Concrete Products
Ready-mix concrete grades, rebar and mesh reinforcement, formwork, spacers, and damp-proof membrane for extension foundations and slabs.
Concrete Spacers: The Cheapest Thing That Fails the Most Inspections
UK guide to concrete cover spacers for reinforcement. Cover depths, types (castle, clip-on, chair), quantity calculation, building control requirements, and what to buy. From £15 – £22 per 100.
Damp Proof Membrane (DPM): The Sheet Under Your Floor That Prevents Rising Damp
Complete UK guide to 1200 gauge DPM for extension floors. Correct floor build-up order, DPC connection detail, building control hold points, and prices from £36-72 per roll.
Formwork Timber: When You Need It, How to Set It Up, and When to Skip It
UK guide to timber formwork (shuttering) for extension foundations. Board sizes, staking, bracing, release agent, removal timing, and the critical question: do you actually need it? From £2.40 – £3.60 per metre.
A142 Mesh Reinforcement: Crack Control for Concrete Floor Slabs
UK guide to A142 steel mesh reinforcement. BS 4483 specification, correct placement depth, overlap rules, sheet sizes, and how many you need. From £19 – £30 per sheet.
A193 Mesh Reinforcement: The Steel Grid Inside Your Floor Slab
UK guide to A193 welded steel mesh for extension floor slabs. Specs, sheet sizes, how many you need, overlap rules, spacer placement, and what building control checks before the pour. From £33 – £40 per sheet.
A252 Mesh Reinforcement: Heavy-Duty Steel Fabric for Raft Foundations and Reinforced Slabs
UK guide to A252 mesh reinforcement. 8mm wire at 200mm centres, from £43 – £75 per 4.8x2.4m sheet. Specifications, lap lengths, double-layer placement, and what building control checks.
Ready-Mix Concrete C20 (GEN 3): What It's For and When You Need Something Stronger
C20 concrete costs £90–115/m³ per m³ delivered. It's for shed bases, pathways, and drainage haunching, not extension foundations. Here's how to order it right.
Ready-Mix Concrete C25: The Standard Grade for UK Extension Foundations
The definitive UK guide to C25/30 (RC 25) ready-mix concrete. Correct designations, how much you need, what it costs from £90–130/m³, and what your delivery ticket must show.
Ready-Mix Concrete C30: When Your Structural Engineer Says You Need More Than Standard
C30 concrete costs £120 – £145 per m³ delivered. When your SE specifies it, what to order, and the PAV1 trap that catches homeowners.
12mm Rebar (T12): The Steel Inside Your Foundations
UK guide to 12mm reinforcement bar. Specifications, cover requirements, lap lengths, ordering pre-bent vs cutting on site, and what building control checks before the pour. From £7 – £10 per 6m length.
16mm Rebar (T16): When Your Foundations Need More Steel
UK guide to 16mm reinforcement bar for pad foundations and ring beams. Specifications, lap lengths, handling weight, and what triggers your engineer to specify T16 over T12. From £11 – £20 per 6m.