groundwork costs?

[gav0994]

Looking for rough prices for doing basic groundworks for a 25m x 15m portal frame shed.

ie; level ground (fairly level already)
set out isolated pads for frame.

We've been given a quote, but I think it is massively expensive for 12 holes, 12m3 of concrete for pads and a little bit of levelling of the ground.

Thanks

 

[Smith31]

Hire a laser and machinery for a week, employ a good groundworker on day rate, help him and do it yourself?

 

[Tarw Coch]

If it’s as straight forward as you say I’d expect a good bloke on a 13 toner to do that in a day so say £45 x 10 hours, maybe a bit longer if you want it stoned up too.
Concrete £80/100 cube depending where you are.
Hopefully digger man should have laser level, it’s not difficult filling 12 holes to a level with one, I assume it’s level pads you’re putting In not setting pins

 

[designanddetail]

What's happening with the topsoil? are they moving it?, how far? Any stone to go down? Dig holes, pour concrete and set bolts?

 

[gav0994]

Thanks for the replies so far.

A bit more info on the job.

This is not for a farm shed, it's for a storage shed for a Heritage Railway I am involved with. We need qoutes in order to obtain grant funding for the project.

We have had one quote so far and the groundwork element of the quote was £12k+vat which I think is a bit much (it only included levelling the ground, dig holes, set pins and pour concrete). The spoil that may need removed will be re utilised close by to level up other areas of the yard as required, so wouldn't be getting moved very far.

The ground in question is mostly level and comprises of fine stone on top down to harder ground below. What we're looking for is a rough idea of costs of laying out the location of the pads, dig holes, set bolts and pour concrete.

It is most likely that we would do the bulk of the above "in-house" apart from the technical side of actually laying out where all the holes need digging and setting the pins in the concrete.

A bit long winded, but I feel the quote of £12k+vat is taking the pee ever so slightly! I expected a 4 figure amount really.

 

[br jones]

As said above a 13 tonner would knock that out on a couple of days plus concrete and set up

 

[puppet]

Your problem is the word 'grant' in the application. Sends the price quoted skywards. Your shed builder should be able to mark the centre of each pad, 4 hours to dig the holes then put in some pins to show the depth of each one. Another day to tidy up the site. Not hard with a laser level which even a farmer like me can use.
We had a similar shed and total erection costs were about your quote

 

[BobGreen]

£12,000 ??? Are they using bolts of gold ?
Setting out, digging and setting bolts inc concrete for 12 bolt boxes should be around £2000 to £2,500

 

[Fendt516profi]

Had 17 foundations dug concrete poured and bolts set for £1790 including concrete, they used my digger

 

[gav0994]

Your problem is the word 'grant' in the application. Sends the price quoted skywards. Your shed builder should be able to mark the centre of each pad, 4 hours to dig the holes then put in some pins to show the depth of each one. Another day to tidy up the site. Not hard with a laser level which even a farmer like me can use.
We had a similar shed and total erection costs were about your quote

£12,000 ??? Are they using bolts of gold ?
Setting out, digging and setting bolts inc concrete for 12 bolt boxes should be around £2000 to £2,500

This is exactly what I was thinking - The company in question is royally taking the pee with their quote! I knew I'd get some common sense answers on here ? For added comedy factor they quoted £39.5k+vat for the shed kit (box profile roof, and box profile cladding to ground level) and £15k+vat to errect the thing! I very much doubt our Board of Directors will go for this quote, but we have to get a minimum of 3 to satisfy the grant conditions. I suspect we'll be able to get a 40m long shed for the same costs as this first company have quoted for a 25m long one!

I'll quite happily bugger away with the 5ton machine we have access to to do the ground works as long as we have someone to lay it all out so I know where everything needs digging etc.

 

[d williams]

This is exactly what I was thinking - The company in question is royally taking the pee with their quote! I knew I'd get some common sense answers on here ? For added comedy factor they quoted £39.5k+vat for the shed kit (box profile roof, and box profile cladding to ground level) and £15k+vat to errect the thing! I very much doubt our Board of Directors will go for this quote, but we have to get a minimum of 3 to satisfy the grant conditions. I suspect we'll be able to get a 40m long shed for the same costs as this first company have quoted for a 25m long one!

I'll quite happily bugger away with the 5ton machine we have access to to do the ground works as long as we have someone to lay it all out so I know where everything needs digging etc.

Let him run his business and you run yours !!!
Your not giving enough information I would also expect this building is going to be to industrial spec not Agri??
At least this man has turned up and provided you with a quote I wouldn’t be knocking him until you’ve got the other two for a comparison

 

[suffolksmallholder]

To start with you really don't need to have a 13 ton machine. An 8 ton will do the same job. Sledgehammer & nut springs to mind. and these often come with a blade which could prove very useful....
SS

 

[Tarw Coch]

To start with you really don't need to have a 13 ton machine. An 8 ton will do the same job. Sledgehammer & nut springs to mind. and these often come with a blade which could prove very useful....
SS

True enough, I used an example of a 13 toner earlier as that’s what the local ag contractor who does such jobs for me has, don’t know what the difference on hourly rate between an 8 and 13 ton machine is, I suspect not a lot. I’m sure a 5 ton machine would be capable of doing the job if that’s all that was available.
On a project of this size, availability of machine would be the main factor in deciding which to use, I don’t suppose there would be a major difference in cost whichever was used.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

True enough, I used an example of a 13 toner earlier as that’s what the local ag contractor who does such jobs for me has, don’t know what the difference on hourly rate between an 8 and 13 ton machine is, I suspect not a lot. I’m sure a 5 ton machine would be capable of doing the job if that’s all that was available.
On a project of this size, availability of machine would be the main factor in deciding which to use, I don’t suppose there would be a major difference in cost whichever was used.

Fair enough as an example. I agree. Re the OP. If you want to spend what is to me a lot of money you need to concentrate on the job in hand. One price is never enough, you need three. Follow on with the reputation of the co pricing ie, will they DO the job properly, will YOU make changes half way through, are all the folk pricing working to a specced up drawing with accurate plans/dimensions????? If you are simply working from a fag packet you WILL be offered acontingency price based on a vague idea. Simples. Homework-homework-homework. It's not easy getting a good price and one has to work at it!

SS

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Just considering the simples on a shed build. My shed leg bases were carefully dug with an 8 ton machine and myself with a chad and spade, each required 0.8m3 of concrete. For five legs this was 4m3. Now arrive with a bigger machine, more rush, less care & the holes end up at 1.0m3 so immediately you have a 1.0m3 extra cost. Fag packet guide on concrete costs @£100 per m3. Add this to the whole job........£1000 soon disappears in a hole in the ground.

SS