How much does a concrete slab cost in 2024?

While driveways are technically a slab, what we’re talking about here is the base for a building structure.

So, if you’re ready to build a home, commercial building or shed – first, you’ll need a concrete slab. We’ll cover: 

• The different types of slabs and some associated costs 

• General cost of concrete slabs (2024): house slab, shed slab or concrete for a commercial building

• Timeframes for laying a slab, ready for build

There aren’t too many factors that get involved when it comes to pricing out a concrete slab. But those that do arise can influence the cost. The cost of concrete slabs can vary (like anything) based on these factors:

Concrete slab size

• Size is going to be the main indicator of price because of the amount of concrete required to fill the space. You’ll also want to keep labour costs in mind here – while the install of a 6m x 7m concrete slab can be managed by 1-2 people, a 7m x 14m slab is likely to require 3 people, meaning you’ll pay more for labour the larger the project.
  

Concrete slab thickness

• Required slab thickness is largely dictated by Australian Standards and should usually fall between 85-100mm. The thickness of your slab may vary depending on what is going to be built on top. A light shed won’t require as much concrete volume as a load-bearing slab, for example, a house. Of course, the more concrete required the more your project will cost.
  

Concrete reinforcement

• Construction projects that span larger areas and hold greater weight will likely call for reinforcement. Reinforced concrete comes in two main varieties: Rebar (steel rods inserted in wet concrete to strengthen when it bonds together) and wired mesh which is also laid into wet concrete to give greater holding strength when dry. While concrete costs can stay reasonably stable, steel costs do fluctuate a little more and could become a major variable in your price.
  

Access

• Assuming the coast is clear and it’s easy to access your site, you likely won’t incur any additional costs to get materials to your site. However, if your site does require it, the cost of additional machines or tools to get the job done will be reflected in your quote. 

Excavation/ earthworks

• Imagine you want a flat slab installed on the side of a hill. This is when you’re going to incur additional costs for excavation and earthworks. For commercial builds and sheds, this isn’t common, however for some home builds – this can be the case and significantly impact your final price. 

Complexity

• The more edges and notches to a project, the more framework that needs to be built before pouring the concrete. All this adds to the labour time and preparation prior to the pour job.
  

Labour

• Labour will be a cost on top of your materials based on the complexity of your project, prep work, heavy lifting, earth works and machinery – there may need to be 1, 2 or 5 people involved. But don’t worry, Arkonik concrete Torquay are here to make life easy – we’ll give you a concrete slab quote with materials and labour split out. This way, you can easily see where your money is going.
  

Depending on the factors mentioned above, you can expect to pay anywhere from $75 - $110 per square metre for plain concrete for a slab and around $110 - $150 for reinforced with labour costs added on top. 

House slabs & commercial buildings

Every project starts with foundations, and for homes and commercial builds it’s a concrete slab. This is the foundation that is essential for stabilising and baring the weight of the rest your structure – so make sure you have your slab installed by a top rated Torquay concreter like Arkonik concrete.

Your new house or commercial building slab may require: Digging, setup, pouring of footings, under slab drainage, insulation and moisture barrier or retraining walls to be put in place before the foundation slab is installed. Depending on the size of the project, this stage can take 1 – 3 weeks.

Shed slabs

Most sheds are relatively small and simple. Concrete slab cost for sheds can range from around $4,500 for a small shed all the way up to $22,000 for an extra-large shed. The total cost of a concrete slab for a shed is largely based on its size, with average prices being:

• Up to $7000 to pour a slab for a small shed (6m x 7m – 6m x 9m)

• $10,000 – $14,000 for a medium sized shed (7m x 14m)

• $15,000 – $22,000 for a large shed (12m x 13m)

The Arkonik concrete team will be able to pour your slab in less than a day, however, there may be some pre-works required that take the same amount of time if your surface is sloping and excavation is needed or a pour thicker on one side than the other is required.

Interested in a driveway concrete slab? Check out concrete driveways and cost of concrete.

Create a solid foundation with Arkonik Concrete

When you’re ready to install a foundational concrete slab for your project, it’s important to not just look at cost but make sure you’re working with a reliable and reputable concrete contractor who can give you the most accurate costings, measurements, and requirements.

You’ll want to get quotes from at least 3 concreters to gage the current market rates, especially for any reinforced slabs. Be sure to look at the portfolio of works and talk to your local Torquay concreter to make sure they’re up for the job and scale of the work. Remember, the better the concreting team is for your specific job, the quicker the job will get completed and save you time and money.

Arkonik Concrete services Torquay, Geelong, The Surfcoast and The Bellarine and can offer fast and free quotes on your next concreting project.