Get a quote
  • Slabs & foundations
  • 20–30 MPa

Concrete Slab in South Africa: Free Quotes from Local Contractors

Planning a concrete slab? Tell us what you need and independent South African contractors and suppliers will send a free quote. No fee, no obligation.

  • Quotes fromconcrete contractors and slab builders
  • Areaall nine provinces
  • Cost to youfree

Get a free quote

Concrete workers levelling a freshly poured grey concrete slab on a house site in the afternoon sun
Concrete workers levelling a freshly poured grey concrete slab on a house site in the afternoon sun

Get a free concrete quote

Tell us what you need and where. A contractor or supplier who works in your area quotes you directly. Free, no obligation.

Pour docketPD 381682

Pour calculator (optional)

Length and width in metres, thickness in millimetres. Add a row for each slab, footing or path. The totals go into your request.

#Length mWidth mThick mmQty
1×××
2×××
3×××
0m² area
0m³ concrete
06 m³ trucks

Order about 5–10% more than the net volume to allow for waste and uneven ground.

Strength, if you know it
Tick what applies (optional)

Free and no obligation. By sending you agree that we may share your request with a suitable contractor or supplier. See our privacy policy.

A concrete slab is the flat base for a house, garage, shed, patio or driveway, and it is only as good as the ground, the mix and the reinforcing under it. ConcreteSlab.co.za is a free quote service. You fill in one form and we pass your request to independent concrete contractors, ready-mix suppliers and builders' merchants in your area, who quote you directly. We do not pour, sell, deliver or install anything ourselves. There is no fee and no obligation, so you can compare quotes before you decide.

What a concrete slab is and the main types

A concrete slab is a flat, reinforced layer of concrete. Most slabs in South Africa are one of three kinds, and the right one depends on the load and the ground.

  • Ground-bearing slab: poured on compacted fill and a damp-proof membrane. Used for surface beds, garage floors and driveways.
  • Foundation slab (raft): a thicker slab with stiffened edges, used on poor or expansive soil.
  • Suspended slab: carried by walls, beams or columns, for first floors and roofs. These include rib-and-block, precast and hollow-core slabs.

Each of these has its own page on this site, so you can ask for exactly what you need.

Alternatives to a concrete slab include timber or steel suspended floors, screw-pile foundations with a raised floor, and strip footings with a suspended floor. They suit steep or very poor ground, but a slab is usually the simplest and most durable choice on level sites.

Concrete slab layers: ground, sub-base, DPM, mesh and concrete

Most slab failures start below the concrete. Expansive clays in parts of Gauteng and the Free State swell and shrink, collapsible sands settle, and dolomite needs special precautions. A site investigation or an engineer's report tells you what you are building on.

The layers of a typical ground-bearing slab, from the bottom up, are the natural ground, a compacted well-graded sub-base, a 250 micron damp-proof membrane (SANS 952), mesh, and the concrete. The welded mesh (SANS 1024), such as Ref 193 or Ref 245, controls cracking. Joints, either sawn or formed, let the slab move without random cracks.

For new homes, the NHBRC expects foundations and slabs to follow SANS 10400-H and SANS 10400-J, and an engineer designs anything that spans or carries a floor above.

Concrete slab thickness in South Africa, strength and finish

Strength is given in MPa at 28 days. A house floor is often 25 MPa, driveways and heavier slabs 25 to 30 MPa, and light pads can be 20 MPa. Ready-mixed concrete is supplied to SANS 878 and made with common cement to SANS 50197-1, such as CEM II 42.5N.

  • Thickness: usually 100 mm for a house floor, 125 to 150 mm for driveways and garages, more for heavy loads.
  • Finish: a steel-float finish, a wood-float or broom finish for grip, or a power-float finish for a hard surface.
  • Curing: keep the slab damp for several days. On the Highveld, protect it from frost, and in summer from fast drying.

Concrete slab price per m² and what affects it

People search for the cost of concrete slabs per m² in South Africa, but a rate per m² changes with thickness, strength, reinforcing and site access. We never give prices here. Our concrete slab calculator works out the volume in m³ so you can ask for accurate quotes. Contractors and suppliers will look at:

  • The area, thickness and concrete strength, which give the volume in m³.
  • Reinforcing: mesh, bars and the damp-proof membrane.
  • Site preparation, shuttering and levels.
  • Truck access, whether a pump is needed, and part-load charges for small pours.
  • Delivery distance, which matters most in rural areas.
  • Finishing, joints and curing.

Clear details let you compare quotes properly.

Comparing quotes for concrete slabs

The lowest figure is not always the best deal. When your quotes arrive, check:

  • Specification: the thickness, the concrete strength in MPa, the steel and the membrane, so every quote is for the same work.
  • Preparation: excavation, sub-base compaction, shuttering and who removes spoil and rubble.
  • Concrete and access: ready-mix or site-mixed, whether a pump is included and any part-load or waiting charges.
  • Finish, curing and guarantee: the surface finish, how long it will be cured, where joints are cut and what guarantee covers the work.

What to include in your request

  • Give the length, width and thickness of the slab.
  • Say what the slab is for and what load it will carry.
  • Describe the ground: clay, sand, fill or rock.
  • Mention truck access and whether a pump may be needed.
  • Add your town and the date you want to pour.

Frequently asked questions

Does ConcreteSlab.co.za pour concrete slabs?
No. ConcreteSlab.co.za is a free quote service. You send one request and we pass it to independent concrete contractors, ready-mix suppliers and builders' merchants near you. They contact you directly with a quote. We do not pour, sell, deliver or install anything, and there is no obligation.
How thick should a concrete slab be?
A house floor slab is usually about 100 mm. Driveways and garage floors are often 125 to 150 mm. Heavier loads need more, and suspended slabs are designed by an engineer. Thickness, strength and mesh all depend on the loads and the ground, so confirm them before you order.
Do I need a plan or an engineer for a slab?
A small pad for a tank or shed usually does not. A house slab, a slab on expansive clay or dolomite, and any suspended slab does. Your local municipality and the NHBRC for new homes will expect plans that follow SANS 10400. Ask your contractor what applies to your site.
How much concrete will my slab need?
Multiply length by width by thickness in metres to get the volume in m³. A 5 m by 4 m slab at 100 mm is 2 m³. Add a small allowance for waste. Ready-mix trucks carry about 6 m³, and small loads may carry a part-load charge, so ask suppliers about minimum orders.

Concrete Slabs by province

Concrete Slabs by city and town

SlabSlabs & foundations
MixReady-mix, pumping & materials
Get a free quote