Groundworks · Practical advice
Site preparation before landscaping
Understand the work that happens before the visible finishes arrive.
Protect what is staying
Identify trees, plants, paths, boundaries and features you want to retain. Agree the access route for people, machinery and materials and where items can be stored. Photograph existing conditions before work starts. An agreed plan reduces misunderstandings when a busy garden becomes a construction site.
Locate services before excavation
Share any drawings and information about utilities, drainage and previous alterations. Plans alone do not prove the exact position of buried services. The contractor needs a planned approach to identifying services and carrying out excavation safely. Do not investigate suspected cables or pipes yourself.
Set levels before finishes
The finished driveway, patio, lawn and steps need to work together. Discuss thresholds, drainage and the transitions between materials before excavation fixes the layout. Ask how unsuitable ground or unexpected buried material will be dealt with and who will authorise changes to the original scope.
Agree logistics and reinstatement
Clarify what is included for clearance, disposal, imported materials and temporary access. Check which parts of the property remain usable each day. At the end of preparation, it should be clear what has been done and what is ready for the next trade. Photograph relevant hidden work before it is covered, where safe and agreed with the contractor.
Before you book
- What must be protected?
- Have available service records been shared?
- Are finished levels coordinated?
- How are unexpected findings approved?
Further reading
Related guides
Discuss your project
MPH offers 17 years’ experience across driveways, paving, landscaping and groundworks. Tell us about your property, priorities and the work you have in mind.