DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi - first post so I'll provide as much detail as possible!!

I have recently knocked down the air raid shelter in our back garden and am in the process of clearing the rubble, retaining enough for hardcore.

The plan is to build a wooden structure which will be split into two for my shed and office.

The space this will occupy is 3x4m.

I have had a quote for a 4 inch (0.1m) concrete base with reinforcing but it is a lot more than I was expecting so I am considering doing the work myself with the help of friends and family.

My questions are:

- Does anyone have any idea how much this should cost?
- Would you split the base into 2 or 4 manageable pads rather than one big one considering it will be 3 metres wide?
- What base mix should be used?

Many thanks in advance,

Richard

You are probably looking at iro £ 80 - £ 100 for that amount of concrete.

On a practical level when you consider you still have to buy and get materials delivered and the time expended by you plus friends (how much is your time worth per hour) to knock it up and get it laid the readymix is probably more cost effective.

They'll have delivered and be gone in 30 minutes, you'll probably be at it at least half a day and you've still got to feed the ravenous hordes!

Have a look here https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/mi ... ncrete.htm

HTH

Cheers

Another alternative would be to see if there is someone in your area who runs one of those mixer lorries where they come and park outside your house and mix the load from the dry ingredients carried on the the lorry. Then you just barrow it to where you want it. The advantage of this is that they will carry on mixing until you have exactly the amount that you need. If you get a Redimix lorry in, it is possible that you will have some left over or not quite enough. Both of which are a bit of a pain in the a***.

Thanks guys.

We've decided to do it ourselves with the guidance of my uncle who used to do groundwork. We're getting the balast delivered in a tipper truck and are going to hire a mixer for a weekend once I have prep'd the base.