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Service · Cornwall & Devon

Foundations laid right.

Strip, trench-fill, raft and reinforced foundations for extensions and new builds across Cornwall and Devon. Dug to the engineer's drawing, inspected by building control, poured and cured properly before anything goes on top.

Fully insured · public liability Free quotes · Cornwall & Devon 10+ years · on the tools
Trench-fill foundation pour, new build, Cornwall
What's included

Every foundations job, four areas covered as standard.

01 / 04

Trench-fill or strip

Most of our foundations are trench-fill for speed and stability, but we'll dig strip footings and lay blockwork up to DPC where the design calls for it. Whichever the engineer specifies, we'll match.

02 / 04

Reinforced where needed

Reinforcement cages tied on site for raft slabs, deeper foundations on poor ground, and any retaining wall footings. Spacers correct, cover correct, signed off before the pour.

03 / 04

Inspected before pour

Foundation inspection booked with building control before any concrete arrives. We meet the inspector on site and any query is answered before the pump truck rolls in.

04 / 04

Cured properly

Pours protected from rain, sun and Cornish wind for the first 48 hours. No tracking machinery onto green concrete, no shortcuts. The slab is the one bit of the job nobody ever sees, and we treat it that way.

Frequently asked

Common questions, plainly answered.

What depth do you dig foundations to?

Standard is 1 metre to the base, but Cornish ground varies. Where we hit rock we dig to the engineer's preferred bearing strata; where we find clay we go deeper or step. Building control sets the final call after their inspection.

Can you pour foundations on a sloping plot?

Yes. Stepped foundations are a routine job for us across Cornwall, where almost no plot is properly flat. We work to the architect's section drawing and step the footings to suit the levels.

Do you handle the building control sign-off?

Yes. We book the inspection, meet the inspector, and have the foundation cleared to pour before anything starts. The sign-off goes onto the building control record for the final completion certificate.

Can you pour foundations near a tree?

Yes, with a tree report or NHBC guidance to set the foundation depth. Tree roots are a common issue around mature Cornish gardens and the foundation has to go below the influence zone.

Do you take on raft foundations?

Yes. Raft foundations work well on made-up ground or where ground bearing is poor, both of which we see in parts of Cornwall on old china-clay tailings or coastal infill. Engineered, reinforced, signed off.

Where we work

Foundations across Cornwall & Devon.

R A Groundworks covers the towns and villages of Cornwall and Devon as standard. Longer trips taken on negotiation.

Start a project

Tell us what you're building.

A quick call or message with Robert is usually enough to know whether your foundations job is a good fit. No detail too small.

Phone

Mon to Sat, 7am to 7pm

Email

Reply within one working day

Based in

Treviscoe
St Austell, Cornwall PL26 7QP

Covering all of Cornwall & Devon

Response

Within 24 hours

Drawings or a brief, both fine

Start your project

A quick form. We'll come back to you within a day.

We never share your details. Same-day reply.