Surfaces that stay put
Properly compacted layers carry a decade of use without the dips, ruts and rocking slabs that come from a rushed base.
Bolton & Greater Manchester
Groundwork and drainage in Bolton:the part you never see,doing all the work
Excavation, compacted sub-base, edging and falls carried out fully in-house by the same team that lays the lawn or paving on top. This is the stage that decides whether a garden still looks right in ten years.
10 years in business · 10-year workmanship guarantee · £2m public liability cover
10 years
Groundwork experience as Greenerlawn
10-year
Workmanship guarantee
£2 million
Public liability cover
In-house
Nothing subcontracted
Fixed price
Free site visit, price that holds
Overview
What groundwork and drainage actually cover
Groundwork is everything below the finished surface: stripping out old material and vegetation, excavating to the right depth, laying and compacting stone in layers, setting levels and falls, and fixing the edge restraint that stops it all spreading. Drainage is the route the water takes once the surface is down.
We do this ourselves on every job, whether the finish is artificial grass, porcelain, Indian stone, block paving or concrete slabs. That matters because the base has to be specified for what sits on it and for what the ground beneath is doing, and nobody can verify that after the surface is laid.
We also take on groundwork as its own scope where a garden has a water problem to solve, levels to resolve, or a base to prepare before other work. It is the same team, the same standard and the same fixed-price approach.
Who it is for, and when
- Gardens that hold water or turn to mud every winter
- Water pooling or running towards the house
- Lawns and patios that have sunk, dipped or started rocking
- Sloping plots needing levels, retaining or steps
- New-build gardens left as compacted rubble and thin topsoil
- Any lawn or patio installation that needs a base built properly
What it costs to ignore
What poor groundwork leads to, and when
Groundwork failures are invisible for a year and obvious by the third. Stone that was tipped in deep and rolled once rather than compacted in layers keeps consolidating under use, and the surface follows it down, dips in a lawn, rocking slabs on a patio, a driveway that develops ruts where the car sits.
Water is the bigger risk. Falls that run the wrong way put rain against the brickwork below damp-proof level, and that turns into damp plaster and rotten skirting inside the house. A garden with nowhere for water to go stays saturated, kills planting, and makes the whole space unusable for much of the year.
None of it is repairable from the top. Correcting a failed base means lifting whatever is on it, digging out and rebuilding, paying twice for the same job, and often for new materials because the originals will not lift cleanly. On the clay ground common around Bolton, cutting corners here is the single most expensive mistake in landscaping.
Common mistakes we get called out to fix
- Compacting one deep layer of stone rather than several thin ones
- Laying a surface straight onto topsoil, turf or an old failing base
- No fall, or falls running towards the house
- Paving finished above damp-proof course level
- Leaving out edge restraint, so the base spreads and edges dip
- Treating drainage as an extra rather than part of the build
Our process
How we run a groundwork & base prep job
The same sequence every time, so you know what is happening and when.
Step 1
Free site visit and ground assessment
We check ground conditions, existing levels, where water currently collects and goes, damp-proof course height and access for machinery and muck away.
Step 2
Fixed-price quote
A written price covering excavation, waste removal, sub-base depth, edging, falls and any drainage works. It does not change once we start.
Step 3
Excavation and muck away
Old surfaces, roots and soft material dug out to formation level, with spoil removed from site rather than spread around the garden.
Step 4
Sub-base in layers
Stone laid and compacted in layers to a firm, consolidated base at the depth that suits the ground and the loading above it.
Step 5
Levels, falls and drainage
Falls set away from buildings, drainage runs, channels or gullies installed and connected where the levels need them.
Step 6
Edging, verification, handover
Edge restraint fixed, levels and falls checked across the whole area before any surface goes on, then handover with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
What you get
The difference it makes
House protected from water
Falls set away from brickwork and correct levels at the threshold keep rainwater off the walls and out of the building.
A garden usable in winter
Drainage that moves water off the plot instead of letting it stand, so the space is not written off for half the year.
No paying twice
Getting the base right the first time avoids lifting and rebuilding finished work, which is always the larger bill.
Safe, even ground
Consistent levels, resolved slopes and no trip lips where surfaces meet: including for schools and nurseries.
In-house accountability
The team that builds the base lays the finish, so the specification below matches what goes on top and one team owns the result.
In detail
Build-ups, drainage methods and Bolton ground conditions
The technical decisions made at quote stage, and what drives them.
Sub-base depth and compaction
Depth is driven by two things: what the ground beneath will support, and what the surface has to carry. A footpath, a patio and a driveway taking vehicle weight are three different build-ups, and soft or clay formation increases the depth needed in each case.
Compaction is done in layers because stone only consolidates through a limited thickness at a time. A deep single lift looks the same on the day and settles for years afterwards. This is the part of the job that never shows in a photo and always shows in year three.
Bolton clay and what it means
Much of Bolton and the surrounding towns sits on heavy clay. Clay holds water rather than letting it soak away, swells and shrinks with moisture, and turns to slurry when it is worked wet. That changes both the excavation approach and the drainage design.
Practically, it means water needs a designed route off the plot rather than a soakaway that never soaks. It also means more care over formation level, because disturbing wet clay creates a soft layer no amount of stone on top will fix.
Falls, channels and gullies
Every hard surface gets a fall. Where it discharges is the design question: to a channel across a threshold, to a gully connected into an existing drainage run, or across a permeable surface away from the house.
Threshold drains and linear channels are what make a patio possible where levels are tight against the damp-proof course, and they collect water along a line rather than relying on it finding one point.
Land drainage and waterlogged lawns
A lawn that stays wet is usually a drainage problem, not a grass problem. Options include intercepting water before it reaches the low point, regrading to move the collection point, and drainage runs taking water to a suitable outfall.
Where the finished surface is artificial grass, this is designed into the sub-base build-up so the lawn drains from day one rather than being laid over standing water.
Edge restraint and retaining
A base without a restrained edge spreads sideways under load, and the perimeter is always the first place a surface fails. Edging is fixed along the full run, sized for what it is holding.
Where levels change, retaining takes over from edging, sleeper walls, built-up edges or walls, tied into the groundwork rather than added afterwards.
Excavation, access and waste
Access shapes the method. Rear gardens reached only through a house or a narrow gate mean barrowing rather than machinery, which affects duration and cost but not the standard of the build-up.
Spoil is removed from site as part of the fixed price. Excavated clay and old hardcore spread around a garden to save on muck away is a soft layer somebody has to deal with later.
Domestic and commercial groundwork
Domestic groundwork is specified for foot traffic, garden furniture and occasional vehicles. Commercial and education areas need deeper build-ups and more robust drainage for constant use and heavier loading.
We have carried out a large school project and multiple nursery projects alongside domestic gardens across Greater Manchester.
Guaranteed, insured,
fixed price
The same terms on every job, domestic or commercial. Read more about how we work.
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- On all work we carry out. Exact exclusions: Not Provided.
- 10-year grass guarantee
- The manufacturer guarantee on the grass, passed straight on to you.
- £2 million public liability
- Full cover in place on every job we carry out.
- Clear payment terms
- 25% deposit to book your slot, balance on completion. Quotes and site visits are free.
Common questions
Groundwork & Base Prep questions,
answered straight
Anything not covered here, ask Shaun Brickell directly on 07757 559036.
How much does garden groundwork or drainage cost?
It depends on the area, the depth of excavation, ground conditions, access for muck away and what drainage the plot needs. We assess on site and give a free written fixed price.
How long does groundwork take?
On most garden projects the groundwork is the bulk of the programme, often several days before any surface goes down. We tell you the expected duration in the quote.
Why is water pooling in my garden?
Usually falls running the wrong way, a compacted or clay formation with nowhere for water to go, or a surface laid without drainage. We check where the water comes from and where it can discharge before proposing a fix.
Can you fix water running towards my house?
Yes. That is a levels and drainage problem: regrading the fall away from the building, and adding a channel or gully connected to a suitable outfall where levels are tight.
Do you do groundwork on its own, without paving or grass?
Yes. We take on groundwork and drainage as their own scope, as well as carrying it out as part of a lawn, patio or full makeover.
Do you take the excavated waste away?
Yes, muck away is included in the fixed price. We do not spread spoil around the garden to save on disposal.
How deep should a sub-base be?
It depends on the ground beneath and what the surface has to carry, a footpath, a patio and a driveway are all different. We set the depth on site rather than applying one figure to every job.
What guarantee covers groundwork?
Our 10-year workmanship guarantee covers the work we carry out, and we hold £2 million public liability cover. Because we do the groundwork and the surface, there is one team responsible for both.
How do payments work?
A 25% deposit secures your slot and covers materials, with the balance due on completion.
Which areas do you cover?
Bolton, Horwich, Westhoughton, Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Blackrod, Bury, Radcliffe, Atherton, Chorley and the wider Greater Manchester area.
Often done at the same time
Paving & Patios
Porcelain, natural Indian stone, block paving and concrete slabs, every type of paving except resin. Groundwork, falls and drainage done by the same team that lays the surface, with a fixed price and a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Artificial Grass Supply & Installation
A lawn that stays green, flat and usable through Manchester winters, no mowing, no mud, no bare patches. Supplied and fitted by the same three-man team that digs out the base, so nothing is passed to a subcontractor.
Garden Makeovers & Transformations
Lawn, paving, borders, fencing and planting handled as a single job with a single fixed price. No juggling three trades, no gaps between them, and no half-finished garden left over the winter.
Also see our homepage and the areas we cover across Bolton and Greater Manchester.
Free quote
Get a fixed price for your
groundwork & base prep in Bolton
Tell us roughly what you are after and we will arrange a time to come and look. No charge for the visit, no charge for the quote, and no pressure afterwards.
- Phone
- 07757 559036
- Opening hours
- Open 7 days, 7:30am – 6:30pm
10 years in business · £2m public liability cover · 10-year workmanship guarantee