Quote for digging trial pits to check foundations

jim

Registered User
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Hi

I have been quoted €2k to dig two trial pits for the purpose of assessing house foundations. It includes engineer review.

Is this reasonable?

Thanks.
 
I'd call it a bit stiff.
But, you have to ask yourself if the contractor had to use a low loader to bring the digger to site, how far away it was and how good was the access to site. It might only take a short time to dig out, did he have to wait for an engineer or anyone else to arrive and supervise, was the digging very specific in what needed doing and there might have been more than 2 holes, maybe a trench, also the weather/ground condition?
 
The site is fully accessible, house already built few yrs ago, close to a main road and town. Engineer is supervising and his cost is 300+vat. Bulk of cost is for digging two pits, no trench.
Does have to dig through existing tarmac and also replace it afterwards annd leave in same condition as before so perhaps due to that the price is fair? Just want to check as im not au fait with this kind of thing.
 
Have you asked another contractor for a quote - or even another two?
 
The site is fully accessible, house already built few yrs ago, close to a main road and town. Engineer is supervising and his cost is 300+vat. Bulk of cost is for digging two pits, no trench.
Does have to dig through existing tarmac and also replace it afterwards annd leave in same condition as before so perhaps due to that the price is fair? Just want to check as im not au fait with this kind of thing.
Engineers quote seems reasonable. Excavation costs do look high. Like others have said get another guote or 2 .
 
Could you do it yourself perhaps ?
I dont have the skills nor tools to dig a trial pit, to a specific depth, through tarmacadam. And then to fix everything back to the way it was.

Having said that, i would have thought it a straightforward thing for a builder with certain equipment. I was told it woukd be a couple of hours of work. The more i think of it, I cant fathom why it costs so much.
 
The tarmacadam dig up and put back as was changes what I initially thought. Price might be a bit high, but acceptable. You could possibly save yourself a small amount shopping around, but where are you going to get anyone to price it for you? These fellas are like hens teeth.
 
I dont have the skills nor tools to dig a trial pit, to a specific depth, through tarmacadam. And then to fix everything back to the way it was.

Having said that, i would have thought it a straightforward thing for a builder with certain equipment. I was told it woukd be a couple of hours of work. The more i think of it, I cant fathom why it costs so much.
Jim if your going ahead with building work who ever does dig the hole might leave it open till the work commenced.
If not just back fill it with what came out of it.
By the sounds of it with tarmac you’d get true it fairly quickly which would cost much less than solid reinforced concrete.
I’d expect a few hours too a days work max in digging it.
 
Thanks all for your response. I feel somewhat more comfortable now with the cost given whats involved.
 
Would also query why the engineer wants a trial hole dug through a tarmac roadway? Unless you are moving the roadway once building us competed, a trial pit is to gauge the water table and soak away properties of the site and in the immediate vicinity of where you plan to site your structure.
 
Structure is built.tarmac is on private property adjacent to the house and is required to be broken in order to dig the pit. Im fine with that aspect.
 
@jim , apologies did'nt spot that you mentioned earlier that the structure was already completed. Assumed it was for a planning permission application
 
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