Now I know this has nothing to do with RRS sport but I was hoping that someone here can advise on the following.

I have just purchased some land at the rear of my garden measuring 15.5m x 15.5m which was waste land and I am now turning this into a garden area.
The top few inches will be scrapped off later in the week and I will then need to replace this with top soil....

The question is how many tonnes will be required for this area with approximately 2-3 inches deep and roughly how much wil it cost me. I have access for a large lorry to enter and basically dump its load if this is a cheaper way. I really don't want to transfer from the front of my house as it will take me forever.

I will also be having a cabin placed on a concrete base which measures 5mx4m. How much concrete will I require for the entire area and again rough costs would help me. The cabin weighs about 2 tonnes so I would imagine I wil need a strong base but not sure how deep.

I'm obviously not doing these works but don't want to ripped off by the so called 'cowboys' out there.

I am not a gardener or builder so If there are any builders or gardeners on the forum that could help, I would really appreciate their input.

Thanks It is what it is and I am what I am....

have a look at http://www.source4me.co.uk//calculate_buil....php?tab=0

it might give you a few pointers.

I also used one of the shed companies websites for calculating a base for our log cabin but I can't find it now as it was a few years ago. Google is your friend (but can misdirect just the same).

Good luck. Richard

Graded top soil costs a fortune, you might be as well rotavating what is there and tidying it up.
You will need 25 odd cubic metres, and as a rough guide it can cost £50-70/cM!!
With the shed, you will need 3cube of concrete (6inches deep) and I would chuck in some reinforcing as when it settles you don't want it cracking, that all might cost you £300
Hope that helps
Dave MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

Thanks Gerico and Codfather...

The Internet has as you say redirected me to loads of other sites that aren't relieve at hence the question on here. I tried the calculator and it has helped a bit.

The top soil I did not realise would cost somewhere in the region of £1800 . May be I shall turn it over but I will still need some as it will be lower than expected.

Thanks for your replies though, at least I know what prices I should be expecting form some companies.

 It is what it is and I am what I am....

Topsoil. According to: http://www.dandystopsoil.co.uk/product-calculators-39-w.asp you need 24tonnes for 15.5m x 15.5m x 7.5cm (75mm / 3 inches). There are a number of these calculators on the web so it's worth checking a couple of them for consistency.

Concrete. Does the cabin supplier have a recommended slab specification? They should be able to tell you what thickness they recommend and what strength is required. For a 5m x 4m slab at 100mm (4in) thick, you need 2m^3 (2 cubic metres, sometimes known as "2 cube"), at 150mm you need 3m^3 (3 cube). A standard concrete lorry carries 6m^3 so you'll have to pay a part-load supplement unless you can find a supplier that specialises in small loads. Concrete cost varies from c.£80-£150+ depending on supplier, strength and amount required etc. with small loads being more expensive than big loads (on a per cube basis). You need to ring around for the best prices.

The cabin slab will depend on how the cabin sits on the ground. It might have a 100mm slab with a local thickening around the edges (perhaps 600mm wide and 300mm deep, perhaps more). It might be ok with just a simple 150mm thick slab all over the area. The supplier needs to help you here.

Concrete calculator: http://www.rapidreadymix.co.uk/calculator.asp although the maths is easy enough because concrete is dealt with by volume, not weight like topsoil. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

You might need to any the concrete in two parts to prevent cracking a few days apart

If you only taking off the top 3" (75mm) one 8 wheeler load of topsoil would just do it, you should be able to get good screened soil by the 8 wheeler load (approx 15m3) for £200 - £250  MY10 3.0 HSE Santorini Black, Ivory Premium & extended leather, privacy, paddles, diamond turned alloys, Ipod lead that charges, tasmods, rrsport.co.uk stickers

Jeep 4.0 High Output XJ 94 6" teraflex lift, c/w rear coils, 9500lb winch, 35" TSL super swamper boggers, safari snorkel, custom made bumpers, tom woods custom double cardon driveshaft, twin electric fans. Don't follow it..............you wont make it. The first 4 x 4 by far.

RRSTDV8 wrote:

A standard concrete lorry carries 6m^3 so you'll have to pay a part-load supplement unless you can find a supplier that specialises in small loads. Concrete cost varies from c.£80-£150+ depending on supplier, strength and amount required etc. with small loads being more expensive than big loads (on a per cube basis).

I've seen trucks that mix what you need on site, but as luck would have it, I can't remember what they were called  

"Roads ? Where we're going there are no roads." Back to the future.

Thanks for the replies. As I will not be doing this I will of course gauge some advise from the cabin supplier which i will be hoping to see this weekend and also the concrete supplier, whoever that may be

JC1 cheers for the advise on cost as well.

RRSTDV8 a cheers.... 24 tonnes. might have to go to the gym if I can't get it by the lorry load.

Didn't realise this was going to be as costly as it is though

Anyone fancy doing it for me ................Cheap  It is what it is and I am what I am....

mrfrog wrote:

I've seen trucks that mix what you need on site, but as luck would have it, I can't remember what they were called

I used one of them for my garage, as I needed 9x9m x 8inches thick, I did it over two weekend, and the first he overcharged me by about 1m3, second weekend I docked him the 1m3 and sent him on his way! I wouldn't trust them at all.
Best hiring a mixer and doing it yourself. Put a base of broken bricks or type1 aggregate and create your base by putting up shuttering (thick planks will do so they don't weave and wobble) then just mix away to your hearts content for the weekend! As npinks says if you do it in two halfs and leave the plank in this acts as an expansion joint
Cheers
Dave MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

Is there any problems if you get it shutterd up and you pour the concrete in one go rather than two then? It is what it is and I am what I am....

Once it hardens it can crack, which itself wont pose any problems if it is just a shed, but it is a shame when you can avoid it . on 9x9m, I did mine in 4 quarters, no cracks at all
Cheers
Dave MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

Thanks Dave for your help.

Looks like I now have some ammunition to speak to the people who will be doing this and at least think they know what I'm talking about

Thanks again It is what it is and I am what I am....

mrfrog wrote:

RRSTDV8 wrote:

A standard concrete lorry carries 6m^3 so you'll have to pay a part-load supplement unless you can find a supplier that specialises in small loads. Concrete cost varies from c.£80-£150+ depending on supplier, strength and amount required etc. with small loads being more expensive than big loads (on a per cube basis).

I've seen trucks that mix what you need on site, but as luck would have it, I can't remember what they were called

5mx4m shouldn't need an expansion joint unless the concrete is very wet when laid (or it's laid when it can be subjected to freezing temperatures). Adding water to ease pouring increases the shrinkage potential - concrete should only have just enough water to hydrate the cement. Anymore than that will cause shrinkage. As a point of reference, large slabs are often cast as 6m wide strips (because steel frame grids are often at 6m spacings.)

If you buy in your concrete as ready mix then you can ask for fibre reinforcing to be added. This greatly reduces cracking but does add a bit of cost. It's just short chopped wire or glass fibre which is added to the mix. It's very effective.

The concrete should be laid on a firm base. Usually this means removing the vegetative layer (topsoil basically) and making the level back up with hardcore. You can use broken brick but a better option is "type 1" or "crusher run" - anything that can be compacted using a whacker plate. Adding a plastic membrane is a good idea too as this will reduce moisture migration through the slab.

If you are worried about cracking of the slab, you can just run a disc cutter along a line to a depth of say 25mm. This acts as a crack initiator and makes sure that any cracking occurs where it doesn't matter. The crack can have some mastic run along the top to prevent it filling with rubbish. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed