Drilling Contractors in the UK
Mini piles for the extension where the clay and the oak tree rule out ordinary footings, a borehole for the ground source heat pump, a private water supply for the farm that is off the mains, boreholes and samples for the site investigation the planners want, cores cut through the concrete floor for the new services, or a duct under the road without digging it up: find the drilling contractors near you.
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Finding a good drilling contractor in the UK
Drilling contractors put holes in the ground and through structures for a purpose: piling contractors install driven, bored, screw and mini piles to carry buildings where the ground or the trees make strip foundations impossible, and underpin existing buildings; borehole drillers sink water wells for private supplies, irrigation and industry, and the deep vertical boreholes for ground source heat pumps; site investigation drillers take the cores, samples and tests that geotechnical engineers use to design foundations; diamond drilling contractors core and saw through concrete and masonry for services, openings and structural work; and directional drilling contractors bore under roads, rivers and railways for pipes and cables without an open trench.
The work is specialist and the rigs are expensive, so the right contractor has the right rig for the job, the ground and the access, works from an engineer's design or a geologist's prognosis, and knows the permissions: an Environment Agency licence for water abstraction over 20 cubic metres a day, notification to the British Geological Survey for boreholes over 15 metres, Building Control for piled foundations, and street works permits for directional drilling. Look for membership of the Federation of Piling Specialists, the British Drilling Association or the Drilling and Sawing Association, insurance that covers the risks, and a quote that states the depth, diameter, number and what happens if the ground is not as expected.
The listings here show each contractor's drilling services, rigs and access requirements, sectors, accreditations, areas covered and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who does your kind of drilling, and where builders, engineers, farmers and homeowners in your town go for holes in the right place.
What drilling contractors do
Piling and foundations: driven, bored, CFA and screw piles for new buildings, mini and micro piles for extensions and restricted access, sheet piling for basements and retaining walls, underpinning and ground beams, from an engineer's design.
Water boreholes: private water supplies for farms, rural homes, golf courses and businesses, irrigation and industrial wells, pump installation, treatment and testing, and licensing and BGS notification.
Ground source boreholes: closed-loop vertical boreholes of 100 to 200 metres for ground source heat pumps, loop installation and grouting, thermal response testing and design with the heat pump installer.
Site investigation: cable percussion and rotary boreholes, window sampling, trial pits, in-situ tests and monitoring wells for geotechnical and contaminated land reports.
Diamond and directional drilling: concrete coring for pipes, cables and anchors, wall and floor sawing for openings, controlled demolition, and horizontal directional drilling for ducts and pipes under roads, rivers and railways.
Before you commission drilling
- For piles, have the structural engineer's design and the site investigation first; the contractor works to them.
- For a water borehole, get a hydrogeological prognosis so you know the likely depth, yield and quality before paying.
- Check access: rig size, ground conditions, overhead cables and underground services, and who does the service scan.
- Ask who handles the permissions: Environment Agency licence, BGS notification, Building Control, street works.
- Get the quote by depth and number with a rate for extra depth or obstructions; the ground surprises everyone.
- For diamond drilling, confirm dust and water control, and that a structural engineer has approved any opening.
What drilling costs in the UK
As a rough guide, mini piling for a house extension costs £6,000 to £15,000 including the rig, piles and ground beams, with individual mini piles at £250 to £500 each and larger bored piles £500 to £1,500 each; a domestic water borehole £8,000 to £20,000 drilled, cased, pumped and tested at 50 to 100 metres, at roughly £80 to £150 a metre drilled; a ground source heat pump borehole £80 to £120 a metre, so £10,000 to £20,000 for the one or two boreholes an average house needs, before the heat pump; site investigation boreholes £1,500 to £4,000 each and a full small-site investigation £3,000 to £10,000; diamond coring £80 to £250 a hole depending on size and depth, with a day rate of £450 to £700; and directional drilling £100 to £300 a metre depending on the pipe and the ground.
A £9,000 mini-piled foundation is dearer than trenches, until the trench hits the roots and the clay and the engineer says stop.
Drilling Contractors — frequently asked questions
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How do I find a drilling contractor near me?+
Look at the drilling contractors listed for your town, which show their services, rigs and access needs, sectors, accreditations, areas covered and reviews; choose one that specialises in your kind of drilling, whether piling, boreholes, site investigation or diamond drilling, have the engineer's design or a prognosis ready, and get a quote by depth and number with a rate for the unexpected.
When does a house extension need piles?+
When the ground cannot carry ordinary strip foundations at a sensible depth: shrinkable clay near trees, made ground, soft or peaty soil, a high water table, or where deep foundations would undermine a neighbour; the structural engineer decides from the site investigation, and mini piles with ground beams are the usual answer, at £6,000 to £15,000 for an extension. Building Control will want the design and the piling records.
How much does a water borehole cost?+
Typically £8,000 to £20,000 for a domestic or farm borehole of 50 to 100 metres including drilling, casing, a pump, pipework, a pressure system and water testing, at £80 to £150 a metre drilled, with treatment for iron, hardness or bacteria extra; yield and depth depend on the geology, which a hydrogeological prognosis estimates beforehand, and a supply under 20 cubic metres a day needs no abstraction licence. Boreholes over 15 metres must be notified to the British Geological Survey.
How deep is a ground source heat pump borehole?+
Usually 100 to 200 metres, with an average house needing one or two boreholes depending on the heat demand and the ground's thermal conductivity, drilled at £80 to £120 a metre, so £10,000 to £20,000 before the heat pump; the driller installs the loop and grouts the hole, and the heat pump installer designs the system. Horizontal trenches are cheaper where there is enough garden, but boreholes take almost no space.
What is diamond drilling used for?+
Cutting clean holes and openings through concrete, brick and stone without vibration or damage: cores for pipes, cables, ducts, anchors and sampling from 10mm to a metre across, wall and floor sawing for doorways, windows and staircases, and controlled removal of slabs and beams; it is done by specialists with water-cooled diamond tools at £80 to £250 a hole or £450 to £700 a day, and any structural opening should be approved by an engineer first.
What is directional drilling?+
Boring a pipe or duct route horizontally under a road, river, railway or garden from a launch pit to a reception pit, steering the drill head along the line and pulling the pipe back through, so services go in without an open trench, at £100 to £300 a metre; it is used for water, gas, electricity, telecoms and drainage crossings and needs a utility survey and, on the highway, a street works permit which the contractor usually arranges.
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