Groundworks
Groundworks and foundations in Barbados
Everything below the slab decides what happens above it. Barbados is a coral limestone island — largely a very good thing to build on, occasionally a very expensive one, and you want to know which you have bought before the price is fixed.
What we do
- Site clearance and setting out, including tree removal where permitted.
- Excavation in soil and in rock, including breaking where required.
- Foundations — strip, pad and raft, to the engineer's design.
- Retaining structures for sloping sites, with drainage behind them.
- Drainage — surface water, soakaways and suck-wells, and connections for waste treatment.
- Water tanks, below and above ground, and their pipework.
- Service trenches and ducts for water and electricity supplies.
- Hardstanding, driveways and access roads.
Before you commit to a plot
- What the zoning allows you to build
- Slope, and what it means for retaining
- Access for plant, materials and concrete
- How far away the water and power are
- What the waste solution has to be
- Whether the plot has been built on before
The cheapest hour of the whole job
Walking a plot with a builder before you buy it. We do it free and we will tell you if the answer is do not buy it.
Common questions
How deep do foundations need to be here?
It depends on the ground and the structure, and it is a question for a structural engineer on your specific plot. On sound rock foundations are often shallower than people expect; on made ground or soft pockets they are not.
What is a suck-well?
A soakaway pit that disposes of waste or surface water into the porous rock. What is permitted depends on the groundwater protection zone your plot sits in — some areas require a treatment system instead.
Can you work on a steep site?
Yes. Steep sites need retaining structures, drainage design and a serious look at access before pricing. They cost more than flat ones and they should be priced honestly, not optimistically.
Other things we do
New Home Construction
Turnkey house building across Barbados — from a cleared lot to the keys, on a written programme and a fixed scope.
Read moreHouse Extensions
Ground-floor and upper-floor extensions tied properly into the existing house, with the planning application handled.
Read moreHome Renovations
Whole-house refurbishment of older Barbadian homes — structure, roof, wiring, plumbing and finishes.
Read moreKitchens & Bathrooms
Kitchen and bathroom refits managed as one job, so the trades follow each other instead of waiting on each other.
Read moreRoofing & Roof Repairs
Re-roofing, roof replacement and storm repair, built and strapped for hurricane wind loads.
Read moreConcrete & Blockwork
Blockwork, columns, beams, slabs and rendering — the structural core of a Barbadian building, done right.
Read morePatios, Walls & Driveways
Patios, decks, boundary walls, driveways, pool surrounds and outdoor kitchens — built to live outside in.
Read moreHurricane Strengthening
Roof strapping, shutters, opening protection and post-storm repair, before and after the season.
Read moreConstruction Project Management
Running the whole job for you — drawings, approvals, trades, programme and payments — with one point of contact.
Read moreProperty Maintenance
Small works, repairs and scheduled maintenance for homes and rental properties across the island.
Read more