand the finished objective first, then prepare the ground appropriately.
Discuss the Project
Tell us what you are planning, what currently occupies the site and what the ground ultimately needs to be prepared for.
Assess the Site
Access, levels, working space, existing surfaces and the excavation required are considered before work begins.
Excavate & Prepare
The agreed ground is excavated, cleared, moved or reshaped using suitable equipment for the project.
Ready for Next Stage
The prepared area can then progress into the agreed drainage, construction, landscaping or outdoor installation.
Groundworks in Restricted Residential Spaces
Not every groundwork project takes place on an open construction site.
A large proportion of domestic work takes place behind houses, alongside properties or within established gardens where access and working space are limited.
Compact excavation machinery can make it possible to undertake substantial work in locations where full-size construction equipment would be impractical.
However, machine access still needs checking before work begins. Gates, passages, steps, surface conditions and the available working area can all affect the approach.
Send us photographs showing the route from the road or driveway through to the proposed working area. We can consider access when discussing the job.
Domestic & Commercial Groundworks
Our groundwork services are available for domestic and commercial outdoor projects across our working area.
For homeowners, this may include excavation for garden improvements, drainage, landscaping, driveways, additional parking areas or other property projects.
Landlords and property managers may need areas cleared or prepared before maintenance and improvement work.
Commercial customers and trades may require excavation, site preparation or machinery support as part of a wider project.
Rather than assuming every site requires the same approach, we look at what the finished project needs and work backwards to establish the preparation required.
Groundworks as Part of a Complete Outdoor Project
Groundworks often sit in the middle of a larger project rather than being a standalone service.
For example, an overgrown garden might first require garden clearance or tree removal .
The ground can then be excavated and levelled before new turf , fencing, a parking surface or other landscaping work begins.
Our recent Horley road planings parking project is a good example of this approach, combining removal, clearance, ground preparation and surfacing to solve the customer's need for more parking.
Because Apps Outdoor Services provide these related services, we can consider how the different stages fit together and help customers avoid unnecessary duplication of work.
What Do We Need to Provide a Quote?
The more we understand about the finished project, the easier it is to assess the groundwork involved.
If another contractor is completing the later stages, any plans, measurements or specifications they have provided can be useful.
Photographs of the site and access route are also particularly helpful for projects requiring machinery.
You don't need to know the technical terminology. Simply explain what you are trying to achieve and we can discuss the preparation involved.
Tell Us About Your Project
- Your location
- What the finished project will be
- Approximate size of the area
- What is currently on the ground
- Required excavation depth if known
- Site and garden access
- Whether soil needs moving or removing
- Any plans or specifications available
- Photographs of the area and access
Groundworks in Redhill & Reigate
As well as providing groundworks across Surrey, we have dedicated local pages showing recent excavation, ground preparation and drainage work completed in Redhill and Reigate.
If you are planning a similar project, these pages give you a closer look at the type of work we carry out locally, including garden excavation, site clearance, ground preparation, mini digger work and drainage groundworks.
Groundworks Redhill
See our recent Redhill groundworks project involving garden excavation, clearance, mini digger work and ground preparation.
View Groundworks Redhill →
Groundworks Reigate
See our recent Reigate project featuring excavation, ground preparation, trenching and drainage groundworks.
View Groundworks Reigate →Groundworks Across Surrey & Surrounding Areas
Apps Outdoor Services are based near Horley and provide groundworks throughout the surrounding areas of Surrey, as well as selected nearby areas across the county border.
Our location means we are particularly well placed for groundwork projects around Horley, Redhill , Reigate and the surrounding East Surrey area.
If you're in Horley and considering creating additional parking, you can also see our recent road planings driveway project in Horley to see a real example of our ground preparation and outdoor work.
Looking for Groundwork Contractors in Surrey?
From excavation and site preparation to drainage, foundations, garden levelling, parking areas and landscaping preparation, contact Apps Outdoor Services to discuss your groundwork project and arrange a free, no-obligation quotation.
