Groundworks & Drainage in Thornbury
Free no-obligation site visit · Fixed written price · No deposit · Fully insured · 20+ years experience
Groundworks & Drainage Specialists Serving Thornbury & South Gloucestershire
Proper groundwork preparation is what separates a driveway that lasts 30 years from one that sinks, cracks or puddles within three. Every successful paving, driveway or patio project starts with correct groundwork — the right excavation depth, the correct compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base specification, engineered drainage falls, and a soakaway or channel drain system where required. We handle all site excavation, spoil removal, levelling, sub-base installation, drainage and manhole adjustment to the correct specification for each job. SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) compliance is a legal requirement for all new impermeable surfaces, and we survey every site to ensure the drainage solution meets current Environment Act requirements. Whether you need a standalone drainage survey, soakaway installation, a channel drain system, or complete site preparation ahead of other contractors, we cover it all. Fully insured, all work to Building Regulations standards where applicable.
We work across Thornbury and the north Bristol rural fringe — completing driveways, patios, fencing and groundworks projects across BS35 postcodes and into the villages and smaller settlements of South Gloucestershire. Spring slots are available — get in touch to book your free site visit. Thornbury and its surrounding area has a mix of older market town properties, post-war housing and newer estates. Clay is the dominant soil type across BS35 postcodes, and correct sub-base preparation is essential for long-lasting results. Rural properties in the surrounding villages — Alveston, Olveston, Elberton, Easter Compton — sometimes have made ground or infilled garden areas that need careful assessment before any driveway installation. We survey every site and confirm all specifications before work begins. South Gloucestershire Council follows standard Permitted Development rules. Thornbury town centre has a Conservation Area designation — we advise on appropriate materials for properties within or adjacent to it. Permeable surfaces are always the most straightforward choice from a planning perspective. We cover all BS35 postcodes and work regularly in Alveston, Olveston, Pilning, Elberton, Easter Compton, Severn Beach, Chipping Sodbury, Yate and across north Bristol and South Gloucestershire. All quotations are fixed in writing before work begins. No deposit required until we start on site. We carry £5 million public liability insurance. All work includes a written guarantee. Call us on 07578 180526 or use the form above for a free, no-obligation site visit.
Our Work in Thornbury
We cover all BS35 postcodes — Thornbury town and the surrounding villages including Alveston, Olveston, Pilning and Severn Beach. This is a mix of market town properties, rural village houses and newer estates — each with slightly different access and ground conditions that we assess carefully before quoting.
Fully Insured
Public liability covered
20+ Years
Experience in the trade
5-Star Rated
Google reviews
Fixed Price
No hidden extras
How We Work in Thornbury
Simple, transparent process — no pushy sales, no hidden costs, no deposit until we start.
01
Free Site Visit
We come to your property in Thornbury, assess the ground conditions, measure up and discuss exactly what you need.
02
Fixed Written Quote
You receive a full written quote specifying every element of the job — no vague estimates, no surprise extras.
03
Professional Installation
Our experienced team installs to a high standard, cleans up fully on completion and backs every job with a written guarantee.
Ready to get started?
Every job is priced individually based on size, access, ground conditions and material choice. The only way to get an accurate figure is a free site visit — book yours today with no obligation.
Everything in Your Quote
- Site survey and drainage assessment
- Excavation to correct depth & all spoil disposed off site
- Soil disposal and precision levelling
- 100–200mm compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base installation
- Channel drains and soakaway installation where required
- Perforated drainage pipe and geotextile membrane
- Manhole raising, adjusting and recoverting to finished level
- Kerb and edging installation
Why Choose Groundworks & Drainage?
- Full SuDS drainage survey included — every job meets current Environment Act requirements
- Correct excavation depth and sub-base specification for the surface above and vehicle loads
- Channel drains and soakaways installed to Building Regulations standards
- All excavated spoil removed from site — nothing left for you to deal with
- Manhole adjustment handled in-house — no separate contractor needed
- 20+ years experience, fully insured, all groundworks to correct specification
Lifespan
Permanent — the sub-base and drainage are the foundation everything else rests on
Planning
Groundworks and sub-base preparation itself generally does n…
Planning Permission in Thornbury
Groundworks and sub-base preparation itself generally does not require planning permission. However, connection to existing drainage systems, installation of soakaways near boundaries, or any work affecting public sewers may need building control notification or drainage consent. We navigate all of this as part of every project — you won't need to contact the council separately.
What Customers Say About Our Groundworks & Drainage
“Great value for money. Turned up when they said they would, which is rare these days. Patio looks fantastic.”
Dave H.
Cardiff
“The groundworks team sorted our drainage problem that others had failed to fix. Professional and knowledgeable.”
Tom B.
Swindon
“Absolutely brilliant job on our block paving driveway. The team were professional, tidy and finished ahead of schedule. Couldn't be happier.”
Mark T.
Bristol
Groundworks & Drainage Questions Answered
What is MOT Type 1 sub-base and why does it matter?
MOT Type 1 (also called crusher run, granular fill or hardcore) is crushed angular aggregate — typically limestone or granite — compacted in layers to form a solid, load-bearing foundation beneath driveways, paths and patios. Without a correctly compacted sub-base at the right depth, surfaces sink, rock and crack under vehicle loads. It's the single most important element of any driveway installation.
How deep does a driveway sub-base need to be?
100–150mm of compacted MOT Type 1 is standard for residential driveways with regular car traffic. For heavy vehicles (vans, caravans, HGVs) or poor ground conditions (clay, made-up ground), we specify 150–200mm or more. We assess ground conditions during your free site survey and specify the correct depth before quoting.
Do I need a soakaway for my new driveway?
If your driveway is an impermeable surface (tarmac, imprinted concrete, solid block paving) and surface water cannot drain naturally to a lawn or garden, you need a drainage solution. This is typically a soakaway (a perforated crate or trench filled with granular material) fed by a channel drain across the base of the driveway. Permeable surfaces like resin bound and open-jointed block paving drain through the surface itself and don't need this.
What does SuDS mean and does my driveway need to comply?
SuDS stands for Sustainable Drainage Systems — a set of requirements under the Environment Act designed to prevent surface water flooding by ensuring new impermeable surfaces have a drainage plan. In practice, this means your new tarmac or concrete driveway needs channel drains or a soakaway rather than allowing water to run into the highway. We assess and include SuDS-compliant drainage in every relevant quote.
Can you raise a manhole cover as part of my driveway?
Yes — adjusting manholes to the correct finished level is a standard part of most driveway jobs. We raise, adjust and re-cover manholes to the new finished surface level as part of the quoted work. You don't need a separate drainage contractor. We can handle recessed manhole covers that blend with the surrounding surface, or standard cast-iron covers.
Other services we offer in Thornbury:
Covering Thornbury and: Alveston · Olveston · Elberton · Pilning · Severn Beach · Easter Compton · Rockhampton · Tytherington · Hill · Yate · Chipping Sodbury · Bristol · Filton
Ready for a new groundworks & drainage in Thornbury?
Free, no-obligation quote. We visit, measure up and give you a fixed price — no hidden costs.