Masters Group
Professional Foundation
Construction Specialists
in Brighton & East Sussex
Every successful building project starts below ground. Masters Group delivers engineered foundation solutions for extensions, new builds, and structural alterations — designed for Brighton's specific ground conditions and built to last generations.
30+ years experience · Hundreds of foundations completed · Fully insured · LABC approved
30+ Years
Foundation experience
LABC Approved
Building control partnership
Fully Insured
Comprehensive liability cover
Structural Engineers
In-house design team
What Foundation Services Do We Provide?
Foundation construction is the most critical stage of any building project. The type, depth, and specification of your foundations determine the structural integrity of everything built above. Getting foundations wrong creates problems that are extraordinarily expensive to fix after the fact.
We provide strip foundations, trench fill foundations, piled foundations, and raft foundations for projects across Brighton and East Sussex. Each type is selected based on ground conditions, building loading, and the specific requirements of your project.
Brighton's geology varies significantly across the city — from chalk bedrock in the Downs to clay and made ground in valley areas. This variation means foundation design must be site-specific. A foundation solution that works in Hove may be entirely wrong for a site in Patcham.
Masters Group works with structural engineers to design foundations that match your site conditions. We handle trial holes, ground investigation, foundation construction, and building control inspection as a coordinated process.
What Happens When Foundations Are Wrong?
Foundation failure is the most expensive building defect to remediate. When foundations are undersized, incorrectly specified, or poorly constructed, the consequences include cracking, subsidence, and structural movement that can render a property unsafe.
Underpinning a failed foundation typically costs £10,000–£50,000 depending on the extent of the problem. In severe cases, buildings must be partially demolished to access and replace inadequate foundations. This is avoidable with correct initial design and construction.
Common mistakes include insufficient depth (particularly on clay soils that shrink and swell), inadequate width for the load being carried, and failure to account for nearby trees whose roots can cause significant ground movement. Brighton's mix of mature trees and clay subsoils makes these issues particularly relevant.
Building control will not sign off foundations that do not meet design specifications. If you proceed with superstructure construction before foundation approval, you risk having to expose and potentially replace foundations at enormous cost and delay.
Our Process
How We Deliver Every Project
Site Assessment
Ground investigation including trial holes to establish soil type, bearing capacity, water table level, and proximity to trees or drains.
Foundation Design
Structural engineers design foundations matched to ground conditions and building loads. Full calculations and drawings produced.
Excavation
Controlled excavation to design depth with proper disposal of spoil. Temporary support where needed adjacent to existing structures.
Construction
Foundation construction to specification — concrete pours, reinforcement placement, and compaction as required by the design.
Building Control Inspection
LABC inspection of foundations before any backfill or superstructure work. Documented approval at each stage.
Handover to Next Phase
Clean, inspected, and approved foundations ready for the next construction stage. Full documentation provided.
Why This Matters for Your Project
Engineered Precision
Every foundation designed by qualified structural engineers — not estimated by builders. Calculations match your specific site conditions.
Ground Condition Expertise
30+ years working with Brighton's varied geology — chalk, clay, sand, and made ground. We know what works where.
Building Control Partnership
Long-standing relationship with LABC ensures smooth inspections and timely approvals.
Cost Certainty
Fixed-price quotes based on proper ground investigation. No surprise costs from unexpected ground conditions — we identify risks before quoting.
Programme Reliability
Foundation delays cascade through every subsequent stage. Our experienced teams deliver foundations on schedule.
Complete Documentation
Full structural calculations, building control certificates, and as-built records for your project file.
Foundation Types: Materials, Methods & When Each Applies
Strip foundations are the most common type for domestic construction in Brighton. They consist of a continuous strip of concrete beneath load-bearing walls, typically 600mm wide and at least 450mm deep. In stable ground with good bearing capacity, strip foundations provide a cost-effective solution for extensions and single-storey structures.
Trench fill foundations use a narrower trench filled with concrete to a greater depth. This method is faster than strip foundations and is particularly effective in clay soils where the foundation must extend below the zone of seasonal moisture variation — typically 900mm to 1200mm in Brighton's climate.
Piled foundations are used where ground conditions are poor or where building loads are high. Mini-piles (typically 150–300mm diameter) are driven or bored to reach stable bearing strata, then connected by a reinforced ground beam. This solution is common for sites with made ground, high water tables, or proximity to mature trees.
Raft foundations distribute building loads across the entire footprint of the structure. They are used where ground bearing capacity is low or variable, or where differential settlement would be a concern. We cover raft foundations in detail on our dedicated Raft Foundations page.
Concrete specification varies by application. Standard domestic foundations use C25 or C30 concrete. Where sulphate attack is a concern (common in Brighton's clay soils), sulphate-resisting concrete or increased cement content is specified. Reinforcement is designed by structural engineers where required.
Foundation costs in Brighton typically range from £150–£250 per linear metre for strip foundations, £200–£350 per linear metre for trench fill, and £3,000–£8,000 per pile for mini-piled solutions. The variation depends on depth, ground conditions, access, and spoil disposal requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Foundations Built Right?
Get a free, no-obligation estimate for your foundation project. Engineered design, building control approval, and fixed-price delivery.