Soil Testing Melbourne
Need a soil test in Melbourne for a new home, extension or knockdown rebuild? Melbourne Geotechnical Services provides residential soil testing and site classification reports to give your structural engineer site-specific ground information for footing and slab design.
Check My Site & Get a Quote
From $495 + GST ($544.50 including GST)
For eligible standard residential sites. Send your address and plans so we can confirm the scope and total price before you book.
Eligibility depends on location, access and investigation requirements. Additional boreholes, deeper investigation, specialist testing, footing probes and regional travel are quoted separately where required. Your written proposal confirms inclusions and any additional charges.
Proposed turnaround: 5 business days for metro work and 10 business days for regional work. We confirm the start point, access requirements and any laboratory exceptions in your proposal.
Check Eligibility & Get a Quote →When this service helps
Give your designer site-specific information, understand soil-related considerations and plan the next stage of footing and slab design.
Which soil test does your project need?
For a new home, extension or knockdown rebuild, a residential soil test provides site-specific ground information for your structural designer. Ask for the investigation and report to be scoped around your proposed building, access and available plans.
A geotechnical investigation and report can address broader foundation or excavation questions. Soil contamination testing investigates a different question from residential site classification, while soil compaction testing relates to placed fill and earthworks. Tell us what decision your report needs to support so we can help identify the appropriate service.
Other assessments for your building project
A residential soil report addresses ground conditions for the agreed investigation. Your designer or building surveyor may also identify a need for a wind rating assessment or a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment. These assess different site conditions and are separate from soil testing. Share your project requirements with MGS so the required services and scope can be confirmed.
What is included in your residential soil report?
Depending on the agreed scope, your report records investigation locations, borehole logs, observed soil conditions, relevant testing, residential site classification where applicable, and ground-related recommendations for the proposed work. Structural footing and slab design is a separate service.
Investigation locations, borehole logs and observed soil conditions
Relevant testing and residential site classification, where applicable
Ground-related recommendations for the proposed work
Information to share before a site visit
Include your site address and describe whether you are planning a new home, an extension or a knockdown rebuild. Send available drawings and previous ground reports so the team can discuss the investigation your proposal needs. If plans are still being prepared, explain your current project stage and the information your designer is seeking.
Describe access constraints when you enquire, including any gates, restricted access or existing structures that may affect attendance. Share your preferred timing and any project deadlines. Site attendance and reporting timeframes are confirmed for the agreed scope before work begins.
Understanding the report and its scope
The report records the investigation findings and site classification to inform footing and slab design. Investigation locations and ground logs are included in the agreed outputs; laboratory results are included where laboratory testing forms part of the scope.
Share the report with the designer responsible for your footing and slab design. A site classification report supplies ground information; structural design is a separate service unless expressly included in the agreed scope. For a commercial proposal or a different ground-related question, explore project-specific geotechnical investigations or discuss the requirements with MGS before booking.
Melbourne soil testing FAQs
Are a soil test, soil report and site classification the same thing?
In a residential building enquiry, these terms often describe different parts of the same service: the soil test is the investigation, the soil report records the findings, and site classification is an assessment included where applicable. The agreed scope determines the fieldwork, testing and report. Tell us what your designer has requested.
What does soil testing cost?
Residential soil testing starts from $495 + GST ($544.50 including GST) for eligible standard residential sites. Your written quote confirms the scope, inclusions and total cost. More complex investigations are quoted separately.
What is the difference between a soil report and a geotechnical investigation?
A residential soil report usually focuses on site classification and ground information for footing and slab design. A broader geotechnical investigation is scoped around more detailed questions, such as deeper foundations, basement excavation or commercial development.
When should I book?
Arrange the investigation early enough to inform design. For extensions and rebuilds, provide existing and proposed plans so we can consider access and the need for further investigation or verification.
Is structural design included?
A soil report provides ground information for your structural designer. Structural design and certification are separate unless specifically included in the agreed proposal.
Can I use an old soil report?
Send it to us with your new plans. Whether it is suitable depends on its scope, the proposed works, site changes and the information your designer needs. Further investigation may be required.
Do you work across regional Victoria?
Yes. We confirm availability, travel requirements and timing when preparing your proposal.
What happens if access is restricted?
Tell us about narrow access, existing buildings, slopes, gates and services when enquiring. Access affects the equipment and investigation method we can use.
What should I send with my enquiry?
Send your site address, proposed works, available plans or reports, access details and preferred timing. You can enquire before all plans are available.
When can the work be arranged?
Tell us your preferred timing and any access constraints. We’ll confirm the site visit and reporting timeframes for the agreed work before it begins.
Suitable projects
New homes | Extensions | Knockdown rebuilds | Residential developments
Planning your report delivery
Our proposed turnaround target is 5 business days for metro work and 10 business days for regional work. Timing depends on access, investigation scope and laboratory testing. We confirm the start point and expected delivery timeframe in your proposal.
Soil testing for new homes, extensions and rebuilds
Building a new home
Send the proposed building layout and any soil-report requirements from your structural designer. If you only have a concept plan, tell us what is still changing so we can discuss when to investigate. Include any previous soil reports or records of fill placed on the land.
Extending an existing house
Provide both existing and proposed plans, including how the extension connects to the house. Your designer may need information about the existing foundations as well as the soil beneath the extension. Footing probe investigations can be scoped separately to establish selected existing footing details.
Planning a knockdown rebuild
Tell us whether the existing house is still standing and share the planned demolition date. Buildings and paving can restrict investigation access, while demolition can change site conditions. Discuss soil testing before and after demolition so the investigation supports the proposed new building.
Arrange a soil test in Melbourne or regional Victoria
MGS provides residential soil testing across Melbourne and Victoria. Send the full property address with your enquiry so we can confirm access, attendance and any travel requirements for that site. A suburb name or a nearby property’s soil report does not establish the ground conditions on your block.
Request a soil testing quote for your property or call (03) 9998 7555 to discuss the report your project needs.
From enquiry to informed decisions
Share your project
Send your site address, proposed works, available plans and preferred timing.
Confirm the scope
We review the information and provide a fee proposal outlining the agreed investigation and deliverables.
Investigate the site
Once accepted and access is confirmed, we arrange the agreed site work and any required testing.
Receive your report
We provide the agreed findings and recommendations to support your next design or construction decision.