So, your piling project has progressed past the initial stages, and now you’ve agreed a date for your piling contractor to arrive on site. Now, one of the most crucial stages of preparation begins! Obviously, nobody wants any avoidable delays, so it helps to make sure you’ve got enough time to get the site ready physically, logistically, and operationally. That means co-ordinating access, clearing the working area, and ensuring that everyone is on the same page before the rigs start arriving. As an experienced mini piling contractor ourselves here at Vxcel Piling, you can count on us to know all about what that involves – so if you need a few pointers, here’s our advice!
2–3 weeks before arrival
First things first – you’ll need to start by getting the groundwork sorted. At this stage, the priority should be on reviewing and sharing up-to-date utility drawings with the contractor where necessary, as well as ensuring that piling rigs and deliveries are able to easily make it onto the site. Finally, you’ll need to sort any outstanding permissions to do with shared boundaries, third party land, or restricted routes – all of which could easily hold things up.
Check for underground services
Now that the start date is set, you need to make sure the piling team has accurate, up-to-date information on all underground services. Make sure to review your service drawings and pass them across, and if anything is missing or out of date, bring in a utility trace or ground-penetrating radar survey. A clear picture of live gas, electric, water, and drainage lines will help keep the programme on track and maintain site safety.
Secure access and permissions
You’ll also need to confirm that plant and deliveries can get in and out without hold-ups. This might mean securing access over neighbouring land, applying for road space bookings, or coordinating with the logistics team. Check your gates and haul routes – make sure they can take low loaders, concrete wagons, and rig movements. If anything needs widening, surfacing, or protecting, now’s the time to take care of it!
1–2 weeks before arrival
This next stage is primarily focused on getting the physical site ready for piling. That means clearing space, removing obstructions, and preparing working zones in line with the contractor’s requirements. The site ultimately needs to be safe, open, and ready for the rig to set up.
Clear the working area
Piling zones need to be cleared of loose debris, redundant materials, and temporary obstructions. Make sure scaffolding, hoarding, or barriers aren’t blocking rig access. It’s worth noting that if the ground is soft or uneven, you may need rig mats or temporary surfacing. In commercial settings, you can always walk the area with your supervisor if needed. It’s also not a bad idea to install exclusion zones and signage in accordance with the RAMS.
Create space for plant and deliveries
Here, you’ll need to decide exactly where piling rigs, reinforcement, concrete pumps, and spoil skips will go. Make sure those areas are available and not being used by other trades. If your contractor has given you equipment footprints or layout drawings, then obviously you’ll need to follow those too (or ensure that they have been followed). And of course, you’ll need to let everyone on site know what’s been allocated – spaces like that often won’t stay clear unless they’re actively managed.
A few days before arrival
With the site physically ready, the last job is to tighten up coordination and communication. Use this time to make sure everyone involved understands the sequence of works.
Finalise coordination with your contractor
It’s generally a good idea to book in a pre-start meeting with the piling team. Walk the site, go over the programme, confirm delivery slots, and flag any late changes. Make sure concrete supply is sorted – whether you’re supplying it or they are, everyone needs to know what’s arriving, how often, and where it’s going. Don’t forget to confirm who’s managing spoil, reinforcement handling, and interface points with other trades.
Notify neighbouring stakeholders
If your works are close to occupied buildings, tenanted units, or neighbouring developments, get in touch with whoever needs to know. Let them know when piling starts, how long it’s likely to last, and what sort of disruption to expect. If you’ve got a Party Wall Agreement or vibration monitoring in place, that means you’ll need to check that monitoring gear is installed and that baseline readings have been taken. It’s all a good way to head off any potential for disagreement before any work begins.
These are just the essentials – if you have any specific questions or you need any advice, you can always contact our team here at Vxcel Piling! With over a decade of experience, we’re here to make every aspect of the project go smoothly, and we’ve got all the in-house expertise and equipment we need to get it done. You can give us a call on 01254 314010 or to find out what we’ve achieved for previous customers, feel free to take a look through our case studies!
