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Apollo Earthworks basement excavation with bored piers in Melbourne
Basements

Basement excavation &
construction.

From a dig-only excavation through to a turnkey basement. Four packages, one contractor, built to the engineer's levels across Melbourne.

Reinforcement steel for a basement retention wall on a Melbourne site
Overview

Basements built to the engineer's levels.

A basement is the hardest part of any residential build to get right. The dig has to hold the line, the retention has to hold the neighbours, and every level has to land on the engineer's drawings. Apollo Earthworks runs experienced operators and the right gear so the basement comes out accurate, stable, and ready for the next stage.

We work across the full scope, from a straight excavation and spoil removal through to retention with screw piles, bored piers and shotcrete walls, and on to the full structural basement with waterproofing, reinforcement and concrete. You can take just the dig, or hand us the whole job.

However far you take it, the work is set out properly, coordinated with your engineer, and finished clean. That is the Apollo standard.

Packages

Four basement packages

Pick the scope that suits the build, from a dig-only excavation through to a turnkey basement. Every package is run by ticketed operators and coordinated with your engineer.

Bronze 01

Excavation Package

The easiest entry point. We dig to the engineer's levels, break out rock, and cart the spoil off site.

  • Basement dig
  • Rock breaking
  • Spoil removal
Get a quote
Gold 03

Structural Basement

The structural basement. Dig and retention through to waterproofing, steel and concrete.

  • Excavation
  • Retention
  • Waterproofing
  • Reinforcement steel
  • Concrete structure
Get a quote
Platinum 04

Turnkey Basement

Everything. From demolition to a waterproofed, drained, cleaned and handed-over basement.

  • Demolition
  • Excavation
  • Retention
  • Waterproofing
  • Structural concrete
  • Drainage
  • Site clean
  • Handover
Get a quote

Not sure which package fits? Call Kosta on 0431 560 908 and we'll scope it from your drawings.

What's included

Three ways we work a basement

Every package is built from these three scopes. Take one on its own, or stack them as the build needs.

01

Excavation-Only

The easiest entry point. The dig, set out and carted off site.

  • Site establishment
  • Set-out
  • Bulk excavation
  • Rock excavation
  • Spoil removal
  • Trucking & tipping
  • Temporary battering
  • Dig to engineer's levels

Typical clients

Builders Developers Owner-builders
02

Basement Retention

The most common scope in Melbourne. The system that holds the ground.

  • Engineering coordination
  • Screw piles
  • Bored piers
  • Soldier piles
  • Shotcrete walls
  • Anchors (if required)
  • Capping beams
  • Temporary retention

Typical jobs

Tight blocks Boundary-to-boundary Townhouses Luxury homes
03

Full Construction

Everything from the dig to the completed structure, managed by us.

  • Surveying
  • Engineering
  • Basement excavation
  • Retention system
  • Drainage
  • Waterproofing
  • Reinforcement steel
  • Concrete walls
  • Concrete slab
  • Lift pits
  • Pump wells
  • Stairs
  • Services penetrations

Scope

Dig to structure One contractor
On site

Recent basement works

Retention, reinforcement and structural works on basement sites across Melbourne.

Basement excavation with bored piers and reinforcement on a Melbourne site
Excavation & piling
Reinforcement steel cage for a basement retention wall in Melbourne
Retention wall reo
Basement slab reinforcement mesh ready for concrete on a Melbourne site
Slab reinforcement
Structural reinforcement and services penetrations in a Melbourne basement
Structural steel & services
Process

How a basement job runs with Apollo

Same disciplined approach whether you take the dig only or the full structure. We coordinate with your engineer and surveyor so the program holds and nothing gets missed underground.

Every quote is fixed and itemised. No day-rate surprises on a job this critical.

1 - Drawings and site review

Send through your engineering and architectural drawings. We review the design, ground conditions and access, then attend site to confirm the scope.

2 - Fixed package quote

We quote on the package that suits the build, Bronze through Platinum, fixed and itemised so you see exactly where the cost sits before anyone starts.

3 - Set-out and retention

We set out to the engineer's pegs, then install the retention system, screw piles, bored piers, soldier piles and shotcrete, ahead of and alongside the bulk dig.

4 - Excavate to levels

The basement is dug to the engineer's levels, rock broken out with the hammer, and spoil carted off site by our own tipper fleet. We hold the line, not just the bucket.

5 - Structure and handover

On Gold and Platinum jobs we run drainage, waterproofing, reinforcement and concrete through to a cleaned, handed-over basement. One contractor, start to finish.

FAQ

Basement construction, common questions

What basement packages does Apollo Earthworks offer?

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We offer four packages. Bronze covers excavation only, the dig, rock breaking and spoil removal. Silver adds retention with screw piles, bored piers and shotcrete walls. Gold delivers the full structural basement including waterproofing, reinforcement steel and concrete. Platinum is turnkey, from demolition through to a cleaned, handed-over basement.

Do you handle basement retention and shoring?

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Yes. Basement retention is one of our most common jobs across Melbourne. We coordinate the engineering and install screw piles, bored piers, soldier piles, shotcrete walls, capping beams and anchors where required, including boundary-to-boundary and tight inner-city blocks.

How deep can you excavate a basement?

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We dig basements to the engineer's levels using excavators from compact machines for tight access through to 30T for bulk works. Depth is driven by the design and ground conditions. Rock and hard ground is broken out with hammer attachments and carted off site by our own tipper fleet.

Do you work on tight or boundary-to-boundary sites?

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Yes. A large share of Melbourne basements sit on tight blocks with boundary-to-boundary footprints. We match machine size to the access, work alongside the retention system, and stage the dig and spoil removal so the program holds on constrained sites.

Can you manage the whole basement, not just the dig?

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Yes. Our Gold and Platinum packages take the basement from excavation through retention, drainage, waterproofing, reinforcement steel, concrete walls and slab, lift pits, pump wells, stairs and services penetrations. You deal with one contractor from the dig to the finished structure.

How do I get a basement quote?

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Call Kosta on 0431 560 908 or send through your engineering and architectural drawings. We attend site, review the design and ground conditions, and follow up with a fixed, itemised quote on the package that suits the build.

Planning a basement?

Send Kosta your drawings for a fixed quote on the package that fits your build.