Groundworks driving rising costs in new poultry shed construction

Published on : 5 Mar 2026

Producers are increasingly reporting that groundworks are becoming one of the biggest variables in new projects.

Groundworks are becoming an increasingly significant part of the overall cost of building a poultry unit, with site conditions now playing a much larger role in determining the final price of a new shed.

While equipment and shed structures tend to have relatively consistent costs across locations, the civil engineering work required on individual sites can vary dramatically. Drainage, storage requirements, access roads and preparation of the land can all push costs higher, depending on the condition and layout of the field where the building is planned.

These site specific elements mean two otherwise identical sheds can end up with very different final build costs. Even small changes in site location can alter the scale of groundworks required, pushing projects into a different level of investment. Storage requirements and associated infrastructure can also add significantly to the build.

Producers are increasingly reporting that groundworks are becoming one of the biggest variables in new projects. In some cases the civils work can approach the cost of the shed structure itself, particularly where the site presents challenges such as drainage issues or difficult terrain.

Recent examples suggest that while the core equipment cost for a 32,000 bird unit may sit around half a million pounds, the total project cost can rise substantially once groundworks and site preparation are factored in. In Scotland, where building costs are typically slightly higher, total investment for a new 32,000 bird house can reach around £2.15 to £2.2 million depending on the site.

Ten years ago, a typical free range shed might have been built for around £30 per bird. Today that figure is closer to £65 to £70 per bird, reflecting not only higher material and labour costs but also the increasing complexity and scale of groundworks required to bring a site into production.

These rising costs highlight how much the economics of poultry building projects have changed in recent years, with site conditions and civil engineering work now playing a far greater role in determining the final investment required.