If you are building on a piece of land, you must think about the location of the land and whether it is the right size and shape for your development. You should also consider whether your plans are viable in that location. You will spend time planning the design of your new structure and thinking about how the building will operate. However, before you can do any of that, you must assess the condition of the land where you want to build. In some cases, you could be building a property on a pristine site, but that is often the exception. Often, construction projects take place in urban environments, where the land has been used for a variety of purposes. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how the land was used in the past, but there can be times that prior land use has resulted in contamination. If you are concerned about contamination, you should speak to a geotechnical engineer. They will be able to suggest remediation measures for you to take before building work starts. Dealing with contamination could be a condition of your project being approved, so you must be able to demonstrate that you have taken the issue seriously.

What types of land can suffer from contamination?

Contamination can be found on almost any site. It could come from dumping activities while the site is empty, materials left behind in the ground after the land was abandoned or as a byproduct of past industrial processes in that location. Sites that can have particular problems include gas stations, tanneries, breweries and engineering centres, although this list is far from exhaustive.

Ask for an investigation

When you bring a geotechnical engineer to examine your site, they will conduct a thorough investigation to identify what hazards may exist on the site. They may start by collecting and analyzing samples from across the site, or they may need to conduct a more detailed intrusive investigation. If you are investigating several possible sites for building, the investigation work of a geotechnical engineer can provide valuable information about groundwater and soil contamination. When you have the relevant data, you can produce a risk and liability assessment to feed into your calculations before buying the land.

What could an investigation show?

A geotechnical engineer can produce a report demonstrating how contamination has impacted the ecosystems and aquatic systems on your site. They can also explain what remediation is needed to correct the problems they have identified. If your project has already begun, you can submit the report to the local authorities as a part of your planning application. If you are examining possible sites, you will have the information you need to decide whether you should proceed with the purchase.

Reach out to a geotechnical engineer for assistance.