Soil survey cost

[vivienz]

I need to commission a soil survey on our plot so that the timber frame/foundation company (probably MBC) can do their calculations for the foundations.

 

Can anyone give me an idea of what the going rate for this should be?

[Redoctober]

Area dependant, but we paid in the region of £1300 some 2 years ago for a plot in Southern Scotland.

 

PW.

[Hecateh]

My advice would be to shop around.  My architect sent me one quotation and I would have accepted it if it hadn't been for a 3 week lead time.  the quote she sent was around 1800. Other quotes varied between 600 and 2,500 for 4 bore holes to 4 m.  The more expensive ones did include the soil testing for porosity and elasticity but the company I used - the cheapest one, outsourced those and the total bill incl VAT was £940.  

Depending on location some added in travel costs - the company I used was local, only about 30 mins away, which may have helped

 

[Moira Niedzwiecka]

Our soil sample analysis was £200.

The total cost with plotting of percolation test, design of soak away, report on structural stability of site, trial holes & analysis of foundation depths from tree survey was £1107 inc VAT This cost included the soil analysis test from the lab.

[vivienz]

Very helpful. Thanks, all.

[ProDave]

Mine was "free"

 

The structural engineer paid a site visit, I dug a number of test pits with my own digger, with the SE stopping me at various points (whenever the soil type changed) to take measurements of depth and have a look and feel of what was coming out of the hole.

[lizzie]

Our quote via architect before work started was £1900 + vat by the time we had excavated an enormous hole to a depth of a couple of metres  we didnt need all that testing as it was gone!  Our soil sample from the same people who quoted the £1900 came to £300 + vat.  Timing can save you money. If you have to dig down any depth wait to get your sample and foundation calcs done until you are down to the depth you need to be. We used MBC and it was fine for our foundation calcs.

[vivienz]

Thanks, Lizzie, that's a really good point. I need to get an old septic tank removed and sink the new sewage plant along with some rainwater harvesting tanks, so I guess I could do it then.