Generate a complete, itemised shopping list for your UK concrete project — with quantities, costs, suppliers, and specifications. Select your project type and dimensions to get started.
What Materials Do You Need for UK Concrete Projects?
Every concrete project in the UK requires more than just concrete. Understanding the full material list before you start prevents costly last-minute trips to the builders’ merchant — and ensures your project meets Building Regulations where applicable.
Concrete / Ready-Mix
The primary structural material. Always specify by BS 8500 designated mix (GEN, RC, FND) not arbitrary “1:2:3” ratios. Grade depends on application — C25 for slabs, C30 for driveways, FND3 for sulfate ground.
Type 1 Sub-Base (MOT)
0–40mm crushed stone compacted to 150mm minimum under all slabs and driveways. The most critical layer — a weak or uncompacted sub-base causes cracking even in perfectly specified concrete above it.
Damp-Proof Membrane
1200 gauge (300 micron) polythene sheet laid over the sub-base, under all ground-bearing slabs. Required by Building Regulations Part C for any habitable or commercial floor. Overlap joints by 300mm and tape.
Reinforcement (A142 Mesh)
BS 4483 steel fabric reinforcement laid in the mid-depth of structural slabs. A142 (6mm bars at 200mm centres) is standard for domestic floor slabs. A193 or A252 for heavier loads. Lap sheets by one mesh pitch.
Formwork (Shuttering)
150mm × 25mm C16 timber boards to contain concrete at slab edges, walls, and foundations. Stake at 600mm maximum centres. Allow for reuse on sequential pours — use release agent on reused boards.
Curing Materials
Freshly placed concrete must be kept moist for minimum 3 days (7 days for structural). Use polythene sheet, hessian, or spray-applied curing compound. Failure to cure reduces final concrete strength by up to 30%.
Don’t Forget These Often-Missed Items
The most commonly forgotten items on UK concrete shopping lists are: expansion joint foam strip (required every 6m and at all abutments), concrete spacers / chairs (to hold rebar at correct cover), and release agent for formwork. Missing these causes failed pours and costly rectification.
UK Concrete Materials — Buying Guide
Knowing where to buy each material saves money and time. In the UK, different materials come from different supply chains — buying everything from one merchant is convenient but rarely cheapest.
For Ready-Mix Concrete
Order direct from a QSRMC-certified plant — Tarmac, Hanson, Aggregate Industries, or Breedon. Use your postcode to find the nearest plant. Always confirm BS 8500 designated mix and get a written delivery ticket.
For Type 1 Sub-Base
Order loose tipper delivery from an aggregate supplier for large quantities. For under 2 tonnes, use 850kg bulk bags from Jewson, Travis Perkins, or Aggregates Direct (online delivery nationwide).
For Steel Reinforcement
A142 mesh sheets (4.8m × 2.4m) from any major builders’ merchant — Jewson, Travis Perkins, Buildbase. Stock item at most branches. For rebar (T10, T12), merchants can cut to length or order full 12m bars.
For Formwork Timber
150mm × 25mm C16 regularised timber from any timber merchant or builders’ merchant. Buy in 4.8m or 3.6m lengths for economy. Plywood (18mm structural ply) for curved or complex formwork shapes.
For DPM Polythene
1200 gauge (300 micron) polythene sheeting — sold in rolls at all UK builders’ merchants and online. Specify “DPM grade” polythene — standard decorator’s dust sheet is not thick enough for Building Regulation compliance.
For Admixtures & Curing
Polypropylene fibres, plasticisers, and curing compounds from concrete admixture specialists (Sika, BASF, GCP). Polythene curing sheet from any builders’ merchant. Expansion joint foam strip is a stock item at most merchants.
Always Get 3 Quotes for Concrete
Ready-mix concrete prices vary by 10–20% between suppliers serving the same postcode, especially for domestic quantities under 5m³. Use the material list generated above, specify the exact BS 8500 designated mix, and request quotes from at least 3 suppliers for accurate comparison.
UK Construction Wastage Guide — What to Add
Professional quantity surveyors apply fixed wastage percentages to every material. The material list creator above includes these automatically — but it’s useful to understand why they are needed.
- Ready-mix concrete:Add 5–10% — for spillage, over-pour at edges, and uneven sub-base causing deeper than designed pours
- Type 1 sub-base:Add 15% — compaction reduces volume; 1m³ loose becomes approximately 0.85m³ compacted
- DPM polythene sheet:Add 15% — for overlaps (300mm minimum) and edge turnups
- A142 reinforcement mesh:Add 15% — for laps (one full mesh pitch = 200mm), edge trimming, and cutting around openings
- Formwork timber:Add 10% — for cutting losses, damaged boards, and end waste
- Sand & cement screed:Add 10% — for uneven substrate and edge losses
- Expansion joint strip:Add 10% — for cuts at corners and junctions
The Golden Rule of UK Concrete Projects
Never round down quantities — always round up to the next full unit (bag, sheet, tonne). Returning unused materials is easy; a failed pour due to running short of concrete mid-slab is expensive and structurally compromising. The wastage allowances in this resource’s figure are already determined for you.
Material List Creator — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about using this resource and planning UK concrete project material quantities.
- Concrete volumes use standard bulk density working per BS 8500
- Sub-base quantities include 15% compaction and wastage allowance
- DPM and mesh quantities include standard lap and cutting allowances
- Formwork quantities are based on the perimeter of your pour
- All costs use 2025–2026 UK average prices — actual quotes from suppliers may vary by 10–20% depending on region, quantity, and market conditions
- Ready-mix (drum truck):Batched at a plant, delivered in a rotating drum — must be placed within 90 minutes. Best for volumes over 1m³ with good site access. Most cost-effective per m³ for larger pours.
- Volumetric (on-site mix):Ingredients transported dry and mixed on-site. You pay only for what is poured. Ideal for small or uncertain volumes, narrow access, and London terraced properties. Slightly more expensive per m³ than ready-mix.
- Bagged mix (25kg bags):Pre-blended concrete from builders’ merchants. Best for very small jobs under 0.3m³ — post holes, repairs, small footings. Expensive per m³ but requires no booking or minimum order.
- Garden shed base / patio:A142 mesh is not strictly required in good ground conditions, but is strongly recommended — it prevents crack propagation and costs relatively little
- Garage floor, driveway slab:A142 mesh should be used as standard — vehicles, especially vans, create dynamic loading that causes unreinforced slabs to crack over time
- House extension ground floor slab:A142 mesh is required by Building Regulations as a minimum — your Building Control officer will check for it at slab inspection stage
- Poor or made ground:Consider A193 or A252 mesh (heavier gauges) and consult your structural engineer about ground improvement or raft slab design
- Polypropylene fibres can supplement but should not replace structural mesh in most UK domestic applications
- Pedestrian path / garden path:75mm minimum
- Patio / domestic garden slab:100mm minimum
- Garage floor / shed base:100mm minimum (150mm preferred for vehicles)
- Driveway — cars and light vans:100mm minimum on 150mm compacted Type 1
- Driveway — heavy vehicles / HGVs:150–200mm on 200mm compacted Type 1
- House extension ground floor slab:100mm minimum with A142 mesh (Building Regulations Part A)
- Strip foundation:225mm–300mm deep, 600mm wide minimum for 1-storey extension
- Purpose:Creates a stable, compacted, load-distributing platform for concrete — prevents differential settlement that causes cracking
- Depth:150mm minimum for domestic applications; 200mm for heavy vehicles
- Compaction:Must be compacted in maximum 75mm layers — a hired vibrating plate compactor is essential. Never pour concrete over loose Type 1
- Drainage:Provides a free-draining layer between concrete and ground — reduces frost heave and shrinkable clay movement effects
- When not needed:If pouring onto clean, undisturbed, competent rock — rare in most UK urban settings
- Recycled alternative:Recycled Type 1 (crushed concrete RC6F5) meets the same specification at lower cost and is fully acceptable for domestic use
- Step 1:Work out volume in m³ = Length (m) × Width (m) × Depth (m)
- Step 2:One 25kg bag typically yields approximately 0.012 m³ of mixed concrete
- Step 3:Divide your volume by 0.012 to get number of bags required
- Step 4:Add 10% for waste — multiply by 1.1 and round up to nearest whole bag
- Example:1.5m × 1.5m × 0.1m = 0.225m³ ÷ 0.012 = 18.75 bags × 1.1 =21 bags
- For rapid-setting post mix (Postcrete), one 20kg bag sets a single 75mm diameter post in a 300mm hole — much less concrete per post than site-mixed