Ground Investigation

Ground investigation is the process of gathering information about the conditions below the surface of a site. This typically involves drilling boreholes to take soil and rock samples or install monitoring equipment for the consultant to use.

The information gathered is used by engineers, geologists, and other consultants to inform design decisions on construction projects, assess contamination risks, monitor environmental conditions, or comply with regulatory requirements.

Ground investigation is typically required at the early stages of a construction or development project, before final design decisions are made. It is also commonly required for environmental due diligence on land transactions, regulatory compliance on sites with potential contamination, and ongoing monitoring of groundwater or other subsurface conditions.

The specific requirements depend on the project. Your engineer, environmental consultant, or planning authority will usually specify what investigation work is needed.

Our role is the drilling. The investigation itself is designed and led by an engineer or consultant who specifies what is needed, where, and to what depth. We carry out the drilling to that specification and provide the borehole records for the consultant to interpret.

We do not design the investigation, interpret the results, or provide laboratory analysis. Those activities sit with the engineering and consultancy teams leading the project. Our value is in carrying out the drilling work safely, accurately, and on programme.

Yes. The majority of our ground investigation work is as a specialist drilling subcontractor on larger projects led by civil engineering firms, environmental consultants, or main contractors. We understand the coordination, documentation, and communication requirements that come with operating within a wider construction programme, and we work to make our part of the project straightforward for the rest of the team.

For a meaningful quotation we need the investigation specification from the lead engineer or consultant. This typically includes the number and location of boreholes, the depth and method required, and the timescale for the work.

For complex or larger sites we may also need to carry out a site visit before finalising a quote. Get in touch with what you have and we will let you know what else is needed.

We are members of the British Drilling Association, the UK trade body for the drilling industry. Our drillers hold NVQ Level 2 Land Driller qualifications, with additional qualifications covering site supervision (SSSTS), construction skills (CSCS), and water well drilling.

RAMS and method statements are provided as standard for all projects, and we are happy to provide qualification certificates and insurance documentation on request.

We work to the standards specified by the engineer or consultant leading the project. For ground investigation in the UK this typically references BS 5930 (Code of practice for ground investigations) and BS EN ISO 22475 (geotechnical investigation and testing). The specifying engineer is responsible for confirming the standards required for their project, and we drill to that specification.

For every borehole we drill, a record is provided showing depth, drilling method, and any other information required by the project specification.

Laboratory analysis of samples, geotechnical interpretation, and the final investigation report are produced by the consultant or laboratory commissioned to do that work, not by us.