Cairns Northern Beaches soil testing Services

There are many reasons why you would require a soil test, the most common is when constructing a new home, building or even renovating, engineers require a profile of the underlying soil conditions to determine the bearing capacity of the soil. This information will determine how the foundations of the building are designed.

• Determine the profile of the soil
• Determine the bearing capacity of the soil
• Required by engineers when planning the foundations of the building
• Shows the physical and chemical composition of the coil

A standard soil test is performed quite easily by a licensed Geotechnical Engineer. In most cases, the engineer will drill at least 2 holes, often to 10ft in multiple locations on the site. Samples of the soil from different depths are removed and sent away for testing.

If the site can be accessed by vehicle then the engineer can use a drill mounted to the back of the vehicle, if access is more difficult then a manual drill can be used.

There are many types of soil all with difference characteristics that will effect how you plan and build your house.

• Class A – stable, non-reactive: the possibility of very little or no ground movement as a result of moisture change (often sand and rock sites)
• Class S – the possibility of slight ground movement (often clay sites)
• Class M – the possibility of moderate ground movement (often clay or silt sites)
• Class H – the possibility of high ground movement (often clay sites)
• Class E – the possibility of extreme ground movement
• Class P – problem sites: ground movement as a result of moisture change may be very severe, you will need to consult a structural engineer before building a new house.

In most cases, Class ‘A’ and ‘S’ will only require a standard or basic  slab with footings, however other classes will require additional footings or reinforcement of the slab.

The actual drilling of the holes can take a few hours depending on the size and access to the site – and how many samples are required.

Test results often take between 1 and 2 weeks.

The cost of a soil test will be influenced by a number of factors.

1. How many tests are required
2. Type of tests required, ie residential, commercial
3. Accessibility to the site
4. Site location

Tests can be performed from as little as $350 but please request a quote so we can provide a more accurate cost.