Clearing, levelling and the surveys that decide what a site costs
Site preparation is the work that happens before anyone builds, and it is priced almost entirely off information gathered before the tender. Topographic survey, ground investigation, and desk study of previous uses determine the earthworks quantities, whether cut and fill can balance on site, and whether material leaving the site is clean or contaminated. The difference between reusing material on site and carting it to a licensed facility is one of the largest single variables in the price, and it is decided by testing rather than by opinion.
The consents and clearances sit with different parties and have different lead times. Demolition of existing structures brings asbestos and hazardous material surveys, structural surveys and notification requirements; vegetation clearance is constrained by nesting and protected species seasons; archaeology may require a watching brief or full excavation with the power to stop the work. Existing services under the site are located by survey and then confirmed by hand, and striking one is the accident this trade is most exposed to.
Contractually the work is measured, not lump sum, because the quantities genuinely move. Bidders price rates for excavation by material type, disposal by classification, filling and compaction to a specified standard, and the temporary works that hold everything up while it happens. Environmental controls -- dust suppression, wheel washing, surface water management and noise limits -- are conditions with enforcement attached rather than good practice, and the reinstatement or handover standard the site must reach is usually specified in testable terms.
This section describes how this category is bought generally, across the public buyers that publish it. The figures elsewhere on this page are measured for this market alone.
Who buys site preparation in France?
GlobalGov holds 3,283 site preparation records from 1,674 distinct buying organisations in France. The most frequent publishers are SANEF (24 records); metropole europeenne de lille (17 records); GRANDLYON Métropole (16 records); Clésence (15 records); Gironde Habitat (15 records); Lyon Métropole Habitat (15 records). Between them the 6 largest account for 3.1% of everything published, so buying here is spread across many separate authorities.
| Buying organisation | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| SANEF | 24 | 0.7% |
| metropole europeenne de lille | 17 | 0.5% |
| GRANDLYON Métropole | 16 | 0.5% |
| Clésence | 15 | 0.5% |
| Gironde Habitat | 15 | 0.5% |
| Lyon Métropole Habitat | 15 | 0.5% |
What are site preparation contracts worth in France?
1,011 of the 3,283 records publish a contract value. The median is $4.3M and the largest single published value is $551.1M. By size, 25 under $100k, 227 between $100k and $1M, 480 between $1M and $10M, 279 above $10M. The remaining 2,272 publish no value at all, so every figure here describes the priced subset only, and values are as stated by the buyer rather than as finally awarded.
| Contract size | Records | Share of priced |
|---|---|---|
| under $100k | 25 | 2.5% |
| between $100k and $1M | 227 | 22% |
| between $1M and $10M | 480 | 47% |
| above $10M | 279 | 28% |
How long do bidders get to respond to site preparation tenders in France?
Across the 811 France site preparation notices that publish both a publication date and a closing date, the median response window is 38 days. A quarter of them allowed 33 days or fewer and a quarter stayed open for more than 47. Short turnarounds are the exception rather than the rule here: only 3 (0.4%) closed within a fortnight of being published.
How often are site preparation tenders published in France?
France publishes about 10 notices a month in this category, 124 in the last twelve months. That is 74% fewer than the 475 published in the twelve months before that. Over the last three years there were 1,219, spread across 62 separate months of activity since 30 April 2021. July is historically the busiest month. No new notice has been published in this category since 26 May 2026, 128 days ago, so treat the figures above as a record of the market rather than as this week's pipeline.
How does France compare with other site preparation markets?
Among the 19 countries where GlobalGov holds a comparable site preparation market, France ranks 2nd by number of records. The largest is Germany (5,694 records against 3,283 here). Within France itself, site preparation is the 21st largest of the 86 procurement categories tracked here.
Where do the France site preparation records on this page come from?
These 3,283 records are collected from 2 official sources: TED (3,278), BOAMP (5). GlobalGov is an independent aggregator and is not affiliated with any of them; each record links back to the notice on its issuing portal. The set is rebuilt nightly, and the counts on this page were taken on 2026-10-01.
Most recent Site Preparation tenders in France
None of these are open for bids now — they are the most recent records GlobalGov holds for this market, kept here so the shape of a typical site preparation notice in France is visible. Set an alert to be told when the next one opens.
France – Earthmoving work – Lot 1 : Travaux de terrassement et VRD
France – Dismantling works – Accord-cadre à bons de commande pour le démantèlement et l'élimination de pontons, de coffres métalliques et de ras béton sur la Base de défense Brest Lorient
France – Siteworks – Travaux de génie civil, pose et soudure permettant de réaliser les extensions du réseau de chaleur urbain de Poitiers Couronneries Phase 3
France – Scrub-removal work – Accords-cadres sur bons de commandes pour des travaux de Maîtrise de la Végétation sur les départements Ain, Isère, Savoie et Haute-Savoie.
France – Scrub-removal work – Accords-cadres sur bons de commandes pour des travaux de Maîtrise de la Végétation sur les départements Allier, Nièvre, Loiret et Puy de Dôme.
France – Siteworks – Travaux de génie civil, pose et soudure permettant de réaliser les extensions du réseau de chaleur urbain de Poitiers Couronneries Phase 3
France – Site-development work – Concession d'aménagement RUCAP - Vieux-Bourg
France – Building demolition and wrecking work and earthmoving work – MARCHE DE CONCEPTION-REALISATION POUR LA DEMOLITION-RECONSTRUCTION D'UN FOYER DE TRAVAILLEURS MIGRANTS (FTM) A AUBERVILLIERS (93300) EN VUE DE SA TRANSFORMATION EN DEUX RESIDENCES SOCIALES ET RESTRUCTURATION DU PARKING SOUTERRAIN
France – Siteworks – Marché de travaux pour la réhabilitation et la résidentialisation de la résidence LA TOUR DU MAS (102 logements à Vaulx-en-Velin)
Other procurement categories in France
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Site Preparation procurement in other markets
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