Common Pitfalls in Data Centre Groundworks (and How to Avoid Them)

In the fast-moving world of hyperscale data centres, time, precision, and coordination are everything. Yet, before the first steel is erected or the first cable is laid, the most critical stage of all takes place — the groundworks.

Groundworks form the physical and operational foundation of every data-centre campus. They support the immense structural loads, accommodate vast underground utility networks, and define the drainage, access, and sustainability of the entire site. A single misstep at this stage can echo through the entire project lifecycle, causing delays, cost overruns, or operational risks that persist for years.

At Salboheds Bygg & Anläggning AB, we’ve delivered over 250 MW of data-centre groundwork across Sweden and the Nordic region. Along the way, we’ve seen — and helped prevent — the pitfalls that can derail even the best-intentioned projects. This article unpacks those common challenges and shares how to avoid them through foresight, coordination, and partnership.

1. Why Groundworks Go Wrong: The High Stakes of Early-Stage Decisions

Groundworks are often underestimated. Developers sometimes see them as a “preliminary” phase — a means to prepare the site for more visible construction. But in reality, this is the most complex and risk-sensitive phase of any data-centre project.

A poorly executed groundwork package can:

• Delay the start of critical path activities (like slab casting or MEP installation).
• Trigger clashes between civil and mechanical/electrical scopes.
• Introduce latent defects that compromise future expansion.
• Increase embodied carbon and long-term maintenance costs.

The challenges stem not from lack of intent, but from timing and coordination. Once the project reaches site, design and schedule pressures intensify, leaving little margin for error. Decisions that should have been made months earlier — about drainage, utilities, or soil conditions — are suddenly made in haste, with costly consequences.

Below, we explore six of the most common pitfalls in data-centre groundworks, along with real-world lessons and practical advice.

2. Pitfall One: Late Engagement of the Groundworks Partner

One of the most frequent and expensive mistakes we see is bringing the groundwork contractor into the process too late.

Often, design teams and clients finalise layouts and utility strategies before a contractor with practical on-site experience has been consulted. This means critical input on buildability, phasing, and soil management is missing. Once work begins, the reality of the site clashes with the assumptions of the drawings.

At one hyperscale project in central Sweden, a developer engaged Salboheds midway through the design phase to review constructability. Within weeks, our team identified opportunities to re-sequence the works, optimise earthmoving volumes, and adjust foundation levels to suit the site’s actual topography. These changes saved an estimated four weeks on the programme and reduced heavy vehicle movements by nearly 15 per cent — cutting both emissions and cost.

How to avoid it:
Engage your groundwork partner as early as possible — ideally before final design freeze. Early contractor involvement allows potential challenges to be addressed when they are still inexpensive to fix.

3. Pitfall Two: Undefined Scope Between Civil and MEP Works

Another recurring issue lies in unclear scope boundaries between the civil (groundworks) and MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) teams.

Data-centre sites are dense with underground infrastructure — from high-voltage power to fibre ducts, stormwater systems, and cooling pipelines. If responsibilities aren’t clearly defined, confusion arises over who installs which element, who provides backfill, and who owns interface testing. This leads to duplicated work, gaps in quality control, and, worst of all, finger-pointing when issues surface.

On a recent project, Salboheds was called in to support a site where multiple contractors had overlapping utility scopes. The result? Mismatched duct levels, delayed inspections, and disrupted MEP sequencing. Our solution was to establish a single interface matrix, mapping responsibilities, inspection points, and communication protocols. Within two weeks, the site regained stability, coordination improved, and subsequent phases proceeded smoothly.

How to avoid it:
Before mobilisation, define a detailed scope matrix identifying every underground element, from trenching and ducting to reinstatement and testing. Align sign-off criteria and inspection processes between civil and MEP teams.

4. Pitfall Three: Inadequate Geotechnical and Hydrological Investigation

The ground rarely behaves exactly as expected. Insufficient or generic geotechnical investigation is a common source of downstream disruption — especially in the Nordic climate, where frost, groundwater, and variable soil profiles add complexity.

An incomplete picture of ground conditions can lead to:

• Unanticipated excavation volumes.
• Instability or settlement issues beneath slabs.
• Water ingress during utility installation.
• The need for last-minute redesigns of drainage or sub-base materials.

At one site near Gävleborg, early assumptions suggested uniform sandy soils — but deeper investigation revealed clay pockets and high groundwater levels. Because Salboheds initiated a supplementary hydrological study before mobilisation, we were able to redesign the drainage and foundation profiles to suit the conditions. The result was a stable platform and no waterlogging during winter — whereas, without intervention, the site might have suffered months of delay.

How to avoid it:
Invest in comprehensive geotechnical and hydrological studies early in design. Test across the full site area and to depth, not just sample points. Use this data to inform cut/fill strategies, material selection, and drainage design.

5. Pitfall Four: Poor Phasing and Sequencing

In data-centre delivery, phasing is everything. Civil works often need to align precisely with structural steel, mechanical installations, and client-driven milestones. A small misstep in sequencing can disrupt dozens of concurrent workfronts.

A common mistake is underestimating the time required for enabling works or over-committing to aggressive timelines without adequate buffer for inspections, curing, or rework. When one area slips, the domino effect can impact critical path activities.

Salboheds’ teams have learned that programme certainty comes from collaboration, not compression. On one major Nordic project, our early-phase planning sessions with the general contractor and MEP partner allowed us to define “no-go zones” and phased releases that balanced safety, quality, and productivity. This enabled multiple trades to work safely in parallel without clashes or downtime.

How to avoid it:
Build a realistic, integrated programme that reflects actual site logistics and coordination needs. Engage all trades in the phasing discussion and maintain flexibility to adapt sequencing as new information emerges.

6. Pitfall Five: Inadequate Utility Coordination

Few aspects of groundwork delivery cause as many delays as poorly coordinated utilities. Power, fibre, cooling, and water networks often run in tight corridors, with strict separation and alignment requirements.

If coordination is left to late-stage design or on-site interpretation, the result can be duct clashes, misaligned manholes, or service crossings that violate client or statutory standards.

Salboheds mitigates this through rigorous utility coordination planning, using 3D BIM models and GPS data. Each trench and duct is digitally mapped before excavation, reviewed in coordination meetings, and verified in-field with digital surveying. On one hyperscale project, this approach eliminated more than 30 potential clashes before works began — saving weeks of rework and thousands of euros in re-excavation costs.

How to avoid it:
Use BIM-integrated design to visualise and coordinate utilities early. Hold joint review sessions with MEP, electrical, and civils teams before trenching starts. Always verify as-built coordinates in real-time.

7. Pitfall Six: Not Building for Scalability

Hyperscale data centres are rarely “one-off” facilities. They’re designed to expand — phase by phase — over years. Yet, too often, groundworks are treated as a one-phase exercise, with little provision for future growth.

This oversight leads to challenges when the client decides to extend: incomplete duct banks, undersized drainage, or inaccessible routes for future utilities. Retrofitting these later is costly and disruptive.

Salboheds addresses scalability from the outset. For example, at one multi-phase site, we integrated future duct banks, spare conduits, and foundation pads into the initial works. This proactive planning meant the client could expand the campus without reopening the ground or disrupting ongoing operations.

How to avoid it:
Design and build groundworks with expansion in mind. Include spare ducts, oversized trenches, and pre-cast foundations for future services. It’s a minimal upfront cost that saves major disruption later.

8. Real Lessons from the Field (Anonymised Case Examples)

Case 1: The Overlapping Utility Challenge

A European hyperscale campus encountered repeated delays due to overlapping scopes between the civils and MEP contractors. Power and fibre ducts were installed at conflicting depths, requiring costly rework.
When Salboheds was engaged to support the next phase, we introduced structured daily coordination briefings and digital clash detection using shared BIM models. Within one month, rework rates dropped by 80 per cent, and schedule performance improved significantly.

Case 2: Groundwater Surprise

At another Nordic site, high groundwater levels emerged during foundation excavation, threatening to delay slab pours. Our teams implemented temporary pumping and drainage channels, combined with re-engineered sub-base materials to improve permeability. The slab was completed on time, and subsequent phases benefited from the improved site hydrology.

Case 3: Schedule Compression vs Safety

One client requested that utility installation and road construction occur simultaneously to recover schedule. Our risk assessment showed that overlap would create unsafe work zones and potential clashes. By restructuring the sequence and reallocating plant, we preserved safety integrity and still met the milestone — demonstrating that safety and speed can coexist when planning is proactive.

9. Checklist: How to Avoid Common Groundwork Pitfalls

Before appointing or mobilising your groundwork contractor, run through this 10-point checklist:

A strong groundwork partner will already have these systems in place — ensuring you start each project on solid ground.

10. Why Experience Matters: The Salboheds Advantage

After decades in civil construction and infrastructure delivery, Salboheds Bygg & Anläggning AB has refined a delivery model that anticipates — and avoids — the pitfalls others struggle with.

Our proven framework includes:

• 250 MW of data-centre groundworks delivered across Sweden and the Nordics.
• Dedicated project teams trained in data-centre-specific safety and utility coordination.
• Early engagement approach, supporting design validation and buildability analysis.
• Integrated safety, quality, and digital reporting systems that ensure transparency and control.
• Partnership culture — open communication, shared accountability, and client collaboration.

By combining regional presence with international-level performance, we give developers and contractors peace of mind. Salboheds doesn’t just deliver to specification — we deliver confidence, predictability, and long-term value.

11. Turning Pitfalls into Performance

Every project comes with its challenges. What separates successful developments from struggling ones isn’t the absence of problems — it’s how early and effectively those problems are identified and resolved.

At Salboheds, we see groundworks not as a risk, but as an opportunity: to set the tone for excellence, safety, and trust across the entire data-centre build. Our track record proves that proactive planning, early engagement, and meticulous coordination can transform potential pitfalls into competitive advantage.

When you build from the ground up with foresight, precision, and partnership, every phase that follows benefits.

12. Conclusion: The Foundation of Success Is Experience

Avoiding pitfalls in data-centre groundworks isn’t about luck — it’s about preparation.

• Engage early.
• Define clearly.
• Investigate thoroughly.
• Coordinate continuously.
• Build safely and sustainably.

Salboheds Bygg & Anläggning AB brings the experience, structure, and integrity to make those principles real. With more than 250 MW of data-centre groundwork delivered, a proven zero-harm safety culture, and a commitment to quality without compromise, we ensure your project starts — and finishes — strong.

Don’t just break ground. Build the future with confidence.

Contact the Salboheds team →
Let’s get your data-centre project right from day one.