South of Scotland · Scotland
Excavation and sub-base in the Scottish Borders
Excavation and sub-base throughout the Scottish Borders: free site visits, guide prices adjusted for South of Scotland rates and a written quote with every part of the job set out line by line.
- Guide price
- Priced after survey
- Postcode areas
- TD, EH
- Survey
- Free, no obligation
Excavation and sub-base across the Scottish Borders
Excavation and sub-base work is the groundwork under a resin surface: digging out the old drive and soft ground, removing the spoil, and building up compacted layers of crushed stone and a binder course that will carry cars without moving.
Base preparation is commonly 30–45% of a new resin drive budget, and it is where corners get cut. A thin base, unwashed fines in a permeable build, or poor compaction show up as cracks and dips within a few winters.
Across the Scottish Borders, the projects we price include digging out an old drive and building a permeable sub-base, fitting setts or steel edging around a new drive and adding a soakaway so water stays on the property.
Prices in the Scottish Borders
Labour and material costs in the South of Scotland run below the UK average, and the guide figures below reflect that. They include VAT and are confirmed after a survey.
Excavation and sub-base: Priced after survey.
Planning in the Scottish Borders
Groundworks for a domestic drive do not usually need planning permission in themselves, but the finished surface follows the front-garden drainage rules, and shallow services such as water pipes and cables are located before digging.
Weather and working days
The South of Scotland mixes wet western hills with drier eastern lowlands, and frost is common in winter. Spring to autumn offers the most laying days in the Scottish Borders, but dry, mild winter days can work too.
Towns in the Scottish Borders
Excavation and sub-base in the Scottish Borders: questions
Do I need planning permission in the Scottish Borders?
Scotland's householder permitted development rules allow many hard surfaces at a house where the surface is porous or water drains to a permeable area within the property. A fully permeable resin bound build, with a porous base under it, meets that test.
What postcodes do you cover around the Scottish Borders?
We cover TD, EH and the surrounding districts, including Hawick and Galashiels.
Is the price fixed for the Scottish Borders jobs?
Yes, once the scope and specification are agreed in writing. If hidden ground conditions turn up, we explain and agree any change with you before doing extra work.
Other services in the Scottish Borders
- Resin bound driveways
- Resin bonded driveways
- Resin over tarmac and concrete
- New resin driveways (full dig-out)
- Permeable SuDS driveways
- Driveway extensions and widening
- Resin patios
- Resin garden paths
- Resin steps
- Resin pool surrounds
- Accessible resin ramps
- Driveway drainage and soakaways
- Driveway edging and borders
- Dropped kerb applications
- Resin driveway repairs
- Resin driveway cleaning
- Resin driveway restoration
- Commercial resin surfacing
- Resin tree pits
- Anti-slip resin surfacing
- Footpaths and cycle paths
Free survey · itemised quote
Book a free survey in the Scottish Borders
Tell us about your project and we will arrange a visit.
- Base, edging and drainage priced line by line
- Real blend samples shown in daylight
- Price fixed in writing once the spec is agreed
Prefer to talk? 0800 088 6341 or