Taking charge of building your own house can be a formidable task. There are so many aspects to consider and rules and regulations to comply with that it’s often difficult to know where to start. However, by making sure you work with the right building contractors, a lot of the pressure can be taken off. Here, we look at what happens during the groundworks phase.

The first workers usually to appear on your site will be the groundworks team. Their responsibilities include making sure there is good access to the site for the builders throughout the project. They’ll also take charge of clearing the site of any previous structures and general debris that might have accumulated and disposing of this responsibly. This includes recycling old building materials that could be reused. Next, they prepare trenches at the right depth and in the correct places; not only for the new building’s foundations, but also for installation at a later date of essential utilities. This will usually include power, gas, drainage and water services.

Your Responsibilities As The Client

So what are your responsibilities here as the client? These are numerous, and it’s here where choosing an experienced groundworks team can help you comply with the many demands on your time and experience. First of all, you are personally responsible for what happens on the site during the build, so ensure you select a team that pays great attention to Health and Safety issues. A full risk assessment should be carried out at the outset and the site should be reassessed at suitable intervals throughout to make sure the site remains safe for all. This includes everything from provision of adequate signage to warn people of the potential dangers to making sure that any contractors on site are suitably qualified to operate the machinery they’re expected to use.

Next, it’s vital that all the necessary consents and permits are in place to permit the building project to take place. These can’t be issued retrospectively, and if they aren’t correct from the outset, you could be asked to demolish any structure that’s built without the right permissions. Talk to your local council about what’s necessary at an early stage to avoid delays. Remember also that if anything of significance changes throughout the project, you’ll need to apply for an alteration to the Building Consent, or again, delays could threaten your building scheme.

You are also required to make sure that there is good access to hot and cold running water, including drinking water, and WC facilities. There should also be storage facilities that will keep materials dry for the duration of the build. Paperwork is another important consideration. Every step of the project, including reports of inspections by planners and Building Regulations specialists should be documented so there’s an audit trail for the future.

Sounds Complex? Hire an Experienced Groundworks Team From the Outset

This is just a brief summary of the factors you need to consider. If you’re a domestic client and are working with a reputable and experienced groundworks firm, then they will take on a lot of these duties on your behalf. But it’s still your responsibility to choose the right contractors in the first place. Why not speak to VP Lewis Groundworks?