Expert foundation construction for new builds, extensions and commercial projects across Cambridge & Cambridgeshire. Strip, trench fill, raft & pad foundations. Building control compliant. ISO 9001 certified.
GCS Contractors Ltd provides professional foundation construction services across Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. Whether you are building a new home, adding an extension, or constructing a commercial building, our experienced groundworks team will ensure your foundations are built correctly, on time and to specification.
Foundations are the most critical element of any building project. Poorly constructed foundations can lead to structural movement, cracking and costly remedial work. At GCS Contractors, we take foundations seriously — working to structural engineer drawings, coordinating with building control and using quality materials and techniques to deliver foundations that will stand the test of time.
The most common foundation type for residential properties in Cambridge. Strip foundations consist of a continuous strip of concrete beneath load-bearing walls. We excavate to the required depth (typically 1m minimum or to suitable bearing ground), install any required reinforcement and pour concrete to the specified width and depth. Ideal for most house extensions and new builds on stable ground.
Similar to strip foundations but with concrete filled to near ground level, reducing the amount of blockwork required below ground. Trench fill is faster to construct, particularly effective in clay soils common across Cambridgeshire, and provides excellent load distribution. This is often the most cost-effective foundation solution for residential projects.
A reinforced concrete slab that covers the entire footprint of the building, distributing loads evenly across the ground. Raft foundations are used where ground conditions are poor, bearing capacity is low, or where differential settlement might be an issue. We construct raft foundations with edge beams, reinforcement mesh and thickened sections as specified by the structural engineer.
Individual concrete pads that support point loads from steel columns or timber posts. Pad foundations are commonly used for steel-framed buildings, porches, conservatories and outbuildings. We excavate, form and pour pad foundations to the exact dimensions and levels specified.
Where ground conditions require it — such as areas with made ground, peat or high water tables — we provide piled foundation solutions. We work with specialist piling contractors to install mini piles, CFA piles or driven piles, then construct pile caps and ground beams to transfer building loads to the piles.
We build foundations across Cambridge, Ely, Newmarket, Huntingdon, St Neots, Royston, Saffron Walden, Peterborough, Bury St Edmunds and all of Cambridgeshire and East Anglia.
Building regulations require a minimum depth of 1 metre in most cases, but the actual depth depends on ground conditions, proximity to trees and the structural engineer’s specification. In clay soils common in Cambridgeshire, foundations may need to be deeper to account for seasonal ground movement.
A typical house extension foundation takes 3–5 working days from excavation to DPC level. A new build house foundation might take 1–2 weeks depending on complexity. We provide a detailed programme before starting work.
The foundation type is determined by your structural engineer based on ground conditions, building loads and site constraints. We can advise on the most cost-effective solution and work with your engineer to finalise the design.
Contact GCS Contractors Ltd today for a free, no-obligation quote on your foundation project in Cambridge.