Groundwork Contractors · Surrey & Sussex
Groundworks, foundations, bulk excavations, drainage, demolition, new driveways and hard landscaping for homeowners, builders and businesses across Caterham, Oxted, Redhill, Reigate, Purley, East Grinstead, Crawley and the towns around them.
Who We Are
Johns Groundwork Services is an owner operated groundworks company based in South Godstone. John and the team bring more than fifty years of combined experience to every job, working for homeowners, builders, developers and commercial clients across Surrey, South London and West Sussex.
We manage the whole process, from the first site visit and a free quotation to the excavation, foundations and drainage, and on to the finished driveway, patio or path. Our own mini diggers and grab lorry are on every job, tippers and concrete are sourced as the job needs, and as a registered waste carrier we take the spoil away ourselves.
Our services
We are groundwork contractors and a demolition company in one, so the same team can take an old garage down, dig the footings for what replaces it and lay the drive in front of it.
Foundations, bases and slabs
Every build starts in the ground. We set out, dig and pour foundations to the depth and design the job needs, and install the concrete bases, footings and slabs that the rest of the build stands on.
Basements, levels and cut and fill
We check what the ground is made of first, loose soil, clay or harder material, then dig to exact volumes and depths, reuse soil on site where we can, and take the rest away.
Foul and surface water runs
Good drainage stops the ground under a building going soft and losing its strength. We dig the trenches, lay and bed the pipework, and prepare the levels before anything is built over it.
Full, partial and strip outs
Full and partial demolition, interior strip outs and complete site clearance, planned around the neighbours and finished with a clean, level site ready for the next stage.
Patios, paths, steps and walls
We help with the design, the choice of material and the levels, then build it to last: every sub base installed with care, every edge set straight, every fall running the water away.
Block paving, tarmac and resin
We talk through the design, the colour and the texture, dig out to the right depth, lay the sub base and drainage, and finish with the surface you have chosen.
A mini digger with its operator
You get the machine and a trained operator, maintained by us. Ideal for footings, drainage trenches, levelling, tree stumps and small demolitions, including areas with difficult access.
Spoil and waste taken away
We load it, carry it and dispose of it properly, with the paperwork to match. Registered with the Environment Agency as an upper tier waste carrier, CBDU416264.
Reinforced bases and slabs
Formwork set to line and level, a compacted sub base, steel mesh where the load needs it, and a pour finished flat and true for whatever sits on top.
The machines
Mini diggers, larger excavators and a hydraulic grab lorry, maintained by us and driven by our own HGV licensed drivers, with tippers and concrete sourced as the job needs. Operated mini digger hire comes with the operator.
01 / 04
2tonne
With its own operator. Compact enough for side gardens and hard access.
02 / 04
Moresizes
Diggers in other sizes for bulk digs, demolition and clearance on bigger plots.
03 / 04
16tonne
Its own hydraulic grab loads the lorry, so spoil and rubble go straight from the heap.
04 / 04
Plusas needed
Extra grab lorries, tippers and ready mixed concrete, sourced and booked by us as the job needs.
01 / 04
2tonne
Mini Digger
With its own operator. Compact enough for side gardens and hard access.
02 / 04
Moresizes
Larger Excavators
Diggers in other sizes for bulk digs, demolition and clearance on bigger plots.
03 / 04
16tonne
Grab Lorry
Its own hydraulic grab loads the lorry, so spoil and rubble go straight from the heap.
04 / 04
Plusas needed
Sourced When Needed
Extra grab lorries, tippers and ready mixed concrete, sourced and booked by us as the job needs.
Gardens
The same back garden, photographed from the house: dug out with the mini digger, then finished with a new lawn. Drag the handle to compare.
One job, start to finish
Six stages of a bungalow replacement, every photograph from a Johns job.
Where we work
Based in South Godstone and working across East Surrey, into South London and down to Crawley and East Grinstead. Every town here is within about eleven miles of our base. If yours is not listed, please ask.
Miles in a straight line from our base in South Godstone. Every area we cover
Our work
Every photograph here is from a Johns job. Open a project to follow it from the first dig to the finish.
Demolition
A bungalow taken down, the materials sorted for recycling and the plot cleared and loaded away, ready for the new build.
Groundworks
The cleared plot dug down to its new level, the spoil loaded away, the drainage runs set out and the footings poured for the new build.
Bulk Excavations
A deep excavation cut down through chalk beside an old cottage on a sloping, wooded site, the faces cut clean and the rubble cleared.
Concrete Bases
A long concrete base in a field: the ground dug out, steel mesh laid in the formwork, the concrete poured and given a tamped finish.
Landscaping
A long, narrow back garden dug out with the mini digger, levelled from end to end and finished with a new lawn.
New Driveways
A new drive in grey block paving with a darker border, laid in front of a semi detached house.
“Highly recommend Johns groundwork services. I used John to dig out for a double garage and side extension. John was awesome on the digger, carefully excavating in tight and awkward areas and around underground services. His knowledge and contacts are great. Thanks again”
“John and his guys did the groundworks for my garage & laid the base just before Christmas. Great job despite the awful weather. All the guys were really helpful, overcame all the site problems & gave me loads of advice on design without which the subsequent build would not have worked. Left site really tidy at the end of the job.”
“John managed to save all the original paving and relay back to its original glory. The pool construction went very smoothly, and Johns team left everything neat and tidy once finished. All round a great job and I would recommend John and team for any outside work where you would like a nice high finish”
“You and your team were professional, punctual and willing to go the extra mile to resolve any problems encountered during the job being undertaken. The job was completed before the job time that was quoted and under original quotation value.”
“Highly recommend, excellent service and brilliant attention to detail. From the initial quote through to the actual job John and his team remained in constant contact and dealt with my lack of knowledge of the building trade in a very easy way for me to understand!”
“John was the only person who gave me the most suitable and budget friendly solution to making a start on our garden/jungle without the feeling of being pressured into anything. John's team were hardworking and tidy, getting the job done in the required time.”
“John and his team helped my scout group out in their hour of need after fly tippers dumped a load of hardcore on our path. Cannot thank you enough!!”
“Quality work carried out by John today on a bank holiday would definitely recommend for any groundwork projects needs. Thankyou John.”
Get in touch
Tell us what you need dug, cleared, laid or built, and we will arrange a site visit and a free quotation.
