ExtensionFootingsandFoundationBlockworkinBournemouth
Blockwork built up from the trench to damp-proof course, checked for level and square before anything above it goes up.
- Levels checked and set out before the first block goes in
- DPC laid in as we reach it, not left as an afterthought
- NVQ Level 2 qualified, CSCS carded
- 5 yearsWorkmanship guarantee
- 5★Rated on Google
- NVQ Level 2Qualified bricklaying + CSCS
- Up to £1 millionPublic liability cover
What It Is
What Foundation Blockwork Actually Involves
Extension footings are the concrete strip poured into the trench once it's dug, and foundation blockwork is what goes on top of it: block laid course by course, brought up level and square to damp-proof course, ready for the cavity walls above. It suits any domestic extension once the groundwork is done and the footing concrete has gone off. Setting it out and checking the levels here matters more than on almost any other stage, because a mistake at trench level gets carried the whole way up.
- Blockwork built up from the poured footing to damp-proof course
- Set out and levelled before the first course goes in
- The damp-proof course laid in, so the walls above stay dry
Our workHow a Footings Job Runs
From the trench being ready to the walls above starting square.
01We check the levels and set it out
We visit once the trench is dug and the footing concrete has gone off, check the levels and mark out where the blockwork starts.
02We build the blockwork to damp course
Block laid course by course, kept level and square, brought up to damp-proof course as we go.
- 03
We lay the DPC and hand it over square
The damp-proof course goes in as the last course, so whoever builds the walls above starts from a level, square base.
5 years
Workmanship guarantee
5.0★
From 47 Google reviews
NVQ L2
Qualified bricklaying
1 hour
Radius from Ferndown
Foundations and Footings, or the Stage After?
Extensions reach us in one of three ways. Here is what the footings stage covers against the other two, so you can see where your build sits.
| Foundations & Footings | Cavity & Structural Walls | Subcontract Bricklaying | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What we lay | Blockwork in the trench, up to damp course | Inner blockwork leaf, cavity and outer brick skin | Whatever the programme has reached that week |
| When it happens | Once the trench is dug and the concrete has gone off | After the slab, up to wall plate | Whenever your build gets to the brickwork |
| Who usually books it | Homeowners running their own build | Homeowners and builders, roughly evenly | Builders and project managers |
| What moves the price | Depth, ground conditions and how much blockwork there is | Size of the extension and the brick being matched | Days on site and how many hands you need |
| Seen once finished | No, it gets backfilled and built over | Only the inner leaf, the outer brick shows | Depends what stage you book us for |
Swipe to see every column
What's Included in Foundation Blockwork as Standard
The detail behind every set of footings we build up.
Levels checked before we start
We check what the trench and the footing concrete have actually given us before the first block goes in.
Set out square
The blockwork is set out and lined before the first course is laid, not corrected as it goes up.
Blockwork to damp-proof course
Built up course by course from the footing to damp course, so the walls above start dry and level.
The DPC laid in
The damp-proof course goes in as we reach it, not left as an afterthought.
A written quotation
A detailed quote before any work starts, so you know exactly what is included.
5-year workmanship guarantee
Every set of footings we build is covered for five years.
Pricing
What Foundation Blockwork Costs
Priced After We've Seen the Trench
Every footings job is priced after we've seen the trench and the ground it's cut into, not from a rate card. Depth, ground conditions, access for materials and how much blockwork there is to bring up to damp course all change how long it takes, so a figure given without seeing it wouldn't survive contact with your site.
- A free, no-obligation quotation, in writing
- Priced on depth, ground conditions and how much blockwork there is
- We usually look at the job within the week and have a quote to you by the weekend
Every quotation is based on seeing the trench, so the figure you receive reflects your site, not a generic estimate.
How a Foundation Blockwork Job Runs, Start to Finish
The same four stages as any job we take on.
Free site visit and quotation
Jack visits once the trench is dug and the footing concrete has gone off, checks the levels and provides a detailed written quote.
Preparation
We order the block, agree a start date and protect the surrounding areas before any work begins.
Construction
We build the blockwork up from the footing, set out square, and lay the damp-proof course as we go, keeping the site clean and tidy each day.
Finishing
We clean down the finished blockwork, remove all waste and walk you through it so whoever builds the walls above can start level and square.
Foundation Blockwork We've Built
What Customers Say
Reviews from customers across Dorset and Hampshire.
5.0
James Hickman
Jack was excellent from first inquiry to the finished product. We needed an old set of French doors bricking up to match our existing window still height.
Dane Gardner
Jack is a real craftsman who repaired my steps and repointed my patio to a very high standard. From the start he was good at communicating, replying to messages quickly and providing a prompt quote.
Rosemary Collins
Jack did an excellent job rebuilding a section of our garden wall and repairing cracks in other sections despite having to work through challenging weather conditions and unexpected complications in relation to the groundwork.
The Foundations Behind Our Work
Before You Book
What homeowners want to know before the trench gets built up.
How much of the garden will be dug up?
We work to the footprint the trench has already been cut to and protect everything else, so only the area the extension needs is disturbed.
What if the ground isn't straightforward once the trench is open?
Not every trench is dry, level ground. We check what's actually there before the first block goes in and price the blockwork for what we find, so unexpected ground doesn't turn into an unexpected bill once we're on site.
What happens if something's wrong once it's built over?
The blockwork and the damp-proof course are checked and levelled before anything above them starts, and the finished work carries our 5-year workmanship guarantee, the same as any wall we build.
Extension Footings and Foundation Blockwork in Dorset: What to Know
Extension footings are the concrete strip poured into the trench, sized and reinforced to whatever the design calls for. Foundation blockwork is the stage after that: block laid on top of the footing, course by course, brought up level to damp-proof course so the walls above have a true, dry base to start from. Get the setting-out wrong here and it's not a small fix, because every course above it inherits the same error.
This is deliberately not a full below-ground service. Digging the trench and pouring the concrete strip footing is groundworks, usually done by a groundworker or main contractor before we're ever on site. The depth and design of the footing is a decision for whoever's engineering the extension, and Building Control sign the trench off before it's backfilled. What we do is the blockwork: once the concrete has gone off, we build it up to damp course, set the levels, and lay the damp-proof course itself.
What moves the cost of foundation blockwork is depth, how much digging out and levelling is needed above the footing, ground conditions, access for materials, and how much block there is to lay before damp course. We don't publish a starting figure for footings work, because a shallow single-storey trench and a deep two-storey one aren't the same job and a headline number would mislead you. We price on how long it will take us, put that in writing, and it doesn't move once you have it.
A fair amount of footings for extension work reaches us through builders rather than homeowners, and we're happy either way. If you already have a groundworker and a main contractor and just need the blockwork brought up to damp course, we'll work to your programme and tell you plainly where our part starts and stops. We work across Dorset and into Hampshire, up to about an hour from Ferndown.
Foundation Blockwork Questions
If yours isn't here, message us and we'll answer it properly.
Do you dig the trenches or pour the concrete footing?
No. Digging the trench and pouring the concrete strip footing is groundworks, usually done by a groundworker or your main contractor before we're on site. Our part starts once that concrete has gone off: the blockwork built up from it to damp-proof course.
Do you handle Building Control approval or the structural design?
No. Building Control sign the trench off before it's backfilled, and the depth and design of the footing is a job for your architect or structural engineer. We build the blockwork to what's already been designed and signed off.
Do you do footings for an extension on a sloping or difficult site?
Ground conditions can change how much digging out and levelling the blockwork needs above the footing. That's a decision for whoever designs the foundation. Once it's in the ground, we check the levels, build the blockwork up to damp course and tell you plainly if we think something needs a second look before we do.
How much does foundation blockwork cost?
We don't publish a starting figure for footings work. Depth, ground conditions and how much blockwork there is move it too much for one number to mean anything to you. We come and look at the trench and give you a free, no-obligation quotation in writing.
Do you lay the damp-proof course?
Yes. The DPC goes in as part of the blockwork, as we bring it up to that level, so the walls above start dry.
How quickly can you come and look at the job?
Usually the same week. Message us on a Monday and we fit you in as soon as we can, sometimes the next day or that evening, and we try to get the quote across to you by the end of that week.
Not the Stage of the Build You Need?
The other two parts of an extension we lay.
Where We Build Foundation Blockwork
Based near Ferndown, working within about an hour's drive.
Bournemouth
Older housing stock across a lot of it, where an extension's footings often have to work around what's already in the ground.
Foundation blockwork in BournemouthPoole
Rear and side extensions on the Poole side, with the footings blockwork priced from a visit once the trench is dug.
Foundation blockwork in PooleWimborne
Where JFE Brickwork is registered, so it's about as short a run out as a job gets.
Foundation blockwork in WimborneBroadstone
Sat between Wimborne and Poole, and one of the three towns we advertise in.
Foundation blockwork in BroadstoneGet a Price for Your Extension Footings
Tell us the trench is dug and we'll come and look, usually within the week. The quotation is free, written and without obligation.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call JFE Brickwork on 01202 028 343