Garden Groundworks in East Dulwich that set your project up properly from day one. From site clearance and excavation to drainage, grading and foundations, we prepare SE22 gardens for patios, lawns and outdoor rooms. Expect careful access planning, clean waste removal and a finish that’s ready to build on.
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If your garden project starts with uneven ground, poor drainage or old hardstanding, professional groundworks make the difference. We carry out site clearance, excavation, levelling and grading across SE22, including around Lordship Lane and Peckham Rye. Whether you’re preparing for a new patio, lawn, sleeper beds or an outdoor studio base, we create stable, well-draining ground. Our team keeps the site organised and safe throughout the work.
East Dulwich homes often come with long rear gardens and tight side access, especially in Victorian terraces and Edwardian houses. Period conversions can also mean shared pathways and strict working hours, so we plan deliveries and waste removal carefully. In the garden groundworks East Dulwich area, we regularly deal with old rubble layers, compacted sub-bases and legacy drainage issues. We tailor excavation depths, falls and foundation build-ups to suit the property and intended finish.
We start with a site visit to check levels, access routes and where water currently goes during heavy rain. Then we agree a clear scope: clearance, dig, drainage runs, foundations and final grading, with spoil removed as we go. Our workmanship is backed by a 10-year warranty on qualifying installed bases and groundworks elements. Homeowners choose Fine Landscaping because we communicate clearly, protect surrounding surfaces and leave the garden ready for the next stage.
Working in the London Borough of Southwark means factoring in controlled parking, delivery timing and neighbour-friendly logistics. Around Dulwich Village and Nunhead, access can be limited, so we use smaller machinery where needed and protect hallways and paths. Ground conditions vary, but we commonly encounter compacted made ground and drainage pinch points in older gardens. We set levels carefully to direct water away from buildings and towards suitable drainage points.
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Costs vary with access, spoil volume, depth of excavation and whether drainage or foundations are required. As a guide, small clearance and levelling jobs often start from £900–£1,800. Typical groundwork packages for a patio or lawn base with excavation, sub-base and waste removal are commonly £2,500–£6,500. Larger projects with drainage runs, deeper digs or multiple foundation pads can be £7,000–£15,000+.
Most groundworks take between 2 and 7 working days, depending on garden size and what’s being installed. A straightforward dig-out and level for a small patio base may be 1–3 days, while drainage, grading and multiple foundation areas can take 1–3 weeks. Timescales are affected by access (skip and machinery), hidden obstructions like old concrete, and weather when forming levels and compacting layers.
Many garden groundworks are permitted development, especially when you’re replacing like-for-like surfaces or preparing bases within the garden. However, rules can change if you’re altering levels significantly, working near boundaries, adding retaining structures, or affecting drainage to the public sewer. In Southwark, we also consider permeable surfacing requirements and any constraints for listed buildings or conservation areas. We’ll flag what may need approval before work starts.
Yes. We provide a 10-year warranty on qualifying groundwork elements we install, such as properly constructed sub-bases, foundations and drainage components, when built to our specification and used for their intended purpose. The warranty covers workmanship-related issues like settlement caused by inadequate compaction or incorrect build-up. It doesn’t cover damage from third-party alterations, extreme events, or failures caused by unknown underground services not disclosed before excavation.
We prepare bases for porcelain and sandstone patios, resin-bound and gravel areas, turf and seeded lawns, and timber or composite decking. For structures, we install foundations for sheds, pergolas, garden rooms and bin or bike stores. Drainage options include soakaways, channel drains and permeable sub-bases, depending on the site. We’ll advise on build-ups, edging details and falls so the finished surface looks right and performs well.
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